1. UNIT TWO: Literary Devices
ENGLISH IV

2. 1. Conflict A problem or struggle the main character must face
Man vs. Man
A divorcing couple trying to determine custody rights
Man vs. Nature
A guard dog attacking a thief
Man vs. Self
A stutterer preparing for a public speech

3. 2. Protagonist A story’s main character or hero
Hamlet from Shakespeare’s Hamlet

4. 3. Antagonist
The adversary or enemy of the hero or protagonist in a story

5. 4. Foreshadowing A prediction or hint in a story about what is to
happen in the future

6. 5. Simile
A comparison using like or as

7. 6. Flashback
When the author takes the reader back in time to a memory or past event

8. 7. Dialect
A form of language spoken by people in a particular region

9. 8. Genre A type of literature Fiction/Non-fiction Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Biography/Autobiography
Suspense/Thriller
Tragedy
Comedy
Drama
Historical

10. 9. Meter
The rhythmic pattern of a poem; includes stressed and unstressed syllables

11. 10. Onomatopoeia
Words that actually look like the sounds they make

12. 11. Dialogue
A written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more characters

13. 12. Figurative Language
Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation

14. 13. Setting
When, where, and the time period in which the story takes place

15. 14. Resolution
When the climax or conflict of the story is solved

16. 15. Plot
The sequence of events
in a story