Literary Terms

Alliteration

Repetition of the initial consonant sounds of words “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"“

Allusion

A reference to any well-known piece of literature or literary character: “He’s a Romeo.”

Antagonist

character that is the source of conflict or opposes the protagonist in a literary work

Dialogue

direct speech between characters in a literary work

Figurative Language

language that uses figures of speech to play with the meaning of words/phrases (types: personification, simile, metaphor, idiom,etc.)

Flashback

the method of returning to an earlier point in time for the purpose of making the present clearer

Foreshadowing

hint of what is to come in a literary work

Genre

type or category to which a literary work belongs: science fiction, historical fiction, mystery, etc.

Hyperbole

extreme exaggeration to add meaning: “I’ve told you a million times, …so hungry I could eat a horse”

Idiom

a cultural expression whose meaning is different from the literal meaning: “Bite off more than you can chew, let the cat out of the bag”

Imagery

language that appeals to the five sense

Metaphor

an implied comparison between unlike objects: “Life is a highway, you are my sunshine”

Onomatopoeia

words whose sound imitates its meaning: “hiss, buzz”

Oxymoron

phrase that consists of two words that are contradictory: “living dead, jumbo shrimp”

Personification

non-human things that are given human characteristics: “The wind whistled, the table moaned under the weight, the sun smiled down at me.”

Protagonist

the main character in a literary work

Simile

a direct comparison of unlike objects, using like or as: “as quiet as a mouse, swim like a fish, as big as a barn”

Symbol/symbolism

one thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else: “Flag=freedom”

Theme

the underlying main idea of a literary work. Differs from the subject of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the subject: “Good always overcomes evil, hard works pays off”

Tone

the author’s attitude toward the subject of a work