Literary Terms

Allusion

A casual reference in literature to a person, place, event, or another passage of literature, often without explicit identification. Example: "I was surprised his nose wasn't growing like Pinocchio's" "When she lost her job, she acted like a Scrooge, and refused to buy anything that wasn't necessary"

Theme

A central idea or statement that unifies and controls an entire literary work. Example: in To Kill a Mockingbird, the theme is anti-racism or anti-prejudice

Character - 2-D

A character in the story that does not change in personal character or is capable of growth. Example: villains that don't repent once caught, or don't repent ever, are 2D characters

Character - 3-D

A character that changes in character or is capable of growth throughout a story. Example: Superman is capable of growth and change throughout his story.

Imagery

A common term of variable meaning, imagery includes the "mental pictures" that readers experience with a passage of literature. Example: it was "dark" and "dim" in the forest projects imagery of a dark, dim forest, possible scary and/or full of monsters, etc.

Metaphor

A comparison or analogy stated in such a way as to imply that one object is another one, figuratively speaking. Example: That soldier is a giant, or...the ladder of success

Plot Line - Falling Action

A falling action in a story comes after the climax (most exciting part or turning point of the story). It's the opposite of the rising action which leads to the climax. Example: In Little Red Riding Hood- hunter comes and cuts the wolf open

Flashback

A method of narration in which present action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events--usually in the form of a character's memories, dreams, narration, or even authorial commentary Example: "But back when King Arthur was a child..."

Point of View - 1st Person

A point of view in which the narrator speaks as "I" and may or may not influence events within the story. Example: a bystander describing an event that occured somewhere is giving the story in first person

Anti-hero

A protagonist who is a non-hero or the antithesis of a traditional hero. Examples: In the Harry Potter stories, Severus Snape is the anti-hero. In Lord of the Rings, Gollum is the anti-hero

Personification

A trope in which abstractions, animals, ideas, and inanimate objects are given human character, traits, abilities, or reactions. Example: "when opportunity knocks on the door"

Genre

A type or category of literature or film marked by certain shared features or conventions. Example: murder mysteries, sonnets, lyric poetry, etc.

Simile

An analogy or comparison implied by using an adverb such as like or as, in contrast with a metaphor which figuratively makes the comparison by stating outright that one thing is another thing. Example: That stove is as hot as the sun

Conflict - Man vs. Nature

An external struggle positioning the hero against an animal or a force of nature, such as a storm. Example: the protagonist fighting against a marlin in The Old Man and the Sea

Character

An important being or thing that plays a role in a story. Example: Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mace Windu are characters in Star Wars

Symbol

An object in literature or a story that represents something other than its dictionary definition. Example: in Epic of gilgamesh, the leaf that gave immortality is not just a leaf, but a symbol of eternal life

Conflict - Man vs. Man

Conflict that involves characters that are against each other. Example: Dorothy and the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz

Conflict - Internal Conflict

Conflict that is completely internal, such as the protagonist struggling with his psychological tendencies (drug addiction, self-destructive behavior, and so on). Example: Having trouble which decision to make, choosing to save your family or yourself, etc.

Conflict - External Conflict

External conflict is a struggle that occurs between a character and outside forces, which could be another character or the environment. Example: Danny fighting Johnny in the Karate Kid

Conflict - Man vs. Self

Internal conflict in which a character must overcome his own nature or make a choice between two or more paths - good and evil; logic and emotion. Example: struggling with addictions, choosing right over wrong

Irony - Dramatic

Irony that involves a situation in a narrative in which the reader knows something about present or future circumstances that the character does not know. Example: You know that the enemy has a surprise ambush planned at war, but the protagonist doesn't know about this yet

Conflict - Man vs. Technology

Man Vs technology refers to the consequences that have been brought out as a result of man's inventions on technological knowledge. Example: One example of a conflict between man and technology is the way man invents weapons that later come to destroy him.

Irony

Saying or expressing one thing while meaning another thing. Example: saying that you are vegetarian and won't eat meat and then going and eating a pepperoni pizza

Foreshadowing

Suggesting, hinting, indicating, or showing what will occur later in a narrative. Foreshadowing often provides hints about what will happen next. Example: a powerful blast of cold wind blowing through a village could be foreshadowing a huge blizzard later in a story.

Plot Line - Rising Action

The action in a work of literature found before the climax, including all the problems and obstacles that must be overcome. Example: In Little Red Riding Hood- Wolf comes up to the girl and she tells him where she is going. He suggests she picks some flowers so he can disguise himself and beat her to her grandmother's house.

