Lesson 1: Introduction to Literature Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards defining core concepts, qualities, forms, and significance of literature from Lesson 1.

Literature

A body of written or oral works that uses language creatively to express experiences, ideas, emotions, values, and perspectives. Originates from the Latin words litteratura (writing) and littera (letter).

Significant Human Experience (SHE)

A central concept emphasizing that literature becomes meaningful when it communicates realities that matter to human life, such as love, loss, conflict, hope, identity, injustice, and growth.

Artistry

A quality of literature showing skill and beauty in the way language, structure, images, sound, and other techniques are used.

Suggestiveness

A quality of literature where a work can suggest ideas, emotions, meanings, or experiences beyond its literal words.

Intellectual Value

A quality of literature that stimulates thinking, reflection, interpretation, and understanding.

Spiritual Value

A quality of literature that deepens awareness of values, beliefs, purpose, conscience, or the inner life of people.

Universality

A quality of literature where a work can communicate experiences or emotions that people across cultures can recognize or relate to.

Permanence

A quality of literature where a work remains meaningful across time because its insights and artistic qualities continue to matter.

Subject

What a literary work is about; serves as the topic or foundation of the work across concrete, issue-based, and truth-based levels.

Theme

The deeper idea, message, insight, or truth about the subject suggested by a literary work.

Form

The shape, structure, organization, or arrangement through which the content of a literary work is expressed.

Point of View (POV)

The position or perspective from which a literary work is presented, influencing what the audience knows, notices, and feels.

Poetry

A major division of literature arranged in lines and often shaped by rhythm, sound, imagery, figurative language, and condensed forms of expression.

Prose

A major division of literature organized mainly through sentences and paragraphs rather than poetic lineation.

Drama

A major division of literature intended for performance, commonly using dialogue, action, characters, scenes, and stage elements.

Myth

A traditional narrative often associated with gods, origins, nature, beliefs, or a culture's worldview.

Legend

A traditional story connected to a person, place, or event that often blends historical or cultural elements with imagination.

Parable

A short illustrative story using human situations to communicate a moral, spiritual, or ethical lesson.

Fable

A short story, often using animals or personified creatures, that teaches a lesson.

Fairy Tale

A traditional imaginative tale involving magical or extraordinary elements.

Short Story

A brief work of prose fiction focused on a limited set of characters/events and designed for a relatively concentrated effect.

Novel

A long prose fiction work with more extended development of plot, characters, setting, and themes.

Novella

A prose fiction work longer than a typical short story but shorter than a novel.

Travel Literature

Writing about journeys, places, people, cultures, observations, and experiences of travel.

Diary / Journal

Personal dated records of experiences, thoughts, observations, or feelings.

Editorial

An article that presents the viewpoint or position of a publication or editorial board on an issue.

Essay

A prose composition that explores an idea, experience, issue, or argument.

Biography

The life story of a person written by someone else.

Autobiography

A person's life story written by that same person.

Memoir

A nonfiction account centered on selected memories, experiences, or periods of the writer's life.

Character Sketch

A brief descriptive piece that highlights the personality, qualities, behavior, and distinctive traits of a person.

Lyrical Poetry

Poetry that focuses on personal emotion, reflection, thought, or a subjective experience, often presenting an expressive voice.

Narrative Poetry

Poetry that tells a story through verse, including characters, events, conflict, or progression.

Dramatic Poetry

Poetry that presents a dramatic situation or speech through a persona/character, often allowing a voice to reveal motives or conflict.

Tragedy

Serious drama involving suffering, conflict, and often a disastrous or unhappy outcome.

Comedy

Drama generally intended to amuse and often resolving conflict in a favorable or socially restorative way.

Tragicomedy

Dramatic form that combines serious/tragic elements with comic elements.

Melodrama

Drama that uses heightened emotion, clear conflicts, and strongly marked character roles or moral contrasts.

Farce

Comedy based on exaggerated situations, improbable events, physical humor, and confusion.

Historical Drama

Drama based on historical persons, periods, or events, with artistic shaping.

Musical Drama

Drama that integrates music and often song and dance into the performance.

Practical Objection

An argument raised against studying literature that questions its direct usefulness for everyday or job-related needs.

Moral Function of Literature

Literature's capacity to encourage readers to consider choices, consequences, values, and other people's experiences.

Ralph Ellison

An author cited in Tim Gillespie's essay to illustrate the profound influence literature can have on a reader's way of seeing the world and the human condition.