Review - Literary Terms

author's purpose

the author's reason for writing; entertain, inform, describe, persuade, etc.

main idea

what a piece of writing is primarily about

denotation

dictionary definition of a word

connotation

the ideas or feelings associated with a word, either positive or negative

synonym

a word with identical or similar meaning to another

antonym

a word with opposite meaning to another

exposition

the introductory part of a book or story which provides the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters and other facts necessary to understanding the story.

rising action

starts with a turning point in a story where conflict(s) is/are introduced

conflicts

problem(s) the character faces in a story

climax

main event of a book or story in which the problem must be either solved or accepted once and for all.

falling action

the events in a story that come after the climax as the problems from the rising action begin to be resolved

resolution

closure; the end of the book/story

theme

the moral, or life lesson in a story. This often appears as a repeated idea within the text

point of view

from what perspective a story is told

narrator

the person telling the story

1st person

This point of view comes from a character within the story. They mention themselves by using personal pronouns I, me, myself, we and our.

2nd person

This point of view does not come from a character in the story. It is used to address readers and listeners using the pronouns you, your, and yours are used.

Second Person

appears in letters, speeches, emails, step-by-step instructions, etc.

3rd person

This point of view does not come from a character within the story. A narrator describes the characters and events without being part of the action.

3rd person

The pronouns used in this writing are he, she, they, them, etc.

3rd person omniscient

This point of view does not come from a character within the story; instead, the narrator allows the reader to see and hear everything that takes place from both the protagonist's and antagonist's perspective, providing both points of view for the reader.

3rd person omniscient

Example: Andrew and Peter lay awake in their beds, listening to the storm. Peter was mostly concerned about lightning striking their half-built tree house. Andrew had other things to think about. He felt there was something creepy about this old house their family had just moved into. The night before, he was sure he had heard strange clanking noises coming from the attic. Now this storm was bringing all his fears to life. It seemed like a perfect night for a haunting.

3rd person limited

the narrator tells about what's going on from inside the head of only one main character.

Third person limited point of view

Example: Peter trembled under the covers. He'd always been afraid of thunderstorm. If Andrew saw how scared he was, Peter knew he'd be teased for days. But when Peter looked over at his brother, he noticed something odd. Andrew looked even more scared than Peter felt! What could be so scary? Peter had never seen his brother so frightened. It had to be more than the storm. But what could it be? The mystery just made Peter shake even more as the rain came pouring down.

context clues

the words or phrases that precede or follow an unknown word that help a reader determine its meaning.

inference

a reading skill in which guesses and conclusions drawn about what is taking place in a story/book are based on clues from in the text

prediction

a reading strategy in which readers use information from a text (including titles, headings, pictures, and diagrams) and their own personal experiences with life to anticipate what they expect to happen next in the book/story

genre

name for a particular style of writing.

Fiction:

mystery, suspense, science fiction, adventure, horror, historical fiction, myth, fable, etc.

Nonfiction:

autobiography, biography, informational text, essays, speeches, technical writing, etc.

informal writing

Writing that includes but is not limited to, friendly emails, text, social media conversations, cards or letters to a friend, written conversations, etc.

formal writing

Writing that uses standard American English, does not use slang.

Formal writing

used in public speaking, written reports, academic papers and tests; formal requests including letters, opinion pieces, etc.

bias

unfair prejudice for or against someone or something.

rhyme scheme

the pattern of rhyming lines of a poem: AABB, ABAB, etc.

simile

a comparison between unlike objects, using the terms "like" or "as."

Simile

Example: After spending a month with her grandmother at the beach, Sally was as happy as a lark!

metaphor

a comparison between unlike objects without the use of "like" or "as, by simply stating something is something else.

Metaphor

Example: After his time in jail, his heart was a stone.

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration

hyperbole

Examples: I could have just died! I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!

alliteration

repeated consonant sounds occurring at the beginning of words or within words.

alliteration

Example: Wide-eyed and wondering while we wait for others to waken...

onomatopoeia

the use of words that mimic sounds.

onomatopoeia

Crackle! Slam! Splat! Ping!

repetition

to repeat a word, phrase, or line in a written work.

personification

giving human characteristics to something non-human

personification

The wind whipped the trees into a frenzy!

thesis statement

This is the basic claim an author makes; the statement of the main idea (purpose) of a piece of writing.

essay

An essay is a short work of nonfiction that deals with a single subject.

persuasive essay

This writing will use words to get you, the reader, to believe or think like the writer does. The writer is trying to change your beliefs or actions.

mood

Mood is the feeling that a writer is trying to create for the reader, using descriptive words, imagery, and figurative language.

memoir

An an autobiographical writing where the writer shares his or her own personal experiences about one moment in his or her life.

A fact

something that can be proven or verified.

An opinion

a statement about how someone feels or what they believe.

idiom

This is an expression that has different meaning from the meaning of its individual words.

Idiom

For example: It is raining cats and dogs.

tone

the feeling a writer wants to convey through his or her work.

re

again

omni

all

poly

many

chron

time

pseudo

false

-er

one who

ante

before

photo

light

-ous

full of

quad

four

uni

one

chrom

color

co

together

allusion

A reference to a well-known person, a place or an event from literature, the arts, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports or science.

antagonist

The character that causes the action to happen to another character usually a main character.

anecdote

A brief story told to illustrate a point.