Literary Terms

Literary Terms Quiz

Alliteration

The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words.

Example: “Doubting, dreaming, dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work familiar to the reader.

Types: Biblical, literary, historical

Climax

The moment when the reader’s interest and emotional intensity reach a peak.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces that is the basis of the story’s plot.

External Conflict

A conflict that pits a character against nature, society, or another character.

Internal Conflict

A conflict between opposing forces within a character.

Connotation

The emotional response evoked by a word.

Example: Kitten - softness, warmth, playfulness

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word.

Example: Kitten - young cat

Creation Myth

A traditional story that explains how the universe, earth, and life began.

Epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight.

Exposition

Background information necessary to understand characters and their actions.

Foil Characters

Characters whose traits contrast with those of another character.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues indicating events that will occur in a story.

Genre

The categories in which literary works can be grouped.

5 Main: Fiction, poetry, non-fiction, folktale, and genre

Hyperbole

A figure of speech that exaggerates for emphasis or humorous effect.

Example: “I’ve told you a thousand times.”

Imagery

Descriptive words or phrases that create visual representations.

Irony

A contrast between appearance and reality.

Dramatic Irony

When readers know more about a situation than the characters do.

Situational Irony

Contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.

Verbal Irony

When someone states one thing but means another.

Loaded Language

Words with strong positive or negative connotations intended to influence attitudes.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two things that have something in common.

Example: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere created by a writer for the reader.

Example: The night was dark and stormy.

Personification

Giving human characteristics to an object, animal, or idea.

Example: The wind howled through the trees.

Plot

The sequence of events and actions in a literary work.

Point of View

The narrative perspective from which a story is told.

1st: I, me, my

2nd: you

3rd: he, shey, they

Limited Point of View

Focuses on one character’s perspective.

Omniscient Point of View

An all-knowing narrative perspective.

Protagonist

The main character in a work of literature.

Setting

The time and place in which the action occurs.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two things using "like" or "as."

Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

Symbol

A person, place, or object that represents something beyond itself.

Theme

The underlying message or perception about life shared by the writer.

Tragic Hero

A character in a tragedy with virtuous traits who ultimately suffers or meets defeat.

Tragic Flaw

A defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy.

Tone

The writer’s attitude towards a subject.