Literary Genre, continued
Terms
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- External Conflict
-
involves a character pitted against an outside force, including
o nature
o another character
o society
o fate, the gods, or God
o obstacle
o technology - Internal Conflict
- is one that occurs within the character, also known as man vs. self
- Flashback
- a conversation, an episode, or an event that happened before the beginning of a story Often a flashback interrupts the chronological flow of a story to give the reader information to help in understanding a character’s present situation.
- Foreshadowing
- a writer’s use of hints or clues to indicate events and situations that will occur later in a plot.
- Irony
- – a special kind of contrast between appearance and reality, usually one in which reality is the opposite from what it seems. There are three types of irony
- Situational Irony
- – contrast between what a character or the reader expects and what actually exists or occurs
- Dramatic Irony
- the reader or viewer knows something that a character does not know
- Verbal Irony
- someone knowingly exaggerates or says one thing but means another
- Mood
- the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader
- Plot
- the sequence of events or happening in a literary work, usually including four or five stages of development
- Exposition
- Introduces characters and setting, supplies background information and sets the tone and mood
- Rising Action
- begins with an inciting event (conflict), includes a series of complications and conflicts which move the plot along and build suspense
- Climax
- also called “turning pointâ€; the moment when the reader’s interest and emotional intensity reach the highest point;
- Falling Action
- occurs after the climax of the story or drama, moves the story towards resolution
- Resolution
- conflict is resolved and the loose ends are tied up. In short stories, falling action and resolution are often the same thing.
- Setting
- the time and place of a story
- Suspense
- the excitement or tension that readers feel as they become involved in a story and eager to know the outcome of the plot.
- Theme
- the main idea in a work of literature, a perception about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader (do not confuse with a moral)
- Denotation
- the literal, dictionary meaning of a word
- Connotation
- the attitudes and feelings associated with a word, in contrast to denotation, which is the literal or dictionary meaning of a word
- Figurative Language
- language that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary, literal meanings of words Special types of figurative language are called figures of speech⬝.
- Hyperbole
- a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or humorous effect
- Personification
- a figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to an object, animal, or idea
- Simile
- a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things using the word like or as
- Metaphor
- a comparison between two unlike things with the intent of giving added meaning to one of them. “Life is a dream.†“Life is a bowl of cherries.†“Morning is a new sheet of paper for us to write on.â€
- Onomatopoeia
- the use of a word whose sound in some degree imitates or suggests its meaning
- Oxymoron
- two contradictory terms that together sharply contrast to create emphasis.
- Epic
- a long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero whose actions reflect the ideals and values of a nation or race Epics address universal concerns, such as good and evil, life and death, sin and redemption, or other serious subjects.
- Epic Hero
-
a larger than life figure, usually male, who:
·embodies the ideals of a nation or race
·takes part in long, dangerous adventures
·accomplishes great deeds that require courage and superhuman strength - Epic Simile
- an elaborate, more involved version of a regular simile. (Also known as a Homeric simile)
- Epithet
- a brief descriptive phrase that points out traits associated with a particular person or thing; used as an aid to characterization
- Myth
- a traditional story, usually concerning some superhuman being or unlikely event, that was once widely believed to be true. Myths often attempt to explain natural phenomena