Literary Terms - griffinh68
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Study for lit terms quiz
Last updated 3:30 PM on 9/5/23
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62 Terms
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allusion
A reference to a well-known person, character, place, or event that a writer makes to deepen the reader's understanding of their work.
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alliteration
The repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables.
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hyperbole
Exaggerated statements or claims that are not meant to be taken literally.
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imagery
A description that appeals to any of the 5 senses.
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metaphor
Comparing two things without using like or as.
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mood
The feeling the reader gets from a story.
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motif
A recurring reference or thematic idea.
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oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines two contradictory terms.
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paradox
A statement that contradicts itself.
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personification
Gives nonhuman things human traits.
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point of view
The perspective from which an author tells a story.
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setting
The time, place, and environment in which a story occurs.
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simile
Comparing two things using like or as.
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structure
The organization of a story's various elements, including plot, characters, and themes.
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style
The way in which an author writes a story.
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symbol
Something that represents something else.
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theme
The main idea or takeaway from a story.
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antagonist
A character working against the main character.
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characterization
Describing characters in a story.
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direct characterization
The author specifically tells you something about a character like physical traits.
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indirect characterization
The author doesn’t specifically tell you something about a character, you have to infer through the character’s dialogue and actions.
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dynamic character
A character who undergoes significant internal change throughout the course of a story.
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static character
A character who stays the same throughout the course of a story.
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foil
A character who contrasts with another character.
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protagonist
The main character of a story.
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conflict
A problem or struggle between opposing forces.
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external conflict
Conflicts that occur outside of the main character.
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person vs person
The main character’s goal is obstructed by another character.
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person vs society
The main character has to fight injustices within society.
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person vs nature
The main character faces resistance from natural forces.
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person vs supernatural
A character faces resistance from supernatural forces.
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internal conflict
A character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs.
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irony
A contrast between what looks real and what is actually real.
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dramatic irony
When the audience knows something that the characters don’t.
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situational irony
When the opposite of what is expected actually happens.
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verbal irony
A character says one thing but means the opposite.
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anaphora
A word or phrase is repeated in multiple sentences.
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antithesis
A literary device that positions opposite ideas parallel to each other.
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antonym
Words that have opposite meanings
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connotation
An implied meaning that's associated with a word in addition to its literal meaning.
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denotation
A word’s literal meaning.
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diction
The author’s word choice based on the connotation and denotation of words.
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figure of speech
A deviation from the ordinary use of words in order to increase their effectiveness.
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parallel structure
Using the same pattern of words to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.
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pun
A play the sounds and meanings of words to make new and surprising sentences.
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repetition
Using the same word or phrase over and over again.
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syntax
The set of rules that determine the arrangement of words in a sentence and then bending those rules to convey deeper meaning in a story.
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synonym
Words that have similar meanings.
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tone
The author’s attitude towards the subject, they set it.
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flashback
An event that disrupts the chronological order of a story to provide context for the rest of the story.
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foreshadowing
A literary device that is used to hint or an indicator of what is going to happen later in the story.
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plot
The sequence of events in a story.
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exposition
The introduction of a story or book, when the characters and setting are first described.
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rising action
All the events that happen in a story on the way to the climax.
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climax
The central turning point of the story.
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falling action
All the action that happens right after the climax before there is a resolution.
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resolution
The conclusion of the story when the conflict is resolved.
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suspense
An uneasy feeling the reader gets when they don’t know what is going to happen next.
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onomatopoeia
A literary device that uses the letter sounds of a word to imitate the natural sound emitted from an object or action.
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poetry
A type of literature that conveys a thought, describes a scene or tells a story in a concentrated, lyrical arrangement of words and typically a lot of figurative language.
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prosody
The study of all the elements of language that contribute toward acoustic and rhythmic effects, mainly in poetry.
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rhyme
The correspondence of two or more words with similar-sounding final syllables placed so as to echo one another.
Note 
Flashcards (57)