Literary Terms
Point of view: narrator's perspective/ perception
Narrator: person telling the story
3rd person narrator: tells story but is not in it. “He, she, they”
Omniscient narrator: all-knowing narrator, switches characters and plot points
Editorial omniscient: describes characters from them
Neutral narrator: allows readers to interpret their thoughts/ feelings
Limited omniscient: some knowing narrator limited to a 1-point perspective
Stream of consciousness: unfiltered 1st person narration, perception of thoughts and feelings of character
Objective POV: retell story, narrator cant see into minds of characters
1st person narrator: character in story, restricted to their feelings/ thoughts. “I, me, we”
Unreliable narrator: different perspective of the main objective narrator
Naïve narrator: uneducated/ inexperienced, often a child.
Examples:
1st person narrator: “Sonnys Blues”. Sonnys brother, thoughts/ feelings/ struggles
Stream of consciousness: “Lone Ranger”. Narrator takes reader from past-present-future in no order
Naïve narrator: “Boys and Girls”. Kid inexperienced, may not see/ interpret things as they happened
Style: refers to literary choices the author uses to create a certain effect
Diction: intentional use of specific words
Tone: attitude of author towards elements of the story
Irony: somethings appear to be true, but the opposite is true
Verbal irony: purposefully saying the opposite of what they mean
Sarcasm: type of verbal irony, intentionally hurtful and intentional tone is used
Situational irony: disconnect of what is anticipated to happen and the reality
Dramatic irony: the reader knows something the character doesn’t
Satire: effort to poke fun at something/ someone
Cosmic irony: forces beyond character control brought together
Theme: the main idea of the story
Symbol: component of the story, that represents a deeper meaning
Conventional symbols: widely recognized object/ concept that represents an idea. Gets meaning outside the story. Ex: peace symbol
Literary symbols: concept/ person that relates to multiple meanings. Gets meaning inside the story
Allegory: object/ concept/ person that has one distinct meaning
Examples:
Style: “Lone Ranger”. Conversational effect by using literal facts and metaphoric meanings
Literary symbolism: “Sonny’s Blues”. Melting ice block in narrator’s stomach represents guilt and dread
Symbol: “Boys and Girls”. Foxes= identity
Plot: the order of meaningful events in the story
In medias res: starting with an important event, instead of the introduction of the story
Flashback: gives the reader context by visiting past events
Character: imaginary entity that the author creates. Noun/thing with human traits
Exposition: context of character/ story. Bakground info
Rising action: gaining momentum in the story
Conflict: the main problem that drives the story
Foreshadowing: hint for the future
Protagonist: main character
Hero/ heroine: protagonist with righteous moral backing
Antagonist: force against protagonist
Suspense: build-up of emotion as the story develops
Climax: biggest moment of the story
Resolution: outcome of the conflict
Denouement: untying of the knot
Examples:
In medias res: “Rose for Emily”. It starts with her funeral then jumps back to the past
Conflict: “The Odyssey”. Main conflict is Odysseus trying to get back home
Foreshadowing: “Rose for Emily”. Homer’s death is foreshadowed when she bought the poison
Setting: time, place, context, mood setter of the story
Imagery/ image: visual cues/ words for readers to imagine. Calls on our senses
Metaphor: relates to things without using the word “like” and “as”
Simile: comparing 2 terms using the words “like” and “as”
Extended metaphor: some or all of the story evolves around the metaphor
Controlling metaphor: controls the plot or progress of the story
Personification: applying human characteristics to not human characters
Apostrophe: expressing feelings/ thoughts to someone that can't understand or isn’t there
Hyperbole: the figure of exaggeration in a story
Understatement: giving less emphasis to something that may be important
Paradox: something that doesn’t make sense until further context is given
Oxymoron: 2 terms that contradict each other describing one core idea. Ex: jumbo shrimp, silent scream.
Examples:
Hyperbole: “The Odyssey”. “he seems rather a shaggy mountain reared in solitude”
Personification: “The Odyssey”. The Dawn is the child of morning
Oxymoron: “Boys and Girls”. Flora= air of gallantry and abandon
Characterization: flushing out (developing) characters and giving them personality
Telling: how the author describes their character
Showing: how they portray their actions
Motivated: drive behind the action, scene of motivation
Plausible: reason behind motivation/ drive. It makes sense to us
Consistent: stays the same
Antihero: non-heroic protagonist, no control over events
Dynamic: evolving character
Static: characters don’t develop
Foil: 2 contrasting characters that highlight different qualities
Flat character: one dimensional
Stock character: predictable, pre-made, cliché
Round character: more developed characterization
Examples:
Round character: “The Odysseus”. Odysseus= main character, more development
Stock character: “Boys and Girls”. Father= predictable
Foil: “Sonny’s Blue’s”. Sonny and his brother contrast each other