Elements, Forms, and Divisions of Literature

Vocabulary flashcards covering literary elements, forms, divisions, and specific examples from the lecture notes.

Language

The most important literary element, defined as a system of communicating ideas and feelings through signs, sounds, gestures, and/or marks.

Plot

The sequence of events that occurs from the first line to the last in a work.

Exposition

The very beginning of a story where authors usually introduce the major characters and settings to the reader.

Conflict

The central struggle or problem that main characters must tackle, which motivates them and leads to a work's climax.

Rising Action

Everything that happens in a plot to build tension before the climax, usually involving facing and conquering minor conflicts.

Climax

The part of the story where characters must face and solve the major conflict, marking the moment where the hero will either succeed or totally fail.

Falling Action

Everything that happens after the climax but before the resolution, where writers tie up loose ends.

Resolution

The conclusion of a story, also referred to as the denouement.

Mood

The emotion or feeling that readers get from reading the words on a page.

Setting

The time and location in which the story takes place.

Themes

Any ideas that appear repeatedly throughout a text, sometimes described as the main idea of a work.

Point of View

The perspective from which the story is told.

First Person Point of View

Perspective told by one of the characters from their perspective, identified by pronouns like "I", "you", and "my".

Second Person Point of View

Perspective where the audience is made a character in the story, using pronouns like "you" and "your".

Third Person Limited Point of View

Perspective where an outside narrator tells the story using pronouns like "he", "she", and "they".

Third Person Omniscient Point of View

Perspective where an outside narrator uses third-person pronouns and can see all, hear all, and explain all like God.

Narrator

The entity whose job is to explain, describe, and dramatically reveal plot points to help make sense of the plot for the reader.

Protagonist

The main character in a piece of literature.

Antagonist

The characters that oppose the protagonist in some way.

Literature

The art of written work, coming from a word that literally means "things made from letters".

Oral Literature

Literary works transmitted from one generation to another verbally.

Written Literature

Literary works in printed form.

Visual Literature

Literary works presented in front of an audience.

Prose

The most typical form of language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure.

Fiction

A major branch of literary work dealing in part or whole with non-factual, imaginary information invented by the author.

Fairytale

A story about kings, queens, princes, and princesses with a touch of magic.

Mythology

A story about gods and goddesses.

Legend

A story about the origin of a place or a thing.

Novel

A long narrative with an organized plot, usually with a maximum of 500 pages.

Novelette

A narrative with an organized plot, usually with a maximum of 300 pages.

Short Story

A narrative with an organized plot, usually with a maximum of 100 pages.

Fable

A story that uses animals as characters and contains a moral lesson.

Parable

A story used by Jesus in teaching the Good News.

Allegory

A story that uses symbolism to represent an idea.

Non-Fiction

Any narrative, account, or communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be factual.

Autobiography

The life story of a person written by himself.

Biography

The life story of a person written by another person.

Newspaper

A collection of news articles about various current events.

Magazine

A collection of articles regarding the lifestyle of man.

Journal

A daily record of personal events.

Planner

A daily record of business commitments.

Anecdote

A brief, revealing account of an individual person or an incident.

Poetry

A form of literary art which uses the aesthetic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning.

Narrative Poetry

A form of poetry that tells a story, usually written in metered verse with dramatic objectives, diverse characters, and meter.

Epic

A narrative poem about supernatural powers possessed by heroes and heroines.

Ballad

A narrative poem with harmony and rhythm.

Idyll

A narrative poem about rustic life.

Metrical Romance

A narrative poem dealing with the emotions or phase of life, told in a simple, straightforward, and realistic manner.

Lyric Poetry

A genre of poetry expressing personal feelings, historically sung with a lyre, which does not have to rhyme.

Song

A lyric poem intended to be sung, with melodious harmony and rhythm.

Sonnet

A lyric poem consisting of 14 iambic pentameter lines.

Ode

A lyrical poem praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally.

Elegy

A lyric poem that is a lament for the dead.

Drama

The specific mode of fiction represented in performance, derived from a Greek word meaning "action" ("to do"; "to act").

Hamlet (1601)

An early modern tragedy by Shakespeare, considered among the masterpieces of dramatic art.

Oedipus the King (c. 429 BCE)

A classical Athenian tragedy by Sophocles, considered among the masterpieces of dramatic art.

Long Day's Journey into Night

A modern drama written by Eugene O'Neill in 1956.

Historical Play

A theatrical play with a historical plot.

Comedy

A theatrical play with a happy ending.

Tragedy

A theatrical play with the death of some major characters.