literaryterms1

1

Protagonist

The central character of a narrative; the character through whom the lesson of the story is learned.

Simile

A comparison of two items using “like” or “as.”

Point of View

The vantage point from which a story is told, such as first person or third person.

Connotation

Another significant meaning of a word, often connected to a symbol or feeling.

Characterization

The manner by which an author develops a character within a narrative.

Dialogue

The spoken words of two or more characters within a narrative.

Imagery

The picture in your mind that the words from the page create; it can be figurative, symbolic, or literal.

Situational Irony

An event where the opposite of what is expected happens.

Antagonist

The force, character, or element that works against the protagonist.

Dramatic Irony

When the reader or audience knows something important that a character does not know.

Ego

The part of the personality that deals with reality, reason, and the outside world; it balances the desires of the id with reality.

Historical Fiction

A narrative that tells a story set during a real moment in history but embellishes it at least slightly.

Theme

The main idea of a work of literature; the message the author is sending to the reader.

Paradigm

A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that forms a way of viewing reality for a particular community.

Dialect

A regional variety of language, often with distinct accents, words, phrases, or usage.

Oedipus Complex

A psychological concept in which a child, usually a male, has strong or desirous feelings toward the parent of the opposite sex.

Denotation

The explicit or literal meaning of a word or the particular meaning of a symbol.

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, part of a literary work, or a moment in history.

Conflict

The struggle between two opposing forces in a piece of literature, which the story is built around.

Setting

The time and place in which the action of a story occurs.

Catharsis

The release of certain emotions in the audience, especially pity and hatred toward the actions of a tragic hero.

Act

A division within a drama, usually comparable to a chapter in a novel.

Autobiography

A truthful account of a person's life, written by that same person.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the work, shown through the language being used.

Colloquialism

A local or informal variation of language, such as a word or phrase found within a particular dialect.

Paradox

A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true.

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes growth and development during a literary work.

Static Character

A character who remains unchanged by the events of a literary work.

Biography

A truthful account of a person's life, written by another person.