Literary Terms

The central message or main idea the writer is trying to express.

The meaning of a word, including the dictionary definition and the suggested meaning.

The way a piece is written in relation to whether there is bias/personal feeling or not.

When what you say is the opposite of what you mean.

The way the speaker feels about what he/she is describing.

A nice way of saying something that may be offensive or unpleasant.

The way the text is set up (ie:chronological, compare and contrast, sequence, etc.).

A comparison between two dissimilar things without using like or as.

The point the author is trying to make.

A reference to a famous person, place or event.

The choices the author makes in how they describe a character.

How the author makes you feel when you read the story or literary work.

The narrator’s position in relation to the story being told.

The linking together of two contradictory or opposite words.

Where the author gives us clues about what is to come.

 A question asked to prove a point, not to be answered.

To hint at something.

Giving human qualities to something that is not human.

To make an educated guess.

The opposite of what is expected.

The struggle or problem a character faces.

When one thing stands for or represents something else.

Huge exaggeration or overstatement.

Two or more characters speaking to each other.

A comparison between two dissimilar things with the use of like or as.

Words that imitate the sounds they are associated with.

The time period, geographical location, and description of where the story takes place.

Language that is used in a non-literal way.

Writing that creates a picture in the mind through comparisons involving the five senses.