common lit terms

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere in a story. It’s how the story makes you feel.

Tone

The authors attitude or how they feel about a stories subject.

Theme

The big idea or lesion you learn from the story.

Symbol

Something in a story that stands for something else like a hidden message.

Irony

When something unexpected happens in a story. Often the opposite of what you’d expect.

Allusion

When a story mentions something from another story, like a famous book or movie.

Foreshadowing

When the author gives hints about what will happen later in the story.

Setting

Where and when the story takes place.

Diction

The authors choice of words. It’s how they say things.

POV/perspective

Who is telling the story. It’s like the camera angle of the story.

Imagery

When the author uses words to paint a picture in your mind.