Literary Terms

An exaggeration to prove a point

A narrator who is an all-seeing, all-hearing, all-knowing speaker.

The implicit meaning of a word consisting of the associations attached to a word.

Disrupting the flow of events by interjecting events that occurred earlier.

Any source other than a primary source.

Words used in a special way that may be different from their literal meaning.

When the audience or the reader knows something a character does not know.

A figure of speech that places two contradictory words together for a special effect.

The most specific or literal meaning of a word

The substitution of a mild and pleasant expression for a harsh and blunt one.

The major idea of an entire work of literature. It may be stated or implied.

The effective use of words to enhance style, tone, or clarity in writing or speaking.

Language enriched by word images and figures of speech.

The writer's or speaker's attitude toward a subject, character or audience.

A story told by a third-person narrator whose omniscience is limited to a single character.

An original source that is used as part of research.

A story told by a character using the pronoun I or sometimes we

A contrast between what the readers know and the character do not.

A brief reference to a historical, mythological, or literary person, place, thing, or event.

A metaphor that is carried throughout the text.

The author's use of an object that has a meaning in itself and stands for something else.

The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest future action.

A contrast between what is said or written and what is actually meant,

A contrast between what a character expects and what occurs in a text.

When what happens is very different from what is expected to happen.

A contradictory statement that has an element of truth.

An unreasoned judgment either for or against a particular person, position, or thing.

The perspective or vantage point from which a literary work is told.