Terminology and definition lists from the lit. booklet p1 Flashcards
A simile is…
a comparison using like or as.
A climax in literature is…
the point of highest interest and suspense in a literary work.
A crisis, or a turning point in literature is…
the point in the development of the conflict at which a decisive event occurs that causes the main character’s situation to become better or worse.
A motif is…
any element that recurs in one or more works of literature or art.
Some motifs in Macbeth include…
ambition, deception, disturbances in nature, blood, madness, and sleep.
A metaphor is…
a figure of speech in which one thing is spoken or written about as if it were another.
A theme is…
a central idea in a literary work.
The exposition, rising action, crisis, falling action, and catastrophe are…
parts of a plot.
The exposition is…
the part that sets the tone or mood, introduces the characters and the setting, and provides necessary background information.
The rising action is…
the part that develops the conflict to a high point of intensity.
The crisis is often the same event as…
the climax.
The falling action is…
all the events that follow the climax.
The catastrophe is…
the event that marks the ultimate tragic fall of the central character.
A soliloquy is…
a lengthy speech in which a character expresses his or her thoughts to the audience - usually alone on stage -.
An aside is…
a brief remark by a character revealing his thoughts or feelings to the audience, unheard by the other characters.
