Literary Terms

Point of view

narrator's perspective or perception in a story

Narrator

the person telling the story

3rd person narrator

a narrator who tells the story without being a character, using "he, she, they"

Omniscient narrator

an all-knowing narrator who can switch between characters and plot points

Editorial omniscient

a narrator who describes characters for them

Neutral narrator

a narrator that allows readers to interpret characters' thoughts and feelings

Limited omniscient

a narrator with limited knowledge, focusing on one character's perspective

Stream of consciousness

unfiltered first-person narration reflecting a character's thoughts and feelings

Objective POV

a retelling of the story without insight into characters' minds

1st person narrator

a character in the story, limited to their own thoughts and feelings, using "I, me, we"

Unreliable narrator

a narrator whose perspective differs from the main objective narrator

Naïve narrator

an inexperienced or uneducated narrator, often a child

Style

the literary choices an author uses to create a specific effect

Diction

the intentional use of specific words by the author

Tone

the author's attitude towards elements of the story

Irony

a situation where something appears to be true, but the opposite is true

Verbal irony

saying the opposite of what one means intentionally

Sarcasm

a type of verbal irony that is intentionally hurtful

Situational irony

a disconnect between what is expected to happen and what actually happens

Dramatic irony

when the reader knows something that the character does not

Satire

effort to poke fun at something or someone

Cosmic irony

forces beyond the character’s control brought together

Theme

the main idea or underlying message of a story

Symbol

a component of the story that represents a deeper meaning

Conventional symbols

widely recognized objects or concepts that represent ideas outside the story

Literary symbols

concepts or characters that have multiple meanings within the story

Allegory

an object, concept, or person that has one distinct meaning

Plot

the order of meaningful events in a story

In medias res

starting a story in the middle of an important event

Flashback

a narrative device that provides context by revisiting past events

Character

an imaginary entity created by the author with human traits

Exposition

background information about characters and the story

Rising action

the buildup of events leading to the climax

Conflict

the main problem that drives the story

Foreshadowing

hints or clues about future events in the story

Protagonist

the main character in a story

Hero/heroine

a protagonist with moral integrity

Antagonist

a force that opposes the protagonist

Suspense

the emotional buildup as the story progresses

Climax

the most intense moment in the story

Resolution

the outcome of the conflict

Denouement

untying of the knot

Setting

the time, place, context, and mood of the story

Imagery/image

visual cues that evoke sensory experiences for readers

Metaphor

a comparison between two things without using "like" or "as"

Simile

a comparison using "like" or "as"

Extended metaphor

a metaphor that extends throughout a story

Controlling metaphor

a metaphor that shapes the plot or story's progression

Personification

attributing human characteristics to non-human entities

Apostrophe

expressing feelings/ thoughts to someone who can’t understand or is not present.

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally

Understatement

downplaying something significant

Paradox

something that doesn’t make sense until further context is given

Oxymoron

a combination of contradictory terms describing a single idea

Characterization

the process of developing characters and giving them personality

Telling

how the author describes a character directly

Showing

how the author reveals a character's traits through actions

Motivated

the driving force behind a character's actions

Plausible

a motivation that makes sense within the story's context

Consistent

a character that remains true to their established traits

Antihero

a protagonist lacking traditional heroic qualities

Dynamic

a character that undergoes significant change

Static

a character that does not change throughout the story

EXAMPLE- 1st person narrator

Sonny’s Blue’s. Sonny’s brother

EXAMPLE- stream of consciousness

Lone Ranger. Narrator takes reader to past, present and future in no order

EXAMPLE- naive narrator

Boys and Girls. Unexperienced kid

EXAMPLE- style

Lone Ranger. Conversational effect

EXAMPLE- literary symbolism

Sonny’s Blues. Melting ice block in narrator’s stomach that represents guilt and dread

EXAMPLE- symbol

Boys and Girls. Foxes mean identity

EXAMPLE- hyperbole

The Odyssey. “he seemed rather a shaggy mountain reared in solitude”

EXAMPLE- personification

The Odyssey. The Dawn is child of morning

EXAMPLE- oxymoron

Boys and Girls. Flora described “air of gallantry and abandon”

EXAMPLE- round character

The Odyssey. Odysseus is the most developed character

EXAMPLE- stock character

Boys and Girls. Father is predictable

EXAMPLE- foil

Sonny’s Blue’s. Sonny and his brother contrast each other