Literary Terms

Theme

The lesson about life or human nature that the writer wants to convey to the reader; should be one sentence including a positive moral to remember in the future; real solution

Situational Irony

Actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcame is contrary to what was expected

Verbal Irony

Sarcasm

Dramatic Irony

A situation in which the audience or reader has a better understanding of events than the characters in a story do

Symbolism

“Things represent other things.” Uses symbols, be they words, people, marks, locations, or abstract ideas to represent something beyond the literal meaning

Inciting Incident/Conflict

The main problem in the story that needs to be resolved. The ________ ________/________ is an event that occurs, in relation to your protagonist, near the beginning of your story, which sets that story moving in a different direction

Internal Conflict

A character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs: Character vs. Self

External Conflict

Conflict between the main character and any external force, such as a villain, government, or nature. 5 types: Character vs. Character, Character vs. Nature, Character vs. Society, Character vs. Supernatural, Character vs. Technology

Exposition

Background information on the characters and setting at the beginning of the story

Rising Action

The second of six essential plot elements, which comes right after the opening of a story, otherwise known as the exposition. It is usually made up of a series of events that lay down breadcrumbs, ask questions, and set roadblocks and conflicts that must be overcome

Climax

The most exciting moment / the turning point in the story before the resolution (approx. 75% on plot diagram)

Falling Action

The period after the dramatic confrontation of the climax. This portion of the narrative helps deflate the plot's tension and gives the character time to unwind after the emotional scene

Resolution

The ending or solution of the story

Mood

The emotional effect that the text creates for ME (all about me - how it makes ME feel)

Tone

The attitude of the author or speaker *may be a specific positive, negative, or neutral word)

Foreshadowing

When an author hints at the ending of or at an upcoming event in the story without fully divulging it

Connotation

An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Denotation

The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests

Direct Characterization

The writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells the reader or viewer what the character is like | Tells the reader or viewer

Indirect Characterization

The writer reveals details about a character without stating them explicitly. Instead of describing a character in a straightforward way, the author shows their traits through that character's actions, speech, thoughts, appearance, and how other characters react to them

Alliteration

The repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things using the words like or as

Metaphor

Comparing two things by using one kind of object or using in place of another to suggest the likeness between them

Personification

Giving something human qualities

Hyperbole

Fact plus exaggeration, usually with humor

Onomatopoeia

Naming a thing or an action by imitating the sound associated with it

Imagery

Any word(s) that creates a mental picture using two of the five senses for sensory language

Idiom

A phrase without a literal meaning

Adage

A traditional saying expressing a common experience or observation

Allusion

A reference to a famous person, place, event, or literary work (can be implied or direct)