EOC Literary Terms

the feeling created in a reader by a literary work or passage

a form of nonfiction in which a writer tells his or her own life story

a form of language spoken by people in a particular region or group

the fluency, rhythm and liveliness in writing that makes it unique to the writer

an event that directly contradicts the expectations of the character, the reader, or audience

the time and place of the story (where and when it takes place)

this character stays the same throughout the story

the story's end

the point of highest interest, main character undergoes a change

a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike subjects using like or as

establishes the setting, identifies the characters, introduces the basic situation 

a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song

the quality of the story that makes the reader curious and excited about what will happen next

a figure of speech that makes an indirect comparison between two unlike subjects 

literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness

the main character in a literary work

any events leading up to the climax

The arrangement of events in a literary work

a problem or struggle within a character

a division of poetry similar to a paragraph in prose

reason that explains, or partially explains a character's thoughts, feelings, actions or speech

the language of everyday speech, may use contractions and slang

the author's intent either to inform/teach, to entertain, or to persuade/convince the audience

Struggle between opposing forces; any problem that must be solved

a form of nonfiction in which a writer tells the life story of another person

the perspective from which the story is told

words in a literary work which appeal to one or more of the senses

the two major types of conflict

a fixed, generalized idea about a character, place, or situation

a figure of speech that is an exaggeration for effect

a figure of speech in which a non-human subject is given human characteristics

the special words or terms used by the members of a particular profession or class

the standard language of written communication, formal speeches, and presentations; no slang

the message, central concern, or insight into life revealed in a literary work

the repetition of initial letters at the beginning of words

the use of words that imitate sounds

a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work

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

contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows to be true 

a character or force in conflict with the main character

What is the series of related actions or events in a literary work? 

this character is fully developed - writer reveals good and bad traits as well as background

text that tells a first-hand account of an event; original works used when researching 

character has only one or two personality traits - little or no background is revealed

the ordinary form of writing; most writing that is not poetry, drama, or song

an inoffensive word or term used in place of another that is felt to be offensive

a division or type of literature - generally prose, poetry or drama

presents events of the past in the midst of a story in the present

understanding gained by "reading between the lines;" reasoning rather than direct statement

text used researching that is derived from something original (biographies, magazine articles)

an author's use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in the story

events that occur between the climax and the conclusion

an expression having a special meaning different from the usual meanings of the words 

conversation between characters

a conflict or problem between characters

literary techniques that involve surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions

anything that stands for or represents something else

this character changes as a result of the action in the story

an informal, often short-lived kind of language used in place of standard words

words are used to suggest the opposite of their usual meaning or contradict their usual meaning