Glossary of Literary Terms “Stuff You Should Know”

Tone The writer’s attitude toward his/her subject or audience. Tone can be described with words such as: formal, informal, humorous, serious, etc.

Mood (atmosphere) The feeling created by a literary work or passage. Mood can be described by words such as: happy, sad, inspirational, or frightening.

Theme A central message of a literary piece. In poetry or fiction, the theme may be implied.

Setting The time and place of the action in a story Time can include not just a specific year but a period of history: past, present, or future. Think of Star Wars: “A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.”

The point of view from which a story is told Perspective The point of view from which a story is told A story will emphasize different elements when told from different perspectives.

Denotation The dictionary meaning of a word The easy way to remember this is to think, “d” like dictionary, “d” like denotation.

Connotation The association that a word calls to mind. The connotation is the image in your mind when you hear a word. The denotative meaning of “puppy” is “juvenile canine.” What images come to mind when you hear the word, “puppy?”

Annotation A deep reading of a text where you highlight or underline important information, write notes in the margins, and circle unknown words.

The art of speaking effectively Rhetoric refers to language devices.

Patterns of words and ideas that create emphasis Rhetorical Devices Patterns of words and ideas that create emphasis Rhetorical devices stir emotions, especially in speeches and other oral presentations.

Rhetorical Devices Logos Logos is the appeal to logic A presentation based on logos seeks to persuade the reader/listener that the approach is the best option. We should not have Pep Rallies because they take away time for instruction.

Rhetorical Devices Ethos Ethos is the appeal to ethics and morality A presentation based on ethos seeks to persuade the reader/listener that the approach is the right thing to do. We should not have Pep Rallies because the purpose of a school is instruction.

Rhetorical Devices Pathos Pathos is the appeal to emotion A presentation based on pathos seeks to persuade the reader/listener that the approach feels right. We should have Pep Rallies because the students have fun at pep rallies.

The main character in a story Protagonist The main character in a story A story will emphasize the life of the main character.

Tragedy A work of literature that tells of a catastrophe, a disaster, or great misfortune for the main character. The main character is always a significant person – a king or a hero. The cause of the tragedy is some tragic flaw or weakness in the main character’s character.

Tragic Hero The main character is always a significant person, a person with talents or abilities – a king or a hero. The cause of the tragedy is some tragic flaw or weakness in the main character’s character.