English Exam ( LIterary terms)

Short Story

A short, concentrated tale that can be read in one sitting that leaves the reader with a single, powerful impression

Who defined a short story?

Edgar Allen Poe

Plot

The sequence of events that make up the story

Theme

Universal idea, lesson or message explored through literature

Tone

The author’s attitude toward their subject

Symbolism

An object, person, place, or action that represents an idea other than the object (ppa) itself

Characterization

The process by which an author reveals the personality of a character; how an author makes a fictional character seem real

Setting

Time and place of the story

Point-of-view

The perspective of the story

Exposition

introduced to characters, setting and situation

Rising Action

where tension  is built through conflicts and suspense

Inciting incident

event that starts the rising action

Central Conflict

the main problem that has to be overcome

Both types of Conflicts

1. The moment when all tension is released and the CC is resolved

2. The “point of no return” - everything falls apart - tragedies:  Romeo and Juliet

Falling Action

the moment immediately following the climax - things begin to return to a new normal - slowing down of intensity

Resolution

the conclusion of the story; all problems resolved

Direct characterization

An author directly explains a character’s personality; lists a character’s traits

Indirect characterization

An author reveals a character’s personality through that character’s words, thoughts, actions, and comments about them from other characters

Connotation

The implied meaning of a word

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word

Fiction

stories created from an author’s imagination that are not historically factual, but are based on - and help reveal - truths of humanity

Diction

word choice

Syntax

the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language

Simile

a direct/explicit comparison of two unlike things using “like or as” - suggests that the objects are similar to each other

Metaphor

Two ways of thinking about metaphor: explicit and implicit

Explicit: A comparison of two unlike objects  by directly suggesting one object IS the other

Implicit: A comparison of two unlike objects by implying one object is the other

Allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

Allegory

A story meant to be read entirely on a symbolic level

Empathy

feeling the emotions of the characters in a story because you understand how they are feeling

Irony

A literary device that uses contradictory statements or situations to reveal a reality different from what appears to be true

Verbal Irony

one thing is said, but opposite is meant

Dramatic Irony

audience knows truth, but characters do not

Situational Irony

discrepancy between what is expected and what actually happens

Once is an occurence

twice is a coincidence

three time is a pattern and patterns are worth exploring

form

matters

shift

happens

How does the story mean?

What do authors do, such as techniques and word choice, to help get their message across

How and Why we read?

Reading is about communication, a conversation, and how it is always an act of emapthy