Literary Analysis and Context Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering key literary analysis tools, points of view, and various narrative contexts based on the lecture transcript.

Binary Opposition

Refers to two contrasting ideas or forces that create conflict and deepen the story's meaning, such as Life vs. Death or Courage vs. Fear.

Sign

A word, image, object, or symbol used in literary analysis.

Referent

The idea or meaning represented by a sign.

Organic Unity

A principle where all parts of a literary work—including characters, setting, plot, conflict, symbols, dialogue, and theme—work together to express one central idea.

Foreshadowing

Subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story.

Flashback

An interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached.

Deus ex Machina

An unexpected and/or improbable solution to a previously unsolvable problem.

Flashforward

A scene that jumps into the future before returning to the present.

Cliffhanger

When a story ends at an exciting or suspenseful moment without revealing the outcome.

Literary Techniques

Identifiable rules or structures employed in writing which can be identified and used for literary analysis to enliven and provide voice to the writing.

Point of View (POV)

The angle or perspective from which a story is told, identified by the pronouns the narrator uses.

First Person POV

The story is told by the protagonist or a character using pronouns like "I", "me", and "we".

Second Person POV

The story is told by a narrator who addresses the reader using the pronouns "you", "your", and "yours".

Third Person Limited POV

The narrator describes events through the eyes of a single character; readers only see what that character sees, feels, or thinks.

Third Person Omniscient POV

The narrator can enter any character's consciousness, describe their motives and feelings, and move from one character's mind to another.

Linguistic Context

The words and language used in stories, including different words, special sayings, or rhymes that reveal where a story comes from or how characters feel.

Sociocultural Context

The customs, traditions, and ways people live in a community or culture which affect what stories are told and how characters behave.

Historical Context

The time and big events happening when a story was written, such as wars or discoveries, which shape the story and character behavior.