Literary Terms ~ 2024 Review

characterization

the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character through dialogue, action, and thoughts

theme

insight about life that an author wants the reader to learn as a lesson

central idea

The most important point the author makes

mood

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

foreshadowing

the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

persuade, inform, entertain

author's purpose

plot

the sequence of events in a literary work

setting

The time and place of a story

symbolism

when an author uses something to represent something else

irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

first person point of view

a character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself; using I, me, my, we

third person point of view

the narrator is not a character in the story

third person limited

Narrator sees the world through only one characters eyes and thoughts.

third person omniscient

the narrator knows all of the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters in a work

conflict

A struggle between opposing forces in a story, can be internal or external

exposition

Background information presented in a literary work.

rising action

the series of conflicts or struggles that build a story toward a climax.

climax

Most exciting moment of the story; turning point

falling action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

resolution

End of the story where it reaches a solution

simile

A comparison using "like" or "as"

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

personification

the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea

idiom

A common, often used expression that doesn't make sense if you take it literally.

onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it represents.

metaphor

A comparison without using like or as

alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)

rhyme

sounds at the end of words that sound the same

rhyme scheme

the ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse.

repetition

Repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis

line

a short gorup of words on the same line in a poem

stanza

A group of lines in a poem

fable

A brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters

folk tale

A story passed down from person to person by word of mouth

fairy tale

a fictional tale, marked by fantasy and magic, often appealing to the imagination

tall tale

an outrageously exaggerated, humorous story that is obviously unbelievable

legend

a narrative containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements

fiction

A story that is not true or is made up

non-fiction

a true story