Lit Terms Sets 3-4

Foil Character

a character’s qualities that are exact opposite to protagonist; help highlight qualities of protagonist

Hyperbole

deliberate exaggeration; creates strong effect on reader

Metaphor

comparison between two seemingly unrelated concepts

Juxtaposition

two opposite words next to each other; emphasizes their contrasts

Mood

atmosphere/general feeling created for the reader by author

Tone

author’s attitude

Motif

recurring image, object, concept, contrast, or structure; unifies work and develops themes/characterization; literal or almost “physical“

Theme

larger, deeper-level ideas explored by author and reader; NOT a lesson, moral or main idea

Paradox

seemingly contradicting statement; actually does hold truth

POV

type of narration; 1st person (character themself), 3rd person limited (outside of characters but only knows feelings of main character), 3rd person omniscient (outside of characters and knows every character’s feelings)

Rhetorical Irony

saying opposite of what meant on purpose; draws attention to truth

Tragic/Dramatic Irony

reader knows more than characters; our expectations are different

Situational Irony

when reality of what happens is opposite of what we logically expect

Setting

place and time; creates context, helps mood and characterization

Synesthesia

creative language where sensory details are blended or swapped

Syntax

sentence structure; clear and easy to understand

Verisimilitude

appearance of truth and authenticity