Literary Terms

Front 1

Alliteration

Back 1

The same sounds, or the repetition of sounds at the beginning of a word
Ex. She Sells Seashells at the Sea Shore

Front 2

Antagonist

Back 2

Opponent in a story A.K.A "the bad guy"
Ex. Rumplestiltskin in "Rumplestiltskin"

Front 3

Protagonist

Back 3

Main Character, the good guy or hero.
Ex. Jason Bourne in all of the bourne books

Front 4

Characterization

Back 4

Person in story or play; also describes the characters' personalities or personality through speech, thoughts effect on others, action, looks.
Ex. Anything the character says to other people that represents their personality.

Front 5

Connotation

Back 5

Feelings and thoughts associated with a word
Ex. Venomous-Negative Fun-Positive Fruit-Neutral

Front 6

Denotation

Back 6

Dictionary Definition of a Word
Ex. Desk- an article of furniture having a broad, usually level, writing surface, as well as drawers or compartments for papers, writing materials, etc.

Front 7

Dialogue

Back 7

Reciprocal conversation between two or more people
Ex. I said "How's It going"
and he responded "Good"

Front 8

Flashback

Back 8

Telling/ Reflecting of something that happened in the past
Ex. Then I remembered how _________ happened

Front 9

Figurative Language

Back 9

Not to be taken literally -Simile, Metaphor, alliteration, hyperbole, idiom, etc....
Ex. He was as selfish as Mr.Krabs

Front 10

Foreshadowing

Back 10

To hint or indicate before it happens
Ex. It's quiet....too quiet.

Front 11

Genre

Back 11

Type/Category
Ex. Action

Front 12

Hyperbole

Back 12

Exaggeration not made to be take literally
Ex. There were a billion of them!

Front 13

Irony

Back 13

The opposite of what is expected-verbal situational, or dramatic irony
Ex. On the forecast, the forecaster says it will rain but it is sunny

Front 14

Simile

Back 14

Figurative language that compares two things using LIKE or AS.
Ex. That person is as still as a statue

Front 15

Metaphor

Back 15

figurative language that or more things (says one thing IS another)
Ex. That person was a statue

Front 16

Myth

Back 16

A legendary story passed on from generation to generation that explains why things in nature are the way they are.
Ex. How the camel got his humps

Front 17

Inference

Back 17

Making an educated guess combining what you read and what you know (your background knowledge)
Ex. You know that if someone is walking on thin ice they will fall through

Front 18

Personification

Back 18

something that is not human that is given human like characteristics
Ex. The tree felt lonely

Front 19

Plot

Back 19

The events that take place in a story- exposition, rising, action, resolution
Ex. A scene telling you what the movie is about

Front 20

Point of view

Back 20

from the vantage point a story is told- 1st person 3rd person or omniscient point of view
Ex. And I walked down the stairs

Front 21

Generalization

Back 21

A broad statement that is know to be true most of the time
Ex. My brother never cleans up

Front 22

Setting

Back 22

Where the story takes place
Ex.America, 1973

Front 23

Allusion

Back 23

Reference to something well known
Ex. And she went to the Justin Beiber concert

Front 24

Symbol

Back 24

A concrete object that actually stands for another abstract idea or object.
Ex. The bear is a symbol of strength

Front 25

Theme

Back 25

The life lesson/morale of the story
Ex. Slow and steady wins the race

Front 26

Analogy

Back 26

A point by point comparison of two things to show how they are both alike, includes verbal analogies
Ex. Plant is to garden, as bird is to nest.

Front 27

Conflict

Back 27

Struggle or clash between opposing characters or opposing forces. Internal and External conflict.
Internal-A conflict within the main characters mind or body Ex. They want to try out for the football team but are afraid they will fail.
External-Something or someone that causes conflict with the main character Ex. The character is being bullied