Structures of Literary Texts – Prose and Poetry

20 question-and-answer style flashcards covering key concepts about the structure of prose and poetry, including narrative elements, poetic devices, rhythm, meter, and examples of themes.

What is the primary structural difference between prose and poetry?

Prose is written in ordinary paragraphs without metrical structure, while poetry is written in verse and lines that may follow rhythm, rhyme, and meter.

Which two narrative elements are commonly found in prose texts?

Characters and plot.

In literary analysis, what is meant by the "topic" or "theme" of a text?

It is the central idea or main subject the literary piece is about.

Give one classic literary work that explores the theme of love.

"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare (other correct examples acceptable).

What three key pieces of information are normally revealed in the introduction of a prose narrative?

The setting, the characters, and the plot premise.

Name two techniques writers can use to hook readers in an introduction.

Using a powerful quote or asking a provocative question (also acceptable: describing the setting, providing background information).

Which major story elements are included in the body of a prose work?

The conflict, the climax, and steps toward the resolution.

What does the conclusion of a prose text typically reveal?

The final outcome or resolution in which the central conflict is resolved.

What literary form is “written in verse and lines” and often employs devices such as symbolism and imagery?

Poetry.

Define the poetic term "verse."

A single metrical line of a poem.

To what is a stanza in poetry comparable within prose writing?

A paragraph—a grouped unit of related content.

What is rhythm in the context of poetry?

The pattern of sounds produced by the arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line or verse.

What is meter in poetry?

The structured rhythm created by a recurring pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, described by the type and number of feet per line.

Describe an iambic foot.

Two syllables: an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM).

Describe a trochaic foot.

Two syllables: a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable (DUM-da).

How many feet per line are found in tetrameter?

Four feet per line.

What does the term "trochaic octameter" indicate?

A line composed of eight trochaic feet (stressed-unstressed repeating eight times).

Which metrical pattern is illustrated by the line “Twinkle, twinkle, little star”?

Trochaic tetrameter (four trochaic feet).

What is rhyme, and why do poets use it?

Rhyme is the repetition of similar sounds, usually at line endings, to create musicality, emphasize ideas, and make a poem more memorable.

How many feet are present in a line of pentameter?

Five feet per line.