Intro to Literature

Litera

The latin word in which Literature is derived from. Means letters or words.

Literature

The total preserved writings and spoken words belonging to a specific language or people. Interprets meanings of nature and life in words of charm and power.

Fiction

Known as literature of power. Myths, poems, short stories, novels, plays.

Non-fiction

Known as literature of knowledge. Biographies, news.

Universality

It appeals to everyone regardless of culture, race, gender and time.

Permanence

It endures across time and draws out the time factors.

Timeliness

Occurring at a particular time.

Timelessness

Remaining invariably throughout time.

Artistry

It has an aesthetic appeal to everyone and thuse possesses a sense of beauty,

Intellectual Value

Stimulates critical thinking that enriches the mental processes of abstract and reason.

Suggestiveness

It unravels and conjures man’s emotional power to define symbolism, nuances, implied meanings, images, and messages.

Spiritual Value

It elevates the spirit and soul and thus have the power to motivate and inspire.

Style

It presents peculiar ways of how man sees life as evidence by the formation of his ideas which are marked by their memorable substance.

Literary Devices

Refers to the typical structures used by writers in their works to convey his or her messages in a simple manner.

Literary Elements

Have an inherent existence in literary piece and are extensively employed by writers to develop a literary piece.

Plot

The logical sequence of events that develop a story.

Setting

It refers to the time and place in which a story takes place

Protagonist

Good Guy. The main character.

Antagonist

Bad Guy. Character in conflict with the protagonist.

Point of View

The person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story.

Conflict

It is an issue in a narrative around which the whole story revolves.

Mood

A general atmosphere of a narrative.

Tone

The attitude of the speaker and narrator as conveyed through the language of the piece.

Theme

It is the central idea or the concept of the story.

Literary Techniques

Structures usually words or phrase in literary texts that writers employ to achieve greater understanding and appreciation of their literary works.

Symbolism

It refers to using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.

Flashback

Tells an interjected scene of the story that takes it back in time from the current point in the story.

Flashforward

Tells a scene that takes the narrative to a future time.

Cliffhanger

Tells an abrupt ending that places the main characters in a perilous situation with no resolution.

Foreshadowing

Important hints that an author drops to prepare the reader for what is to come.

Imagery

It is the use of figurative language to create visual representations of actions, objects, and ideas.

Simile and Metaphor

Both compare two distinct objects and draw similarities between them.

Personification

Attribution of human qualities to something that is non-human like.

Hyperbole

It is an exaggeration of actions and ideas for the sake of emphasis.

Feminism

Pieces usually written by women that deal with women in society.

New Historicism

It deals with the cultural context during the writing of the piece of literature.

Formalism or New Criticism

Formulated by the information and details of the piece itself.