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Lit Terms
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Plot | The plan or main story of a literary work. A series of related events, like links in a chain. Includes setting, exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, resolution/denouement. |
| Conflict | A problem or struggle. The main problem the characters must overcome. |
| External Conflict | Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Nature A conflict that takes place between a character and someone or something else. |
| Internal Conflict | Man vs. Self A conflict that takes place within a character’s mind or heart. |
| Setting | The time and place of the action. |
| Exposition | The basic situation given at the opening of the story; when the characters and their conflict are introduced. Background information. |
| Rising Action | Events or complications that occur throughout the story that make the conflict worse; events leading to the climax of the story. |
| Climax | The key scene in the story. The point of highest dramatic tension or the major turning point in the action. |
| Resolution (or Denouement) | The final part of the story. The solution to the conflict or problem/the outcome of the main dramatic complication. |
| Foreshadowing | Hints or clues that suggest what is to come in the story. Warning of a future event. |
| Point of View (P.O.V.) | A position from which something is considered or evaluated; the narrator's position in relation to the story being told. |
| First Person Point of View | Point of view of the main character (narrator uses “I”) |
| Third Person Omniscient | The narrator of a story that sees and knows everything that happens and everything the characters are thinking and feeling. Narrator uses “he” or “she” or “they.” All-Seeing, All-Knowing. |
| Third Person Limited | The narrator of a story that describes the senses and thoughts of just one character. Narrator uses “he” or “she.” |
| Symbol | A person, place, object, or event that stands for something or represents something more than itself. |
| Theme | An insight about life that is revealed in a work of literature. The message of the story - what the author wants the audience to understand about life. THEME IS ALWAYS A SENTENCE, NEVER A WORD. |
| Characterization | The way a writer reveals information about a character. There are two methods: Direct and Indirect. |
| Protagonist | The main character of a story. The character for whom the reader roots. |
| Antagonist | The opponent who blocks the protagonist. The bad guy. |
| Dynamic Character | A changing character; a character that grows in some way |
| Static Character | A character that stays the same and does not grow or change. |
| Flat Character | A character that is simple and not complex at all; a minor character that does not get backstory. |
| Round Character | A character that is complex and connected to everything – the way an onion has many layers. |
| Foil | Someone or something that serves as a contrast to another; a person or thing that contrasts with and so emphasizes and enhances the qualities of another character. |
| Irony | The use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning. |
| Verbal Irony | Words used to suggest the opposite of what they mean; sarcasm. |
| Situational Irony | When an event occurs and contradicts what the audience thinks will happen – there is a reversal of expectations. |
| Dramatic Irony | When the audience knows something that the characters do not. |
| Metaphor | A figure of speech in which an comparison is made between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.” |
| Simile | A figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared, using “like” or “as” |
| Personification | A figure of speech in which an inanimate object is given human qualities or abilities. |
| Onomatopoeia | The use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. |
| Hyperbole | A ridiculous exaggeration. Can be used for comic effect, but usually just annoying. |
| Allusion | A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. |
| Diction | The style of speaking or writing determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer. |
| Tone | The writer’s attitude toward the subject, a character, or the audience of a story. |
| Mood | The atmosphere, climate, or feeling of a literary piece. |
| Oxymoron | A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. |
| Alliteration | A stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series. |
| Pun | A play on words in which a humorous effect is produced by using a word that suggests two or more meanings. |
Created by:
EnglishWGHS
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