1. Literary Terms

2. Atmosphere
The overall mood or emotion of a work of literature

3. conflict A struggle or clash between opposing forces or characters
Man vs man
Man vs self
Man vs nature
Man vs society
Man vs fate

4. Motivation
Any force that drives or moves the character to behave in a particular way

5. Dialect
A way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region or group of people

6. Monologue
Where one character speaks alone

7. Conversation between two or more characters
Dialogue
Conversation between two or more characters

8. Fable
A brief story in prose or verse that teaches a moral or gives a practical lesson about how to get along in life (often includes talking animals!)

9. A prose account that is made up rather than true
Fiction
A prose account that is made up rather than true

10. Folk tale
A story with no known author that originally was passed on from one generation to the next by word of mouth

11. Language that appeals to the senses
Imagery
Language that appeals to the senses

12. A story written to be acted for an audience
Drama
A story written to be acted for an audience

13. A short piece of non-fiction prose that examines a single subject
Essay
A short piece of non-fiction prose that examines a single subject

14. Simile
A comparison between two unlike things using a word such as like, as, than, or resembles

15. Ex: Her smile is a red, red rose.
Metaphor
An imaginative comparison between two unlike things in which one thing is said to be another thing
Ex: Her smile is a red, red rose.

16. Personification
A figure of speech in which a nonhuman or nonliving thing or quality is talked about as if it were human or alive
Ex: The trees danced in the wind.

17. The use of clues to suggest events that will happen later in the plot
Foreshadowing
The use of clues to suggest events that will happen later in the plot

18. Irony
In general, a contrast between what is said or written and what is meant

19. Involves a contrast between what is said or written and what is meant
Verbal irony
Involves a contrast between what is said or written and what is meant
EX: Telling someone “Good job!” after he or she failed a test.

20. Ex: a fire station burns down, a lifeguard drowns
Situational irony
Occurs when what happens is very different from what is expected to happen
Ex: a fire station burns down, a lifeguard drowns

21. Ex: Dally’s unloaded gun
Dramatic irony
Occurs when the audience or the reader knows something a character does not know
Ex: Dally’s unloaded gun

22. The overall emotion created by a work of literature
Mood
The overall emotion created by a work of literature

23. Myth
A story that explains something about the world and typically involves gods or superhuman beings

24. Nonfiction
Prose writing that deals with real people, events, and places without changing any facts

25. A fictional story that is usually more that 100 book pages long
Novel
A fictional story that is usually more that 100 book pages long

26. The series of related events that make up a story
Plot
The series of related events that make up a story

27. Tells us who the characters are and what their conflict is
Exposition
Tells us who the characters are and what their conflict is

28. climax
The most emotional or suspenseful moment in the story when the outcome is decided one way or another

29. When the characters’ problems are solved and the story ends
Resolution
When the characters’ problems are solved and the story ends

30. The vantage point from which a story is told
Point of view
The vantage point from which a story is told

31. Omniscient point of view
All knowing
The narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems

32. Third person limited point of view
The narrator focuses on the thoughts and feelings of only one character

33. First person point of view
One of the characters, using “I”, is telling the story
Ex: The Outsiders, The Pigman

34. Setting
The time and place in which the events of a work of literature take place

35. A fictional prose narrative that is usually 10-20 book pages long
Short story
A fictional prose narrative that is usually book pages long

36. Suspense
The uncertainty or anxiety you feel about what will happen next in a story

37. Ex: sunsets, Mickey Mouse
Symbol
A person, a place, a thing, or an event that has its own meaning and stands for something beyond itself as well
Ex: sunsets, Mickey Mouse

38. The truth about life revealed in a work of literature
Theme
The truth about life revealed in a work of literature

39. Tone
The attitude that a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

40. The story of a real person’s life written or told by THAT person
Autobiography
The story of a real person’s life written or told by THAT person

41. The story of a real person’s life, written or told BY ANOTHER PERSON
Biography
The story of a real person’s life, written or told BY ANOTHER PERSON

42. Character
A person or animal who takes part in the action of a story, play, or literary work

43. Static character
One who is the same sort of person at the end of the story as at the beginning

44. Dynamic/developing character
One who undergoes a permanent change in some aspect of character or outlook

45. One whose character is summed up in one or two traits
Flat character
One whose character is summed up in one or two traits

46. One whose character is complex and many-sided
Round character
One whose character is complex and many-sided

47. Ex: a nerd, a cheerleader
Stock character
A stereotyped character; one whose nature is familiar to us from examples we’ve seen in various literature, movies, etc
Ex: a nerd, a cheerleader

48. Protagonist
The main character of a work of literature who experiences conflict and undergoes a permanent change

49. The person or force working against the main character
Antagonist
The person or force working against the main character

50. Historical fiction
A work of fiction that is based on real events or real people but not every detail is true

51. Science fiction
a kind of writing that lies somewhere between realistic fiction and total fantasy
Elements of science fiction:
A setting in the future
Technology that has yet to be invented
A journey through time
Imaginary characters (think aliens)
Realistic reactions to fantastic situations
A surprise ending

52. Poetry
a kind of rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery designed to appeal to emotion and imagination

53. Stanza
in a poem a group of consecutive lines that forms a single unit

54. Scene
in a drama, a small section of an act

55. Parable
a short story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson NO talking animals

56. Ballad
a simple narrative poem of folk origin written to be sung

57. Prose
ordinary written languagenot poetic

58. Stage directions
instructions written into the script of a play or drama indicating actions or movements of performers

59. Epic Poem a long narrative poem telling of a hero’s deeds
Ex—The Odyssey

60. Dirge
a sad, mournful song
usually sung for a funeral