English 9 Literary Terms

Protagonist

Main character or hero of a story.

Analogy

a comparison between two things that are otherwise very different, used to explain a point or show how they are similar in a specific way

Apostrophe

Is a rhetorical device where a speaker directly addresses someone or something that cannot respond.

Argument

The primary position or "point" the author is trying to make.

Author’s purpose

the reason an author decides to write a specific topic (to persuade, to inform, to entertain)

Assonance

A literary device characterized by the repetition of similar vowel sounds with nearby words or phrases 

Consonance

the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a line of text or poetry

Flat character

 two-dimensional character that is relatively uncomplicated and defined by a single trait or quality. These characters typically do not undergo significant internal change or development throughout a story.

Round character

three-dimensional figure with a multi-layered personality. Unlike flat characters, they feel like "real people" because they possess depth, relatable motivations, and internal contradictions.

Dynamic character

one who undergoes a significant internal change throughout the course of a story.

Static character

a character who does not undergo any significant internal change throughout the story.

Diction

the deliberate choice of words and style of expression in speech or writing, tailored to a specific audience, purpose, and tone.

Fable

a short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral lesson.

Free verse

A type of poetry that does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any musical pattern, allowing it to follow the natural rhythms of speech.

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claim not meant to be taken literally.

Memoir

a true, personal account of important moments or experiences from the author's life, written from their own perspective.

Onomatopoeia

a literary device and figure of speech where words phonetically imitate, resemble, or suggest the natural sound of the thing they describe

Oversimplification

The act of reducing complex, or situations into overly simple terms, often distorting reality or causing error.

Oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

Rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

Sonnet

a poem of fourteen lines using any of a number of formal rhyme schemes, in English typically having ten syllables per line.

Style

the distinct, conscious manner in which an author arranges words, sentences, and structures to express ideas, create a unique voice, and evoke specific emotions

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create a well-formed sentence in a language, or sentence structure

Voice

(the “who”) the distinct personality, style, or "sound" of the writer or a character. It’s what makes a piece of writing feel like it was written by a specific person and no one else. 

Tone

(the “how”) the author’s attitude toward the subject matter or the audience. It is conveyed through word choice (diction) and sentence structure.

Understatement

When a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important or serious than it actually is