Antagonist

The character against whom the protagonist struggles or contends (if there is one) Example: In the story of Batman, the Joker is the antagonist. In the story of Snow White, the witch is the antagonist.

Connotation

The extra tinge or taint of meaning each word carries beyond the minimal, strict definition found in a dictionary. Example: the term civil war carries historical connotations for Americans beyond that of revolution or rebellion

Dialogue

The lines spoken by a character or characters in a play, essay, story, or novel, especially a conversation between two characters, or a literary work that takes the form of such a discussion. Effective dialogue advances the story Example: conversations between 2 characters, etc.

Protagonist

The main character of a work of a fiction on whom the author focuses most of the narrative's attention Examples: In the story of Snow White, Snow White is the protagonist. In the story of Superman, Superman is the protagonist.

Tone

The means of creating a relationship or conveying an attitude or mood. Example: Having many characters die makes a story have a sad or depressing tone

Denotation

The minimal, strict definition of a word as found in a dictionary, disregarding any historical or emotional connotation. Contrast with connotation. Example: war being defined as a clash or battle between people, no specific relation to history

Plot Line - Climax

The moment in a play, novel, short story, or narrative poem at which the main conflict reaches its point of greatest intensity and is thereafter resolved. Example: In Little Red Riding Hood-climax: girl arrives and sees the wolf, blah blah blah "the better to eat you with

Conflict

The opposition between two characters (such as a protagonist and an antagonist), between two large groups of people, or between the protagonist and a larger problem such as forces of nature, ideas, public mores, and so on. Example: In the Superman story, Superman's struggle to defeat Lex Luthor

Setting

The place and time in which a story takes place. Example: Little Red Riding Hood- in the forest/woods at a unknown time

Hero

The principal male character in a novel, poem, or dramatic presentation, particularly one who exhibits sacrifice or nobility towards others. Examples: Often, the hero is also the protagonist. Superman is the hero of the Superman story.

Plot Line - Resolution

The resolution is the end of the story It occurs after the CLIMAX. It is when you learn what happens to the characters after the CONFLICT is resolved. Example:In Little Red Riding Hood, the grandma comes out of the wolf.

Point of View - 3rd Person Limited

The third person is the most common point of view used in fiction writing and is the traditional form for academic writing. Authors of novels and composers of papers use "he," "she," or "it" when referring to a person, place, thing, or idea. Example: Telling a story using he/she, and not knowing everything thats happening

Point of View - 3rd omniscient

The third person is the most common point of view used in fiction writing and is the traditional form for academic writing. Authors of novels and composers of papers use "he," "she," or "it" when referring to a person, place, thing, or idea. Example: telling the story as God, or as a narrator who is not part of the story

Plot Line - Exposition

The use of authorial discussion to explain or summarize background material rather than revealing this information through gradual narrative detail. Example: For Little Red Riding Hood- A little girl with a red capes walks through the woods to deliver food to her sick grandmother

Point of View

The way a story gets told and who tells it. Example: one narrator who knows everything, a narrator who doesn't know everything, etc.

Paradox

Using contradiction in a manner that oddly makes sense on a deeper level. Example: "without laws, we can have no freedom"

Point of View - 2nd Person

You use the second-person point of view to address the reader, as I just did. The second person uses the pronouns "you," "your," and "yours." Example: Telling a story using the word "you" as you are a character in the story

Character - Dynamic

a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude. Example: Ebeneezer Scrooge is a dynamic character.

Character - Static

a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop. Example: see examples of 2D characters, pretty much the same thing

Plot Line

a plot line is an action or piece of dialogue which develops the plot further. Sometimes the term 'plot line' is used to refer to the plot of the story itself, and follows the structure of exposition, rising action, a climax, resolution and falling action. Example: the course or main features of a narrative such as the plot of a play, novel, or movie.

Irony - Verbal

a trope in which a speaker makes a statement in which its actual meaning differs sharply from the meaning that the words ostensibly express. Example: saying "oh great!" after somethign bad happens, etc.

Euphemism

an inoffensive word or phrase substituted for one considered offensive or hurtful, esp one concerned with religion, sex, death, or excreta. Example: saying "have intercourse" instead of "have sex"

Literal

in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of a word or words; not figurative or metaphorical. Example: saying that you don't have a penny to spare, when in reality you really don't have a single penny to give anyone

Figurative

of the nature of, resembling, or involving a figure of speech; not literal; metaphorical Example: the sky misses the sun at night, i've told you a million times