English 9 Honors Literary Terms

Plot

a sequence of events that revolve around a central conflict

Setting

time and place

Characterization

techniques the author uses to create and develop the characters

Theme

main idea(s)

Point of view

the relationship between the narrator and the story

Verbal Irony

When the speaker says one thing but means something else (subtle sarcasm)

Dramatic Irony

when the audience/reader knows something the character(s) do not

Situational Irony

when the events violate the reader or character’s expectations.

Six parts of a plot

exposition/introduction, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Direct characterization

narrator describes a character’s traits explicitly

Indirect characterization

character’s traits are revealed through his or her thoughts, words, and/or actions or the thoughts, words, and actions of other characters.

Round character

A literary character who is complex, multifaceted, and feels real, possessing depth, contradictions, and a full range of motivations and emotions, much like a human being

Flat character

A one-dimensional, uncomplicated character in a story who is defined by one or two defining traits, motivations, or stereotypes and lacks depth, emotional complexity, or personal development

Dynamic character

A literary character who undergoes significant internal changes in personality, beliefs, or attitude throughout the course of a story due to the conflicts they encounter.

Static character

A literacy or narrative character who remains fundamentally unchanged throughout a story, maintaining their original personality, beliefs, and outlook from the beginning to the end of the narrative.

Stated Theme

A theme that is directly expressed by the author or narrator

Implied Theme

A theme that readers must infer from characters, events, and details

First Person POV

the narrator is a character in the story

Third Person Omniscient POV

reveals multiple characters’ thoughts and feelings

Third Person Limited POV

focuses on one character’s perspective

Archetype

an original pattern or typical model that others are based on, such as a recurring character types or a universal symbol.

Motif

A recurring element or image that has a thematic symbolic significance

Allusion

A reference in a work of literature to another text (literary, religious or mythological), a work of art, or a historical figure event.

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as”

Metaphor

a figure of speech that compares two different things by stating that one is the other, highlighting similarities or emphasis or symbolism