Literary_Terms V2.docx

Literary Terms V.2

• Plot

• Setting

• Character

• Point of View

• Style

• Theme

• Mood

• Tone

• Foreshadow

• Flashback

In-Depth Notes

1. Plot

• A series of events connected by cause and effect.

  • A. Introduction/Exposition: Introduces setting, characters, and situation.

  • B. Trigger Incident: Action or decision that sets up the conflict/problem.

  • Conflict: A problem that needs to be resolved.

    • i. Person vs. Person/Society

    • ii. Person vs. Nature/Technology

    • iii. Person vs. Self

  • C. Rising Action: The part of the plot where the situation becomes more complicated or exciting; more obstacles to overcome.

  • D. Resolution/Climax:

    • The climax is the point of highest emotion.

    • The resolution is when the conflict is solved, may occur at or after the climax.

    • Can lead to comedy or tragedy.

  • E. Conclusion/Denouement: Ties up loose ends.

2. Setting

• The time and place of the story.

• Purposes:

  1. A place for the story to occur.

  2. Creates mood or atmosphere.

  3. May be essential to the plot.

  4. May be symbolic.

  5. Creates interest.

3. Character

• A person who participates in the story (Protagonist & Antagonist).

• Character Trait: An adjective that describes a character’s personality (not appearance).

  • Examples: honest, untrustworthy, fearful, encouraging.

• Types of Characters:

1. Static: Does not change or grow, may be 2-dimensional or flat.

2. Dynamic: Changes, grows, matures in some way as a result of experiences.

• Characterization: The way that a character is described by the author.

1. Direct: The narrator tells the reader the character’s traits. Examples: “Sue is generous.”

2. 
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Indirect: The narrator shows the reader the character’s traits through:a. his/her words,b. his/her actions,c. his/her appearance,d. the reactions and opinions of others.

   • Example: “Sue always shared her money with others.”

4. Point of View

• Also called “narrative perspective” - the way in which the narrator tells the story.

• First Person:

  • The narrator is inside the world of the story.

  • Cannot tell the thoughts and feelings of others.

  • Can only be in one place at a time.

  • Refers to him/herself as "I".

  • Encourages sympathy from the reader.

  • Involves the reader but may have bias.

• Third Person Limited:

  • The narrator is outside the world of the story.

  • Does not tell the thoughts and feelings of characters.

  • Can be in more than one place at a time.

  • Does not refer to him/herself; "camera like" and more objective.

• Third Person Omniscient:

  • The narrator is outside the world of the story.

  • Tells the thoughts and feelings of characters.

  • Can be in multiple places at once.

  • Does not refer to him/herself; "God like" and may tell the reader too much.

5. Style

• The language the author uses in writing the story.

  • Think of the 23rd Psalm in old and new versions: content is the same, style is different.

• Diction: The vocabulary used.

  • Denotative: The literal meaning.

  • Connotative: The emotional associations of words.

• Sensory Imagery: Appeals to the five senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, taste.

• Figurative Imagery: Comparisons.

  • Simile: A comparison using "like" or "as".

  • Metaphor: An implied comparison.

  • Personification: Comparing a non-living thing to a person.

  • Symbol: An object that represents an idea.

• Sentence Structure: Simple, compound, complex, rambling, abrupt, and direct.

6. Theme

• The central idea or message of the text.

• The lesson the reader is taught, the question or issue being discussed.

• The theme is a universal message that applies to life in general, not tied to specific characters or events.

7. Mood

• The overall feeling, or atmosphere, of a text.

• Often created by the author's use of imagery and word choice.

8. Tone

• The attitude of the writer toward a subject or an audience.

• Conveyed through word choice and the style of writing.

9. Foreshadow

• The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story.

10. Flashback

• The action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time, necessary for better understanding.