Semester Test Review- Literary Terms

A writing that tells a story:

A series of related events

Excitement or tension that builds up in a story:

The character who changes in an important way during the story:

Hints in the story that certain events are going to happen later:

The character or force that blocks the main character from his goal:

The time and place of a story:

The storyteller:

The reasons why a character acts or thinks in a certain way:

The form of literature, such as novel, play, essay, etc.

A speech given by an actor while alone onstage:

Mask or voice assumed by the writer:

Verbal irony that is meant to be hurtful:

Character who is the same at beginning and end of story. Often subordinate character:

A one-sided character whom we think of as a "type."

Problems that come up during the story that have to be resolved:

A verbal irony written to point out something in society that should be recognized and changed:

Struggle between man v. himself:

Contrast is the expectation of events and the reality:

The character who has only one or two key personality traits:

Scene interrupts the story to show an event that took place in the past:

Events that occur that do not have the expected results:

The narrator is one of the characters and is the one telling the story:

The main idea of the writing; longer prose may have more than one:

The main character who sets the action into motion:

Struggle between man v. nature, man v. man, or man v. society:

Information that has been edited or interpreted by other writers; based on other sources:

The quality of a piece of literature that seems believable or realistic:

Casual reference to a person, place, event from another literary, historical, or biblical work:

The reason that a writer writes (to inform, persuade, entertain):

Where the loose ends of a plot are tied up. May create new questions.

The narrator tells the story from the vantage point of only one character:

An expression in a language that cannot be translated word for word:

A non-fictional writing of a person's life written by the actual person:

The order in which the story's events take place:

Something known by the audience or reader that one or more characters do not know.

A conversation:

The narrator is all-knowing:

A struggle between two forces:

Main ideas of works that are commonly found in literature in all cultures:

Special qualities of characters- behaviors, values, habits, likes, and dislikes:

The attitude a writer takes toward an audience, subject, or character:

Prose that is not true:

The moment when the outcome of the conflict is determined:

More than one interpretation or meaning:

Writing technique, resembles flood of thoughts, feelings, memories that go through the mind:

A feeling or emotional state brought on by a piece of literature:

The character who has many personality traits:

A non-fictional writing of a person's life:

Scene that jumps ahead of the story, narrates a future event:

Original material, firsthand account of information that has not been edited or interpreted:

The vantage point or perspective from which a writer tells a story:

Prose that is true:

Prose that is more than 50,000 words; extended prose writing:

A brief story that teaches a lesson about life:

A speech given with others on stage who seem not to hear what is said:

The basic situation of a story:

The term referring to a writer's special use of language in a story:

A specialized vocabulary for a profession, hobby, etc.

The kind of words a writer chooses:

A statement that conveys a general belief based on several specific details:

A narrative prose that can be read in a single setting:

The writer explains straight out what the characters are like:

Saying something opposite to what is meant:

The writer provides clues to what the characters are like: