English 2201 Midyear Review: Terms Defined

This set of flashcards covers key literary terms and concepts essential for understanding literature in an English course.

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.

First Person

Narrative perspective using I, me, myself, my.

Second Person

Narrative perspective using you.

Third Person

Narrative perspective using he, she, they.

Third Person Omniscient

An all-knowing perspective where the reader knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters.

Third Person Limited

A perspective limited to the thoughts and feelings of one character, often the narrator.

Tone

The author’s attitude towards his or her subject.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that uses contradiction in a way that makes deeper sense, like 'jumbo shrimp' or 'loving hate'.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates or suggests its meaning, such as buzz, hiss, or crash.

Allusion

A reference within a literary work to another work of literature, a film, art, religion, or historical events.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonants in a series of words.

Symbolism

When an item represents something more than itself.

Theme

The overall message or moral of a piece of writing regarding life or human nature.

Internal Conflict

A struggle within a character involving emotions like guilt or fear.