Literary Terms Review

the narrator focuses on the thoughts and feelings of just one character, using third-person pronouns

the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader

a complex, highly developed character that we learn much more about

a narrator with limited knowledge, who does not fully understand what s/he experiences

an interrupting account of an event or a conversation that happened before the beginning of the story

when tension diminishes after the climax, but the story isn't over

a struggle within a character’s mind (e.g. decision/choice)

the process of presenting the different aspects of character & personality of someone in a literary work

typically the beginning of the story, when the basic information on characters, setting, and conflict are given

a first-person narrator that has a compromised point-of-view and, thus, the reader cannot rely on an accurate portrayal

the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience

to make a logical guess, based on the story and your own experiences

a reference to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place, or thing. Ex: “He met his Waterloo.”

a pattern that appears repeatedly in literature, across various cultures or time periods

a struggle between opposing forces

to make judgments based on story details, prior knowledge

a question that requires no answer to make the speaker’s rightness seem self-evident

a phrase, not interpreted literally, that is used by a certain culture. For example, the phrase “raining cats and dogs."

a humorous play that includes ridiculous situations and dialogue

the writer’s word choice

a difficult decision in which either option results in violating one’s moral principles

the reason behind a character’s behavior; it’s what drives a complex character to think and act in a certain way

the dictionary meaning of a word

words that appeal to the senses

the time and place of a literary work

Uses similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that are related or equal in importance

a one- or two-dimensional character, where we learn very few traits; development lacks depth

when tension rises as complications begin to occur

the excitement or tension that readers feel as they wait to find out how a story ends or a conflict is resolved

the opponent of the main character. Someone or something that stands directly opposed to the protagonist.

the social and cultural conditions that influenced a writer’s creation

the turning point of a story and moment of greatest suspense.

narrator focuses on thoughts & feelings of more than just one character, using 3rd-person pronouns

one of the characters is actually telling the story, using the first-person pronoun I

when the reader/audience knows something that a character doesn’t know

when the speaker says one thing but means the opposite

a short speech directed to the audience or a character but not heard by the other characters onstage

a character who embodies a certain kind of universal human experience (e.g. damsel in distress)

the framework or organization of a literary selection

The art of using words to persuade in writing or speaking.

when the reader expects one thing and the opposite occurs

the central message about life or human nature in a literary work, expressed by a complete sentence

the part of the story when your main questions are answered; there's a feeling of finality

any object, person, place, or action that has both a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself

makes a comparison between two subjects that are alike in some ways

the sequence of events in a story

in drama, a long speech that is usually delivered by a character who is alone onstage

the author's style, the quality that makes his or her writing unique, and which conveys the author's personality

all the memories, attitude, feelings associated with a word

POV in which the author does not enter a single mind, but instead records what can be seen or heard

a writer’s use of hints or clues in early scenes to suggest events that will occur later

The way a work of literature is written--not what is said, but how it is said.

the central character of a literary work

the form of writing, such as a short story, poem, drama