Literary Terms to Know..

These are the most common terms/devices we will encounter. We may add more to the list as the year progresses, but you should be familiar with each of these.Except for the first five terms, which belong in a group, this list is alphabetized.

Exposition- The essential background information at the beginning of a literary work Rising action- the development of conflict and complications in a literary work Climax- the turning point in a literary work/ point of no return Falling action- results or effects of the climax of a literary work Denouement- the "unravelling" or series of events that tie up loose ends and move the plot toward resolution Resolution-end of a literary work when questions are answered and final fate of characters is determined (sometimes this is left intentionally vague or open) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Alliteration repetition of the initial consonant sounds of words: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers Allusion a reference to something well-known that exists outside the literary work the reference is often indirect and relies on audience knowledge and understanding Antagonist- character that is the source of conflict in a literary work Aside a dramatic device in which a character makes a short speech intended for the audience but not heard by the other characters on stage Assonance repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds: Annas apples, the pond is long gone Characterization- The manner in which an author develops characters and their personalities. Direct characterization=author description/Indirect characterization= characters appearance, speech, thoughts, actions and what other characters think of the character Character Types: Flat:one-dimensional or one-sided Round:multidemensional Static: character remains unchanged emotionally or psychologically throughout the story Dynamic: character undergoes emotional or psychological change Conflict - struggle between two or more opposing forces (person vs. person; nature; society; self; fate/God. ETC) Dialogue - direct speech between characters in a literary work

Diction - word choice to create a specific effect Figurative Language language that represents one thing in terms of something dissimilar (non-literal language). Includes simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and symbolism Flashback- the method of returning to an earlier point in time for the purpose of making the present clearer Foreshadowing- hint of what is to come in a literary work Genre type or category to which a literary work belongs Hyperbole extreme exaggeration to add meaning Idiom - a combination of words that has a meaning that is different from the meanings of the individual words themselves. It can have a literal meaning in one situation and a different idiomatic meaning in another situation. It is a phrase which does not always follow the normal rules of meaning and grammar. Imagery language that appeals to the five senses Irony Dramatic when the reader or audience knows something a character does not Situational when there is a disparity between what is expected and what actually occurs Verbal when the speaker says one thing but means the opposite Metaphor an implied comparison between dissimilar objects without the use of like or as: Her talent blossomed Motif- a recurring feature of a literary work that is related to the theme Onomatopoeia use of a word whose sound imitates its meaning: hiss Oxymoron phrase that consists of two words that are contradictory: living dead or jumbo shrimp Paradox a statement that seems contradictory but may reveal a truth.. ex. She was alone in the crowd. Parody - A literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule Personification figure of speech in which non-human things are given human characteristics Plot- The sequence of events in a literary work Point of view- the vantage point or perspective from which a literary work is told 1st person point of view- the narrator is a character in the story (use of I) 2nd person point of view- the speaker addresses the listener or reader directly, using "you" 3rd person point of view- the narrator is outside of the story (use of he she they)* may be limited or omniscient Protagonist- the main character in a literary work Rhyme repetition of similar or identical sounds: look and crook Rhyme Scheme pattern of rhyme among lines of poetry [denoted using letters, as in ABAB

CDCD EE] Satire -A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. Setting- The time and place of a literary work Simile a direct comparison of dissimilar objects, usually using like or as: I wandered

lonely as a cloud Soliloquy - a dramatic device in which a character is alone and speaks his or her thoughts aloud Speaker voice in a poem; the person or thing that is speaking Stanza group of lines forming a unit in a poem Stereotype- standardized, conventional ideas about characters, plots and settings Suspense technique that keeps the reader guessing what will happen next Symbol/symbolism one thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else Theme the underlying main idea of a literary work. Theme differs from the subject of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the subject. Tone the authors attitude toward the subject of a work or toward the audience