Literary Terms
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- dialogue
- the words spoken by characters in a book, film, or a play
- allusion
- The act of making an indirect reference to somebody or something.
- simile
- a figure of speech that draws a comparison between two different things, especially a phrase containing the word "like" or "as," for example, "as white as a sheet."
- theme
- The central message, concern, or insight into life expressed in a literary work. A theme can usually be expressed by one or two sentence statement about human beings or about life. A theme may be stated directly or may be implied. In poems and in works of prose fiction, the theme is rarely stated directly. More often, the other eJements of the work - its language, imagery, plot, tone, and structure - suggest the theme. Interpretation involves uncovering the theme of a literary work by carefully considering the parts, or elements, of the work.
- personification
- giving human qualities to inanimatie objects (example: She's a good old boat)
- conflict
- The struggle between opposing forces. It is one of the most important elements of stories, novels, and dramas because it causes the actions that form the plot. There are two different types of cont1icts - the internal and the external conflict. An external conflict is where a character struggles against some outside person or force, such as a storm, a jealous enemy, or a social convention. In an internal conflict, the struggle takes place within the protagonist's mind. The character struggles to reach some new understanding or to make an important decision. Literary work can have at the same time several conflict, both internal and external. The most important conflict in a work is called the central conflict.
- onomatopoeia
- the formation or use of words that imitate the sound asociated with the sound associated with the thing or action inquesiton, for example, "hiss" and "buzz."
- protagonist
- the protagonist is the main character in a literary work. Normally, the reader sympathizes with or at least lerns to understand the protagonist
- alliteration
- The repetition of initial consonant sounds. Advertisers use alliteration to catch the ear of he reader or viewer, as in "Books for a Buck." In poetry alliteration is used to create a musical or rhythmic effect, to emphasize key words, or to imitate sounds.
- narrative
- a story or an account or a sequence of events in the order in which they happneed
- sensory language
- relating to the five senses
- idiom
- a colorful expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the combined meaning of its individual words, for example, "to have someone in stitches."
- climax
- To reach the most important or exciting point in a story.
- analogy
- A comparison between two things that are similar in some respects, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand.
- soliloquy
- the act of speaking while alone, especially when used as a theatrical device that allows a character's thoughts and ideas to be conveyed to the audience
- characterization
- Is the act of creating and developing a character. Writers use two methods to create and develop characters - direct and indirect. When using direct characterization the writer actually states a character's traits, or characteristics. Ex: Philip Nolan was a fine a young officer as there was in the "Legion of the West," as the Western division of our army was then called. When using indirect characterization, the writer allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions based on information presented by the author. Ex: he stepped swiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve with his hugs brown hands. "see that you keep yourself out of my grip," he snarled, and hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the room."
- atmosphere
- The prevailing emotional tone or attitude, especially one associated with a specific time or place.
- point of view
- the perspective on events of the narrator or a particular character in a story
- metaphor
- the application of a word or phrase to an object it does not literally denote, suggesting comparision to that object or concept
- irony
- something that happens that is incongruous with what might be expected to happen, especially when this seems absurd or laughable
- antagonist
- Is a character or force in conflict with the main character, or protagonist. A character who acts as an antagonist usually desires some goal that is at odds with the goals of the protagonist. The struggle between the two, or central conflict, is the foundation of the story's plot.
- plot
- the story of events in a narrated or presented work such as a novel, play, or movie