Lap 1 Literary Terms

terms that u need to know

Theme

Theme

Central idea about life of a work of literature (usually a sentence...IE: Slow and steady wins the race for Tortoise and Hare)

Plot

Sequence of events in a story

Exposition

Background information presented in a literary work.

Setting

The time and place of a story

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces

rising action

Events leading up to the climax

Climax

the turning point of the story

falling action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

Resolution

End of the story where loose ends are tied up

Tone

A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels.

Mood

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

situational irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

verbal irony

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

dramatic irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

Satire

the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told (first person = I, third person limited = he/she but from only one point of view, third person ominiscient = narrator can see everything...all seeing)

Symbolism

A person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well

figurative language

simile (comparison using like/has), metaphor (comparison not using like/as), imagery, hyperbole

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, biblical story, or work of art

rhetorical appeals

the use of emotional, ethical, and logical arguments to persuade in writing or speaking

Ethos

appeal to credibility/trust

Pathos

Appeal to emotion

Logos

an appeal based on logic or reason

rhetorical devices

techniques writers use to enhance their arguments and communicate more effectively

rhetorical question

A question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer

Parallelism

similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses

Repetition

Repeated use of phrases, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis