Literary Terms

Front 1

A repetition of inital, or beginnning, sounds in two or more consecutive or neighboring words.

Back 1

Alliteration

Front 2

A comparison based upon the resemblance in some particular ways between things that are otherwise unlike.

Back 2

Analogy

Front 3

A short account of an interesting, amusing or biographical occurrance.

Back 3

Anectdote

Front 4

An event that isless important that what occurred before it.

Back 4

Anticlimax

Front 5

Language that was once common in a particular historic period but which is no longer commonly used.

Back 5

Archaic Language

Front 6

The relationship in which one condition brings about another condition as a direct result. The result, or consequence, is called the effect.

Back 6

Cause and Effect

Front 7

The ways in which the author shows how a character changes as the story proceeds.

Back 7

Character Development

Front 8

To arrange according to a category or trait.

Back 8

Classify

Front 9

The moment when the action in a story reachers its greatest conflict.

Back 9

Climax

Front 10

To examine the likeness and differences of two people, ideas, or things. (contrast always emphasizes differnes. Cmopare may focus on likenesses alone or on liknesses and differences.)

Back 10

Compare and Contract

Front 11

The main source of drama and tension in a literary work; the discord between persons or forces that brings about dramatic action.

Back 11

Conflict

Front 12

Something suggested or implied, no actually stated.

Back 12

Connotation

Front 13

An account that gives the reader a mental image or picture of something.

Back 13

Description

Front 14

A form of language used in a certain geographic region; it is distinguished from the standard form of language by pronunciation, grammar, and/or vocabulary.

Back 14

Dialect

Front 15

The parts of a literary work that represent conversation.

Back 15

Dialouge

Front 16

A piece of information that can be proven or verified.

Back 16

Fact

Front 17

Description of one thing in terms usually used for something else. Similie and metaphor are examples of this.

Back 17

Figurative Languauge

Front 18

The insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronolohical sequence of a narrative.

Back 18

Flashback

Front 19

The use of clues to give readers a hint of evenets that will occur later on.

Back 19

Foreshadowing

Front 20

Fiction represented in a setting true to the history of the time in which the story takes place.

Back 20

Historical Fiction

Front 21

Language that appeals to the senses; the use of figures of speech or vivid descriptions to produce mental images.

Back 21

Imagery

Front 22

The use of words to express the opposite of their literal meaning.

Back 22

Irony

Front 23

A story handed down from earlier times; its truth is probably accepted but cannot be verified.

Back 23

Legend

Front 24

A humorous five-lined poem with a specific form: aabba. Lines 1, 2 and 5 are longer thant lines 3 and 4.

Back 24

Limerick

Front 25

A figure of speech that compares two unline things WITHOUT the used of like or as.

Back 25

Metaphor

Front 26

The feeling the author creates for the reader.

Back 26

Mood

Front 27

The reasons for the behavior of a character.

Back 27

Motivation

Front 28

The type of writing that tells a story.

Back 28

Narrative

Front 29

The character who tells the story.

Back 29

Narrator

Front 30

A personal point of view or belief.

Back 30

Opinion

Front 31

Writing that ridicules or imitates something more serious.

Back 31

Parody

Front 32

A figure of speech in which an inanimate object or and abstract idea is given human characteristices.

Back 32

Personification

Front 33

A literary work that is written in dialouge form and that is uaully performed before an audience.

Back 33

Play

Front 34

The arrangement or sequence of events in a story.

Back 34

Plot

Front 35

The perspective from which a story is told.

Back 35

Point of view

Front 36

The main character.

Back 36

Protagonist

Front 37

A play on words that are similar in sound but are different in meaning.

Back 37

Pun

Front 38

True-to-life fiction; the people, places abd happeninings are similar to those in real life.

Back 38

Realistic fiction

Front 39

The part of a plot from the climax to the ending where the main dramatic conflict is worked out.

Back 39

Resolition

Front 40

A literary work that pokes fun at individual or societal weakness.

Back 40

Satire

Front 41

The placement of story elements in the order of the occurrance.

Back 41

Sequencing

Front 42

The time and place in which the story occurs.

Back 42

Setting

Front 43

A figure of speech that uses LIKE or AS to compare to unlike things.

Back 43

Simile

Front 44

A character whose personality traits represent a group rather than an individual.

Back 44

Stereotype

Front 45

Quality that causes readers to wonder what will happen next.

Back 45

Suspense

Front 46

The use of a thing, character, object or idea to represent something else

Back 46

Symbolism

Front 47

An exagerated story detailing unbelievable events.

Back 47

Tall tale

Front 48

The main idea of a literary work; the messge the author wants to communicate, sometimes expressed as a generalization about life.

Back 48

Theme

Front 49

The quality or feeling conveyed by the work; the author's atyle or manner of expression.

Back 49

Tone