Literary Terms (Dunbar)

fictional story usually 100-500 pages long

scene which interrupts the action to show earlier event(s)

point of greatest intensity or interest in a literary plot

phrase with different meaning than obtained from each word's usual meaning/definition

a writer hints about something that will happen in the future

writer's way of revealing character's personality; looks, acts, says, feelings, or thinking

character or thing representing or standing for something beyond itself;

repetition of consonant sound at the beginning of words

imaginative writing where the laws of nature do not operate

imaginary story attempts to show real life characters and events

beginning of story which introduces character(s) and setting

writer tells his or her own life story

writing that tells a story with a theme

writing that informs or explains; it includes a thesis sentencee

time and place of a story

attitude taken towards subject, character, and readers

category of literature (ex. fiction, biography, fantasy, drama, etc.)

action that follows the climax, leading to resolution

reason for writing; persuade, inform, entertain, express

writer tells life story of another person

all the emotions associated with a word; positive or negative

comparison between two unlike things NOT using "like" or "as"

comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as"

struggle between opposing forces

sequence of events which happen in a story including a problem and its resolution

conversation between characters

dictionary definition of a word

narrator tells the story and focuses on one character; uses "he," "she," and "they"

general life message in a literary work

reference to well-known person, place, event, or art work

using exaggeration or overstatement for special effect

vantage point from which story is told

human qualities given to non-human things

conflict between two elements in a person's mind or heart

quality in story or poem that makes reader tense or uncertain about outcome

outcome of the story; loose ends are tied up

story handed down by generations, usually based on some fact

second stage of plot; builds suspense and interest

narrator is all knowing; telling the thoughts, feelings of all the characters

struggle or being at odds with another person, society, or nature

narrative/story of past events and characters, partly historical but mostly imaginative

characteristic speech of particular region or social group