Critical Reading
foreshadowing
to present an indication or a suggestion of beforehand (tell you what is going to happen before it happens)
allusion
to reference something well known (like the Bible, mythology, history, literature, people...)
suspense
uncertainty or anxiety felt about what might happen in a story
symbolism
using an object or action that means something more than it's literal meaning
second person point of view
using the "you" pronoun to narrate the story
internal conflict
a character in conflict with him or herself
external conflict
a character in conflict with outside forces
static character
a character who doesn't change, their heart/personality stays the same
foil
a character who is used as contrast to another character
bildungsroman
a coming-of-age story, which focuses on a narrative of a young adult growing morally and psychologically into an adult.
situational irony
a difference between the expected result and the actual result
irony
a difference between what is said/happens and what is expected
synesthesia
a figure of speech in which one sense is described using terms from another - often a simile. eg. The silence was as thick as a forest. I smell trouble.
oxymoron
a figure of speech in which two seemingly opposing and contradictory elements are juxtaposed. Usually pairs of words.
double entendre
a figure of speech that can be understood in two different ways.
epiphany
a moment in which there is a sudden realisation that leads to a new perspective that clarifies a problem or situation. A character may have an epiphany, or it may also occur in the narration such that the reader has the epiphany.
motif
a narrative element with symbolic meaning that repeats throughout a work of literature.
simile
indirect comparison that uses the words like, as or than.
colloquial
informal language or slang, usually spoken.
metonymy
is a figure of speech in which something is called by a new name that is related in meaning to the original thing or concept.
anthropomorphism
is the attribution of human characteristics and qualities to animals or deities
catharsis
is the the release of emotions such as pity, sadness, and fear.
juxtaposition
is to place two concepts, characters, ideas, or places near or next to each other so that the reader will compare and contrast them.
dramatic irony
is when the audience perceives something that a character in the literature doesn't know
diction
refers to the choice of words in a particular situation
alliteration
repetition of initial letters.
third person limited/restricted
the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character. All characters are described using pronouns, such as 'they', 'he', and 'she'.
rhythm
the pattern or sound of poetry with stressed and unstressed syllables.
repetition
the repetition of phrases or words in a story or poetry.
assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds in quick succession
plot
the sequence of events in a literary work
point of view
the vantage point from which the author tells a story
setting
time, place and atmosphere of a story
fricative
f, v, th sounds. They are divided into voiced (hard) and voiceless (soft).
personification
giving human characteristics to a nonhuman object.
theme
the major recurring idea, larger meaning of a work
first person point of view
First person point of view is easy to identify because the character or narrator speaks to readers in his or her own voice, frequently using the pronoun 'I'.
character
a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work
rhetorical question
a question that is not expected to be answered.
idiom
a saying, phrase, or fixed expression in a culture that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning.
short story
a short fictional prose narrative
fable
a short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters
jargon
a specialised set of terms and language that is used in a particular context and setting. It is especially common to find these words in an industry, such as in law, medicine, academia, or an art or sport.
allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
enjambment
a term used in poetry to refer to lines that end without punctuation and without completing a sentence or clause. When a poet uses enjambment, he or she continues a sentence beyond the end of the line into a subsequent line or lines.
satire
a type of writing that ridicules (critizes) something in order to reveal a weakness
onomatopoeia
a word with a meaning that is suggested by its sound.
literal
actual meaning
style
all aspects of how a piece of literature is said or written
rising action
all events leading up to the climax
omniscient narrator
all seeing third person point of view
plosive
b, p, t, d sounds that create an abrupt, sharp, sometimes shocking effect.
parable
bible story with a moral
sarcasm
bitter wounding remarks often the opposite of what is meant.
informal language
casual language
genre
category or type of literature
man vs man
character is in conflict with another person
man vs nature
character is in conflict with nature
man vs society
character is in conflict with society
sibilance
consonance in which the repeated consonant sound is either ess, sh, zee.
consonance
consonant sound is repeated in words that are in close proximity
dynamic character
develops and grows during the course of a story, they change
metaphor
direct comparison
flashback
events that occurred prior (before) the opening scene of the work
hyperbole
exaggeration for effect
liquid
l sounds can flow, creating a sense of quick, light movement - or of water
figurative language/figures of speech
language in which figures of speech (such as metaphors, similes, and imagery) freely occur.
imagery
language that appeals to the five senses
falling action
leads up to the denouement/resolution
moral
lesson taught by a story or fable
anaphora
literary and rhetorical device in which a word or group of words is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive clauses or sentences.
third person omniscient
narrator tells the story but knows everything about all characters. All characters are described using pronouns, such as 'they', 'he', and 'she'.
denoument
occurs just after the climax and is the final moment in which there is resolution for any remaining conflicts in the plot.
superlatives
of the highest quality or degree.
monologue
one way conversation
cliché
overused, stale saying
pun
play on words
formal language
precise, politically correct language.
syntax
s the arrangement of words into a sentence that make sense in a given language.
dialogue
scripted speech/ conversation between people
proverb or adage or aphorism
short traditional saying. Usually a well-known simple truth. (Unlike proverbs or adages aphorisms can often be attributed to a particular author.)
euphemism
softening of something unpleasant.
soliloquy
speech when alone on stage. Usually indicates feelings or thoughts.
conflict
struggle between opposing forces
parody
style of another work is imitated, usually for humour.
stream of consciousness
supposedly random flow of thoughts of characters in fiction, often disjointed and difficult to follow.
direct characterisation
the author directly states the character's traits
indirect characterisation
the author lets us decide about the character by telling us the characters; speech, looks/clothing, inner thoughts, actions, what others say about them
tone
the author's attitude towards the subject/audience
antagonist
the character or force in conflict with the main character
resolution/denouement
the conflicts are resolved
characterisation
the development of a character
mood
the feeling created in the reader
climax
the high point of interest or suspense
paradox
the juxtaposition of a set of seemingly contradictory concepts that reveal a hidden and/or unexpected truth.
protagonist
the main character in a story
verbal irony
when the author says one thing and means another
dialect
words and accents that are unique to a particular area.
homophone
words that sound the same but mean different things.
homonym
words which are spelt the same but mean different things.
