Literary Terms

The time and place in a literary work

"New classic", "living dead", "jumbo shrimp" are examples of

The variety of a language that people speak, separated by geography, class, or ethnicity

The American flag, the McDonald's golden arches, and wedding rings are all an example of

When a character makes a short speech for the audience but not heard by others on stage

Literary element that evokes certain feelings in readers through words and descriptions

Conflict where a character is tormented by natural forces such as storms or animals

The central idea or topic explored in a text

Figure of speech in which non-human things are given human characteristics

Direct speech between characters in a literary work

A character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude

Character that is complex and undergoes development

A direct comparison of two things using like or as

Characters that are relatively uncomplicated and do not change

An implied comparison between dissimilar objects

The rhythm of syllables in a line of verse or in a stanza of a poem

Uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation

The point of view where a narrator is a character in the story

The fifth and final piece of the plot diagram

A situation in which two characters have opposing desires or interests.

A special or prominent article in a newspaper

Showing the type of person a character is through his/her thoughts, words, and deeds.

The character is at odds with societal norms and realizes the need to work against these norms

The sequence of events in a literary work

A recurring feature of literary work that is related to the theme

Technique that keeps the reader guessing at what will happen next

The first element in the plot diagram

The third element in the plot diagram

Draws on the 5 senses, namely the details of taste, touch, sight, smell, and sound.

Hint at what is to come in a literary work

The method of returning to an earlier point in time to make the present clearer

The main character in a story

The point of view where the narrator is outside the story

Something related to the content of a newspaper or magazine or something written by an editor

The second element in the plot diagram

Items that assist the reader in making sense of what they are reading

The character that is the source of conflict

"Pow", "bang", and "hiss" are all examples of

"I'm so hungry I could eat a cow" is an example of

When the author tells the audience what a character is like

Type or category to which a literary work belongs

A character that does not grow or develop

The fourth element in the plot diagram

A contrast between expectations for a situation and what is reality

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

The attitude or approach that the author takes toward the work's central theme or subject