LITERARY TERMS

1
LITERARY TERMS

• The terms for the techniques and devices that
  authors use to make their writing detailed,
  descriptive, purposeful, memorable, provoking,
  emotional, and overallexceptional.

2
IRONY

• when a situation has the opposite outcome of what
  was expected.
• surprising, interesting or amusing contradictions
• verbal
• situational
• dramatic

3
FORESHADOWING

• HINTS and CLUES that allow us to make
  predictions about what will happen in the story

The girl put a knife in her bag just in case
4
SIMILE

• comparing two different things USING the words
  like or as

• The boys broken arm swelled like a grapefruit.
• Mr. Hartman is as cool as jalapeño peppers.

5
ALLITERATION

• repeating the first consonant in a group of words
• usually used to influence mood or rhythm of the
  writing
• Sally swam slowly big brown bears, crazy chaotic
  classes, etc.

6
FLASHBACK

• when the author goes back to an earlier time in
  the story OR in the characters livesand shows
  the entire scene with dialogue actionsthe
  flashback will always have a purposethe author
  is showing you something because it will be
  important later!

In the Harry Potter series, the author sometimes
flashes back to previous scenes in other books to
remind you of what happened.
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ANECDOTE

• When the author uses a story-telling technique
  and retells a story from the characters pastnot
  to be confused for a flashback. A flashback is
  NOT just a 3rd person retelling of a storyit is
  an actual scene from the past with dialogue, and
  character actions.

8
Dramatic Irony

• A writing technique in which the author reveals
  critical information about the character, but the
  character has no knowledge.
• Ex reader knowing Eddie was going to die when
  Eddie did not know or suspect his own death.

9
IMAGERY

• allows the reader to hear, see smell, taste, and
  touch ideas in the story paints a picture using
  words.
• showing details
• uses all five of your senses!
• The steamy sun melted the black pavement under
  our feet until we could feel our toes sinking
  into the sticky gravel.

10
ALLUSION
His wild antics reminded me of Tom Cruise on Oprah

• A reference to a well- known person, place,
• or thing.
• Describing something by comparing it to an
  already known character, movie, situation,
  etc.

The backyard is so overgrown with weeds, it
looks like a set of Survivor.
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CHARACTERIZATION

• The development of the characters in the story
  the way the author shows us the characters
  personalities without relying on telling us traits

She looked down and bit her nails refusing to say
a word.

• what they say
• what they do
• how they think or act or look

12
DIALOGUE

• the speaking between the characters
• contributes to mood
• watch for dialect and slang
• helps us evaluate characters
• shows relationships between the characters

13
METAPHOR

• Comparing two different things WITHOUT using
  like or as usually uses is

• Love is a mystery.
• He is a pig.
• She is a fox!

14
MORAL

• The lesson the author is trying to teach us.
• Most times you will have to infer the moralit
  will not be directly stated.

You cant teach an old dog new tricks. Treat
others as you want to be treated.
15
SETTING

• WHERE (town, room) and WHEN (season, time of day,
  past, present, future?specificity) the story
  takes place.
• many times it needs to be inferredlook for
  clues!

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TONE

• the attitude toward the subject and the audience.
• conveyed through language and rhythm of the
  speaker
• related to mood and atmosphere
• frantic, sinister, light, humorous

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PERSONIFICATION

• When an animal or inanimate object is given the
  qualities of a human.

The wind whistled in the breeze. The leaves
danced on the tree.
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SYMBOL

• an object, person, or word that is used to
  represent something else.

• The American flag is a symbol of the USA.
• Babies/children are often a symbol of innocence.

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DESCRIPTION

• provides sensory details about a person, place,
  or object
• all five senses!
• NOT just a list of adjectives
• creates imagery when used throughout

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THEME

• the authors overall message the central idea in
  the storyhis or her purpose for writing
• YOU MUST READ BETWEEN THE LINES TO FIND IT!
• greed, loneliness, betrayal, survival, etc.

21
CLIMAX

• the high point of interest or suspense.
• a turning point
• the drama!

the big day or event
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RESOLUTION

• when the conflict or problem is solvedthe
  happily ever after part
• not all stories have a resolution!
• Shane went to the doctor he gave him some
  band-aids and sent him home!
• The girl apologized to her mother the two
  finally made up.

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PLOT

• WHAT happens in the story the action this is
  the easy stuff to find!
• the sequence of events
• Aristotle said, plot is character
• Shane threw the ball in the air it hit the
  light he had to get stitches.

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POINT OF VIEW

• the perspective from which the story is being
  toldlook at WHO is telling the story.
• first-personthe main character is also the
  narratorin one persons head
• third-personthe author is the narratorthe
  narrator is NOT a character in the storyinside
  many heads

25
CLICHÉ

• A familiar word or phrase that has been used so
  much it is no longer effectivetry to avoid in
  your writing

• What goes around, comes around.
• Its raining cats and dogs.

26
HYPERBOLE

• an extreme exaggeration
• not meant to be interpreted literallyused as a
  dramatic effect or to emphasize a point
• I am so hungry I could eat a horse.
• I am so tired I could sleep for days.

27
ATMOSPHEREandMOOD

• the feeling created by the author using images,
  dialogue, descriptions, plot, or characters.
• gloomy, optimistic, nervous

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CONFLICT

• The problem in the story the issue that needs to
  be fixed.
• internalis a struggle that takes place in a
  characters mind. It may require a difficult
  decision that will change his/her life forever.
• externalwhen a characters battles outside
  forces, such as other people, animals,
  technology, or forces of nature

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ONOMATOPOEIA

• words that imitate sounds, words that sound like
  what they mean
• used as a sensory, showing detail
• hiss, crash, ring, jingle, buzz

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ANTAGONIST

• the person or thing fighting against the hero of
  a story the villain
• Voldemort
• the wicked witch
• Uncle Wilson

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PROTAGONIST

• the main character or hero of the story.
• Snow White
• True Son
• Squeaky
• Harry Potter