English 1

Text

Any written or printed work, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama.

Fiction

A literary work based on imaginative storytelling rather than factual events.

Non-fiction

A literary work based on real people, events, and facts.

Western canon

A body of literature, philosophy, and art traditionally considered foundational to Western culture.

Freytag’s Pyramid

A model for dramatic structure that includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

The hero’s journey

A narrative pattern identified by Joseph Campbell that describes a hero’s adventure, transformation, and return.

Chronological structure

A narrative format in which events are presented in the order they occur in time.

Non-linear structure

A storytelling approach that does not follow a straight chronological sequence, often using flashbacks or multiple timelines.

In medias res

A Latin phrase meaning 'in the middle of things,' referring to a story that begins in the midst of action.

Frame narrative

A story within a story, where an outer narrative introduces and concludes the main story.

Bookend narrative

A variation of a frame narrative where the opening and closing sections mirror each other.

Omniscient narrator

A narrator who has knowledge of all characters, events, and thoughts in a story.

Unreliable narrator

A narrator whose credibility is compromised due to bias, deception, or limited knowledge.

Stream of consciousness

A literary technique that presents a character’s continuous flow of thoughts and feelings.

Convention

A traditional or widely accepted way of doing something in literature or art.

Theme

The central idea, message, or insight conveyed in a literary work.

Motif

A recurring element, symbol, or idea in a literary work that contributes to its theme.

Universal symbol

A symbol with a meaning that is widely recognized across different cultures and contexts.

Conventional symbol

A symbol that holds meaning within a particular literary tradition or culture.

Pathetic fallacy

The attribution of human emotions to nature or inanimate objects, often to reflect a character’s mood.

Classical period

A historical literary period influenced by Ancient Greek and Roman thought, art, and philosophy.

Greco-Roman mythology

The body of myths from Ancient Greece and Rome, featuring gods, heroes, and legendary creatures.

Biblical period

The era in which the texts of the Bible were written, influencing literature and culture.

Medieval period

A literary era (5th–15th century) characterized by chivalric romances, religious texts, and epic poetry.

Renaissance

A cultural and intellectual movement (14th–17th century) that revived interest in classical art, literature, and humanism.

Enlightenment

An 18th-century intellectual movement emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority.

Slave narratives

Firsthand accounts of enslaved people’s experiences, often used to expose the brutality of slavery.

Romantic period

A literary movement (late 18th–19th century) emphasizing emotion, nature, and individualism.

Victorian period

A literary era (1837–1901) marked by social realism, moral concerns, and industrialization themes.

Modernist period

A literary movement (late 19th–20th century) characterized by experimentation, fragmentation, and a break from tradition.

Novel

A long fictional narrative with complex characters and plot.

Novella

A short novel or long short story, typically between 20,000 and 50,000 words.

Realism

A literary movement focused on depicting life accurately, without idealization.

Romance

A literary genre centered on love, adventure, and heroic deeds.

Epistolary novel

A novel written in the form of letters, diary entries, or other personal documents.

Historical fiction

A genre that sets fictional stories within real historical events or periods.

Children’s fiction

Literature specifically written for young readers, often featuring moral lessons and imaginative storytelling.

Bildungsroman

A novel that follows a character’s growth and development, often from youth to adulthood.

First-wave Gothic fiction

The earliest Gothic literature (late 18th century), featuring haunted castles, supernatural elements, and dark themes.

Second-wave Gothic fiction

A later development of Gothic literature (19th century), incorporating psychological horror and social criticism.

Third-wave Gothic fiction

Modern Gothic literature that reinterprets traditional Gothic themes in contemporary settings.

Fantasy

A genre featuring magical elements, mythical creatures, and imagined worlds.