Literary Terms

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Antagonist

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A person who is opposed to the main character, also known as the adversary of the hero.

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Climax

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The moment in a novel or short story when the plot reaches its greatest intensity

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Conflict

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the opposition between characters, between two large groups, between the protagonist and a larger problem, or the protagonist and himself

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Dramatic Irony

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When the audience knows something that the character does not

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dynamic character

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character in the novel or short story that changes in personality

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Exposition

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situation before the rising action also known as the setting scene

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Falling Action

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Part of literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been solved

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First Point of View

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narrator is also part of the story using I

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Flashback

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presenting events from the past out of chronological order

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Foreshadowing

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to show or give a clue about before it happens

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Imagery

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Words that create a picture that appeals to one of our senses

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Irony

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The use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning

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Mood

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The emotional state in the atmosphere of a literary work

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Motif

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Reoccuring idea in a literary work

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Paradox

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Statement that seems to contradict itself but really makes sense

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Point of View

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The way a story gets told and who tells it

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Protagonist

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The main character

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Resolution

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The outcome or result

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Setting

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The time and place of a literary work

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Situational Irony

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When accidental events are oddly appropiate, when a character and the audience are simultaneously aware of the situation

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Static Character

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Character that doesn't change throughout the literary work

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Symbol

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Something beyond its literal meaning

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Theme

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Overall meaning of a literary work

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Third Point of View

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Narrator seems to be standing outside the story, call characters by name or he, she, them, and they

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Verbal Irony

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When the speaker makes a statement in which its actual meaning differs sharply from the meaning that the words seemingly express

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Thrid Person Limited

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Only lets the audience know the thoughts of one person's perspective

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Third Person Omniscient

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Method of storytelling that tells you the thoughts of more than one character

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Metaphor

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A comparison of two things that does not use like or as

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Simile

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A comparison using like or as

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Symbolism

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Something that goes beyond its literal meaning

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Foil

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Character Pairs when compared highlight each other's differences

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Personification

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When animals, ideas, or inanimate objects are given human traits

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Diction

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The choice of a particular word opposed to others

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Allusion

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A casual reference in literature to a person, place, or event in another passage of literature

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Flash Forward

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When the sequence of chronological events is interrupted by something that is going to happen in the future

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Extended Metaphor

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A comparison between two things that will continue throughout a series of sentence, paragraphs, or pages

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Connotation

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The extra tinge or taint of meaning each word carries beyond the minimal, strict definition found in a dictionary.

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Panel

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This is the basic unit of a comic book page, consisting of a single illustration.

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Gutter

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This is the space on a comic book page that is outside the panels.