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Literary terms Kind
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Plot | The sequence of events in a story--beginning, middle and end. |
| Exposition | The beginning of the story where the main characters and initial conflicts are introduced. The setting of the story (time, place, weather, culture etc.). |
| Rising Action | Events that lead up to the climax. They help create tension and suspense and may have more conflicts. |
| Climax- | The turning point of the story; the moment of tension, emotion, or suspense that determines the resolution. The main conflict is addressed. |
| Falling Action | Eases the tension and shows how the main character resolves the conflict. |
| Resolution/Conclusion | The end of the story is typically where the main conflict is resolved. |
| Idiom | A phrase or expression that says one thing, but means something else. |
| Hyperbole | An extreme exaggeration. |
| Simile | A comparison of two different things using the words “like” or “as”. |
| Metaphor | A direct comparison of two different things without using “like” or “as”; it describes something by calling it something else. |
| Personification | Describing nonhuman animals, objects, or ideas as though they possess human qualities or emotions. |
| Alliteration | Repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| Theme | The central idea or message about life that is expressed in the story. |
| Point of View | First person, second person, third person (omniscient) |
| Foreshadowing | Hints or clues about future events. |
| Conflict | problem, fight, or struggle between characters, society, nature, or internally within. |
| Character vs. Character | This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with another character, human or not human. |
| Character vs. Nature | This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with the forces of nature, which serve as the antagonist. |
| Character vs. Society | This type of conflict has the main character in conflict with a larger group: a community, society, culture, school, etc. |
| Character vs. Self | In this type of conflict, the main character experiences some kind of inner conflict like making a difficult decision or dealing with a personal problem. |
| Setting | Where and when the story takes place (including the time, place, weather, culture, customs and traditions). |
| Protagonist | The central character is usually involved in a conflict against the antagonist. May also be known as the hero. |
| Climax | The point of tension, emotion, or heightened suspense (the turning point). Determines the resolution. |
| Author’s Purpose | The reason why the author writes: Entertain, Inform, Explain, and Persuade. |
| Mood | The feelings the reader gets from reading the author’s words. |
| Tone | The attitudes and feelings of an author/speaker toward a subject. |
| Characterization | means through which an author reveals a character’s personality. Characterization may be direct or indirect. |
| ★ Direct Characterization | The author tells the reader what the character is like. |
| ★ Indirect Characterization | The author shows the reader what the character is like through how a character looks, what the character does, what the character says, what the character thinks, or how the character affects the other characters. |
| Dynamic Character | A character who undergoes a significant internal change throughout the story. This may be a change in understanding, values, insight, etc. |
| Static Character | A character who does not undergo a significant change throughout a story. |