Literary Terms: List 1

Question 0

Basic situation

Answer 0

The beginning of the story where the problem is often established; characters and basic setting are revealed.

Question 1

Plot

Answer 1

The structure of a story; the sequence in which the author arranges events In a story.

Question 2

Rising action

Answer 2

The portion of a story in which conflict intensifies, leading to The climax (often contains many complications)

Question 3

Rock bottom

Answer 3

Where circumstances cannot get any worse for a main character.

Question 4

Climax

Answer 4

The highest point of interest in a story; the moment with the most psychological or physical intensity; the turning point thAt determines the outcome of the conflict. The reader wonders what happens next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

Question 5

Falling action

Answer 5

The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if he conflict was resolved or not (events between the climax and denouement).

Question 6

Denouement

Answer 6

The final outcome or untangling of events in a story

Question 7

Resolution

Answer 7

The part of the story or drama which occurs after the climax and which establishes a new norm, a new state of affairs; the ways the ways things are going to be from then on.

Question 8

Setting

Answer 8

The time and place in which a story unfolds

Question 9

Allusion

Answer 9

A reference ti a statement, person, place or thing well known from literature, history, religion, pop-culture etc.

Question 10

Antagonist

Answer 10

A character or force that goes against the main character (protagonist) and and tries to stop him/her from achieving their goal.

Question 11

Protagonist

Answer 11

The hero or central character of a literary work; the one who “drives the action”

Question 12

Suspense

Answer 12

Tension in the story, as well as the feeling of growing uncertainty about the outcome of events (what will “happen next”) in a story.

Question 13

Denotation

Answer 13

The literal, dictionary definition of a word

Question 14

Connotation

Answer 14

All the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests.

Question 15

Imagery

Answer 15

A work or group of words, which appeal to one or more of the senses: sight, taste, touch, hearing, and smell. Imagery types include VISUAL, TACTILE, OLFACTORY, AURAL, and GUSTATORY.

Question 16

Atmosphere

Answer 16

The mood or feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage.

Question 17

Conflict

Answer 17

Occurs when some person or force in the play opposes the protagonist.

Question 18

External Conlfict

Answer 18

A character struggles against an outside force

Question 19

Types of External Conflict

Answer 19

Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. society

Question 20

Internal Conflict

Answer 20

A struggle within one’s self; a person must make some decision, Overcome pain, resist an urge, quiet their temper, etc.

Question 21

Example of Internal Conflict

Answer 21

Man vs. himself

Question 22

Characterization

Answer 22

The process of revealing the personality of a character in a story

Question 23

Direct Characterization

Answer 23

The author tells directly what a character is like

Question 24

Indirect Characterization

Answer 24

The author shows what a character is like

Question 25

Methods of Indirect Characterization

Answer 25

1. Speech 2. Appearance 3. Inner thoughts and feelings 4. What others think or say about the character 5. Actions

Question 26

Exposition

Answer 26

Background information about the character, setting, and situation that is needed for the reader to move forward with a story

Question 27

Round (Character)

Answer 27

A realistic that has many different character traits; fully-developed; three-dimensional

Question 28

Flat (Character)

Answer 28

A character that, having only one or two traits is easily described and one-dimensionional (like a Cardboard figure)

Question 29

Dynamic (character)

Answer 29

A character that changes in some important way as a result of something that happens in the story. Change may involve some n knowledge or a different way of behaving or feeling.

Question 30

Static (Character)

Answer 30

A character who remains the same or changes very little from beginning to end

Question 31

Atmosphere

Answer 31

The mood of a story

Question 32

Tone

Answer 32

Attitude of narrator/character

Question 33

What are the five types of imagery?

Answer 33

``` Visual Olfactory Gustatory Aural Tactile ```

Question 34

Visual imagery

Answer 34

WHat the readers can see

Question 35

Olfactory imagery

Answer 35

What the readers can smell

Question 36

Gustatory imagery

Answer 36

What the readers can taste

Question 37

Aural imagery

Answer 37

What the readers can hear

Question 38

Tactile imagery

Answer 38

What the readers touch

Question 39

First person narraitor

Answer 39

Story is told from main character's POV; uses first person pronouns

Question 40

Subject

Answer 40

The topic of the story

Question 41

Theme

Answer 41

The central idea of a story

Question 42

Irony

Answer 42

A contrast or discrepancy between expectation and reality

Question 43

Another name for situational irony

Answer 43

Simple irony

Question 44

Situational irony

Answer 44

When a situation that is expected to happen or that is intended to happen is the opposite of what actually does happen

Question 45

Verbal irony

Answer 45

A writers or speaker says one thing, but really means something completely different;

Question 46

Another word for verbal irony

Answer 46

Sarcasm

Question 47

Dramatic irony

Answer 47

Occurs when the audience or reader knows something that a character in the play or story does not know

Question 48

What is the origin for the word "irony"?

Answer 48

The Greek word "eronea", which means "a withholding of knowledge"

Question 49

Third person omniscient narrator

Answer 49

All knowing... The narrator can see into the minds of all characters; Godlike Narrator he/she can enter character's mind and know everything that is going on past/present/future

Question 50

First person narrator

Answer 50

Uses: I, me, my, we, our... (First person pronouns); Story is told from main character's POV

Question 51

Second person narrator

Answer 51

Uses: you, yours, your, yourself... (second-person pronouns); Uses you and presents commands

Question 52

Third person narrator

Answer 52

A narrator tells the story on the third person

Question 53

Third person limited narrator

Answer 53

Narrator can see into one character's mind; All characters have thought privacy except one; Gives the impression that we are very close to the mind of that one character, though from a distance

Question 54

Third person objective narrator

Answer 54

Narrator only describes, and does not enter character's thoughts

Question 55

Motif

Answer 55

A reoccurring thematic element in a work

Question 56

Foreshadowing

Answer 56

THe use of clues to hint at what will happen later in the plot

Question 57

Diction

Answer 57

A writer or speakers choice of words

Question 58

Flashback

Answer 58

A scene in a literary work or drama that interrupts the present action of the plot to "flash backward" and tell what happened at an earlier time

Question 59

Point of view

Answer 59

Who is telling the story and how much they contribute

Question 60

Symbol

Answer 60

A person, place, thing, or event that stands for itself and for something beyond itself as well

Question 61

Social/ Historical Context

Answer 61

What is happening in the world at the time of the story