Literary Terms

Question 0

Analogy

Answer 0

A comparison that shows similarities between two things that are otherwise unalike

Question 1

Alliteration

Answer 1

A repetition of the consonant sound at the beginning two or more words that are together

Question 2

Analyze

Answer 2

To examine a concept, book, statement, etc. critically,carefully, and in detail

Question 3

Antagonist

Answer 3

The character that is against the protagonist

Question 4

Argument

Answer 4

A statement, reason, or fact for or against a point

Question 5

Audience

Answer 5

The people viewing the story

Question 6

Characterization

Answer 6

The way a character is presented by the author:
Direct: character described by the author or narrator
Indirect: traits are revealed by thoughts, actions, dialogue, or appearance

Question 7

Climax

Answer 7

Turning point in a story

Question 8

Compare

Answer 8

Compare determine similarities between two things

Question 9

Conflict

Answer 9

The force that opposes the protagonist:
Internal: a character struggles against him/herself
External: a character struggles against an outside force

Question 10

Contrast

Answer 10

To determine the differences between two thing

Question 11

Couplet

Answer 11

A stanza of two lines (generally rhyming)

Question 12

Descriptive paragraph

Answer 12

Writing that shows what a thing looks like, sounds like, smells like, and feels like in detail

Question 13

Dialect

Answer 13

A variation of language by one group of people in one place

Question 14

Dialogue

Answer 14

A conversation between two or more people

Question 15

Diction

Answer 15

An author’s choice of words

Question 16

Dramatic irony

Answer 16

The audience or reader knows information that other characters do not know

Question 17

Essay

Answer 17

Writing that attempts to explain something from a personal point of view

Question 18

Euphemism

Answer 18

The substitution of a mild word or phrase for a word that would be considered undesirable because it is too direct, unpleasant or direct

Question 19

Evaluate

Answer 19

Forming a personal judgement about an idea’s or a literary work’s value

Question 20

Foreshadowing

Answer 20

Clues that tell what will happen later in the story

Question 21

Genre

Answer 21

A category or type of literature

Question 22

Imagery

Answer 22

Words that depict a picture in a work of literature that appeal to one or more senses

Question 23

Inference

Answer 23

A judgement based on reasoning rather than on direct or explicit statements

Question 24

Irony

Answer 24

A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens

Question 25

Metaphor

Answer 25

A comparison between two things without using like or as

Question 26

Mood

Answer 26

The emotions that a reader feels while reading or viewing a literary work

Question 27

Motif

Answer 27

A significant word, phrase, description, idea, image, or other element that is repeated through literary works that is related to the theme

Question 28

Novel

Answer 28

A book length fictional prose narrative

Question 29

Personification

Answer 29

A figure of speech where a nonhuman thing is given human characteristics

Question 30

Plot

Answer 30

The structure of the story

Question 31

Point of view

Answer 31

The perspective from which the story is told:
First person
Second person
Third person limited
Third person omniscient

Question 32

Setting

Answer 32

The time and place where the story is set

Question 33

Simile

Answer 33

A comparison using like or as

Question 34

Situational irony

Answer 34

The outcome of the situation is opposite of what is expected

Question 35

Style

Answer 35

The expressive qualities that distinguish an author’s work, including: diction, sentence structure, and figures of speech

Question 36

Protagonist

Answer 36

The hero or main character of the story

Question 37

Rhyme scheme

Answer 37

The pattern of rhymed words in a stanza or generalized throughout the whole poem. Represented by letters of the alphabet

Question 38

Symbol/symbolism

Answer 38

Anything that represents something while also representing something figuratively. Examples include: people, animals, places, object, or events

Question 39

Theme

Answer 39

The main message of the story, poem, novel, or play. Often expressed as a general statement of life

Question 40

Tone

Answer 40

This expresses the attitude of the author towards the subject of the book

Question 41

Tragedy

Answer 41

A type of story or play that ends badly for the protagonist(s)
Ex. Romeo and Juliet; Antony and Cleopatra

Question 42

Transitions

Answer 42

Words that connect paragraphs

Question 43

Verbal irony

Answer 43

A person says one thing and means another (sarcasm)