Keystone Exams: Literature

A category used to classify literary works, usually by form, technique or content

The process or result of identifying the parts of a whole and their relationships to one another

A narrative device, often used at the beginning, that provides necessary background information

The attitude of the author toward the audience, characters, subject, or the work itself

Though unexpressed in the actual text, meaning that may be understood by the reader

The structure of a story. The sequence in which the author arranges events in a story.

Text that includes literary elements and devices usually associated with fiction to report on people, places, or events

The use of a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite of its literal or usual meaning

The ordering of words into meaningful verbal patterns such as phrases, clauses, and sentences.

A written account of another person's life

Points of information in a text that strongly support the meaning or tell the story.

A form of extended metaphor in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative are equated with meanings.

A character that symbolically embodies well-known meanings and basic human experiences, regardless of time period

A judgment based on reasoning rather than on a direct or explicit statement; a conclusion based on facts

A conclusion drawn from specific information that is used to make a broad statement about a topic or person

The generally accepted importance or value of a work to represent human experience regardless of culture or time period

The part of the story that is characterized by diminishing tensions and the resolution of the plot's conflicts

Any visual cues on a page of text that offer additional information to guide the reader's comprehension

A piece of information provided objectively, presented as true

This point of view presents the events of the story from outside of any single character's perception

Words that have several meanings depending upon how they are used in a sentence

The repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words

An object or abstract idea given human qualities or human form

The genre of literature represented by works intended for the stage

The range of associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition to its dictionary meaning

A word that is similar in meaning to another word.

Traits that mark a word as reportorial, analytical, informative or argumentative (facts, data, charts, graphics)

Text that aims to present ideas and evoke an emotional experience in the reader through the use of meter, imagery, words

The author's intent either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, persuade, or convince

A major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work; may be stated or implied

A trend or pattern of shared beliefs or practices that mark an approach to literature (ex. Realism, Naturalism)

Traits that mark a work as imaginative or narrative disclosure (ex. plot, theme, symbol)

The "personal" point of view; relates events as they are perceived by a single character

Any story that is the product of imagination rather than of fact. Characters and events are a creation of the author.

An author's choice of words, phrases, sentence structures and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning

The part of the story where the plot becomes increasingly complicated.

An exaggeration or overstatement

The position of the narrator in relation to the story, as indicated by the outlook from which the events are depicted

A personal view, attitude, or appraisal

Distinguish, tell apart, and recognize differences between two or more items.

The turning point in a narrative; the moment when the conflict is the most intense

A recurring subject, theme, or idea in a literary work

A word that is the opposite in meaning to another word

A device in literature where an object represents an idea

Words and phrases that help the reader reason out the meaning of an unfamiliar word

Text that is not fictional; its emphasis is factual

To make understandable, plain, or clear

A story, actual or fictional, expressed orally or in text.

The author's central thought; the chief topic of a text expressed or implied in a word or phrase.

An essential technique used in literature (ex. characterization, setting, plot, theme)

An extended speech spoken by one speaker, either to others or as if alone

The comparison of two unlike things in which no words of comparison (like, as) are used

The author's method of structuring a text; the way a text is structured from beginning to end.

Groups of letters placed after a word to alter its meaning or change it into a different kind of word

To capture all of the most important parts of the original text, but to express them in a shorter space.

The subtle presence of a positive or negative approach toward a topic

The rhyming pattern, meter, grammar, and imagery used by a poet to convey meaning.

The portion of the story following the climax in which the conflict is resolved.

Information aimed at positively or negatively influencing the opinions or behaviors or large numbers of people

Various sentence structures, styles, and lengths that can enhance the rhythm of or add emphasis to a piece of text

Groups of letters placed before a word to alter its meaning

Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling

A playwright's written instructions provided in the text of a play about the setting or how actors should move and act

Elements of literature that emphasize sound (ex. assonance, consonance, alliteration, rhyme, onomatopoeia)

Specific word choices in a text that strongly support the tone, mood, or meaning of the text

Support provided to mark an assertion as reasonable

An implied or indirect reference in literature to a familiar person, place, or event

A person, animal, or thing telling the story or giving an account of something.

A comparison of two unlike things in which a word (like, as) is used

Examine and judge carefully. To judge or determine the significance, worth or quality of something; to assess

Examples could be: name-calling, bandwagon, red herring, emotional appeal, testimonial, repetition, generalization

The written text of a play; includes dialogue between characters; work to be performed on stage, radio, or TV

Descriptive or figurative language in a literary work; the use of language to create sensory impressions

The overall structure or shape of a work that frequently follows an established design. May refer to meter, lines, rhyme

The center of interest or attention

A struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions

The fluency, rhythm, and liveliness in a text that make it unique to the author.

A conversation between characters or speakers in a literary work; specifically the speech of characters

The position or claim the author establishes; supported with valid evidence, reasoning, and opposing viewpoints

The time and place in which a story unfolds

Nonfiction written primarily to convey factual information (ex. textbook, newspaper, report, directions, brochure)

To make a judgement or decision based on reasoning rather than direct or implicit statement

The method an author uses to reveal characters and their various traits and personalities

A literary organizational form that presents the order in which tasks are to be performed

The generally accepted importance of a work representing a given culture

To give reasons through an explanation to convey and represent the meaning or understanding of a text

Presents action that occurred before current time of the story. (Ex. dreams, recollections)

A variety of a language distinct from the standard variety of pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary

Place together characters, situations, or ideas to show common and/or differing features in literary selections

A dramatic speech, revealing inner thoughts and feelings, spoken aloud by one character while alone on the stage

A prefix or a suffix

The author's choices regarding language, sentence structure, voice, and tone in order to communicate with the reader

A person, animal, or inanimate object portrayed in a literary work

A literary approach that ridicules or examines human vice or weakness

An organizational device used in literature to create expectation or to set up an explanation or later development

The voice used by an author to tell a story or poem. The voice is often a created identity

Tool used by the author to enliven and provide voice to the text (ex. dialogue, alliteration)

Clearly expressed or fully stated in the actual text

The emotions of a work derived from literary devices such as dialogue and literary elements such as setting

Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling