Literary Elements and Devices

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key literary terms and concepts discussed in the lecture.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere created in a literary work.

Tone

A writer's attitude toward his or her subject.

1st Person Point of View

Narration from the perspective of a character using 'I' or 'we'.

3rd Person Point of View

Narration from an outside perspective using 'he', 'she', or 'they'.

3rd Person Omniscient

An all-knowing narrator who knows all characters' thoughts and feelings.

3rd Person Limited

A narrator who only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work.

Irony

A situation or expression that signifies the opposite of what is expected.

Situational Irony

When something happens that is the opposite of what the reader expects.

Verbal Irony

When the spoken meaning is different from the intended meaning, often interpreted as sarcasm.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something that at least one character does not.

Characterization

The process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

Direct Characterization

When the writer makes direct statements about a character.

Indirect Characterization

When the writer reveals information about a character through their actions, thoughts, or interactions.

Motivation

The reason for a character's actions in a story.

Flashback

An interruption in the flow of a story to give background information.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues suggesting what will happen later in a story.

Dialogue

Conversation between characters in a literary work.

Dialect

A variety of language spoken by a particular group or region.

Narrator

The voice telling the story in a literary work.

Diction

The author's specific choice of words and phrases in writing.

Denotation

The literal or dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

The emotional or cultural associations attached to a word beyond its literal meaning.

Plot

The sequence of events that make up a story, including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Exposition

The beginning of the plot where characters, setting, and the basic situation are introduced.

Rising Action

The part of the plot where the conflict develops and suspense builds.

Climax

The turning point or the moment of highest tension in a story.

Falling Action

The events that follow the climax and lead toward the resolution.

Resolution

The final part of the plot where the conflict is resolved and loose ends are tied up.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces.

Internal Conflict

A struggle that takes place within a character's own mind, such as Man vs. Self.

External Conflict

A struggle between a character and an outside force, such as Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, or Man vs. Society.

Man vs. Self

An internal conflict where a character struggles with their own emotions, conscience, or decisions.

Man vs. Man

An external conflict where a character struggles against another character.

Man vs. Nature

An external conflict where a character struggles against natural forces like weather or animals.

Man vs. Society

An external conflict where a character struggles against social rules, laws, or traditions.

VEO SAFECATS

An acronym for analyzing style: Variation, Emphasis, Organization; Sentence structure, Adjectives/Adverbs, Figurative language, Emotive language, Contrast, Alliteration/Assonance, Triplets, Symbolism.

Protagonist

The main character in a literary work.

Antagonist

A character or force in conflict with the main character.

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes a significant internal change throughout the story.

Static Character

A character who remains the same throughout the story.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Figurative Language

Language not intended to be taken literally, used to create special effects or meanings.

Simile

A comparison of two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A direct comparison of two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Personification

Assigning human qualities to non-human objects or ideas.

Hyperbole

A deliberate and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis.

Imagery

Descriptive or figurative language used to create word pictures for the reader.

Visual Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the sense of sight.

Auditory Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the sense of hearing.

Olfactory Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the sense of smell.

Gustatory Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the sense of taste.

Tactile Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the sense of touch.

Topic

The specific subject of a piece of writing.

Theme

The central message or universal truth expressed in a literary work.