Tier One: General Literary Terms

Allusion

Reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

Antagonist

Character or force in conflict with the protagonist

Characterization

Method of developing a character's nature

Conflict

Struggle between opposing forces

Denouement

Final resolution or clarification of plot

Diction

Word choice and style of expression

Exposition

Background information provided to the reader

Figurative language

Non-literal language that creates meaning beyond the literal

Foreshadowing

Hint of what is to come

Imagery

Vivid descriptive language that appeals to the senses

Irony

Contrast between expectation and reality

Metaphor

Comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'

Mood

Emotional atmosphere of a work

Motif

Recurring element with symbolic significance

Narrator

Voice telling the story

Plot

Sequence of events in a story

Point of view

Perspective from which a story is told

Protagonist

Main character of a story

Setting

Time and place of a story

Simile

Comparison using 'like' or 'as'

Symbol

Object representing a larger idea or concept

Theme

Central idea or message

Tone

Author's attitude toward the subject

Tragic flaw

Character defect leading to downfall

Voice

Distinctive style or personality of a writer

Climax

Highest point of tension in a story

Dialogue

Conversation between characters

Flashback

Scene that interrupts the present action to show events from the past

Genre

Category of literary composition

Soliloquy

Speech in which a character reveals private thoughts to the audience