Literary Terms Study Guide

I. Know these words and their definitions:

conflict/plot motivation
setting style
theme/main idea juxtaposition
exposition repetition
climax imagery
resolution simile
genre hyperbole
narrator details
first person description
second person alliteration
third omniscient consonance
third limited assonance
character metaphor
protagonist allegory
antagonist tone/mood
inner conflict allusion
characterization foreshadowing
direct characterization anecdote
indirect characterization symbol
static character irony
dynamic character sarcasm

II. Make sure you know the basic plot and main characters for all of the
stories we’ve read so far (“The Monkey’s Paw”, “Rules of the Game”,
“The Most Dangerous Game”, “A Very Old Man with Enormous
Wings”, “The Apple Tree”, and “A Handful of Dates”.) Be able to
use the literary terms while talking about a story.

III. Be able to summarize one of these stories. Summarize in a couple

sentences. Use present tense.

IV. Know what theme is. Be able to write a topic sentence and
paragraph about the theme of one of the stories.

V. Be able to discuss the style seen in one of the stories we’ve read.

VI. Study the different types of conflict (three types)

Literary Terms Notes
conflict/plot
the struggle found in fiction.

Types of conflict
(1) character in conflict with another character
(2) character vs. Nature
(3) character vs. Self

setting
determines Time and Place

theme/main idea
the general idea or insight about life that a writer wishes to express.
A simple theme can often be stated in a single sentence.

exposition/rising action
the beginning of the plot which gives information about the conflict

climax
the turning point in the conflict
will the good guy or the bad guy win?

resolution/falling action
The part of a story or drama which occurs after the climax and which establishes a new
norm, a new state of affairs-the way things are going to be from then on.
genre
A literary type or form
Poetry, short story, novel
Within drama, genre include tragedy, comedy and other forms

narrator
who is telling the story

point of view
A piece of literature contains a speaker who is speaking
either in the first person, telling things from his or her own perspective,
or in the third person, telling things from the perspective of an onlooker

first person
The story is told from the point of view 'I,’…The I-narrator may be part of the action or an
observer
I want to tell you an unbelievable story. It is about how a storm changed my life forever…

second person
This narrator speaks directly to the reader: "You walk in the room and what do you see? It's
Mullins again, and you say, 'Out. I've done with him.'" This point of view is rare primarily
because it is artificial and self-conscious.

third omniscient
omniscient = all-knowing
when the speaker knows everything including the actions, motives, and thoughts of all the
characters
Chris tried hard to concentrate but he couldn’t remember which key opened the lock.
Meanwhile, Steve felt nervous; what if Chris couldn’t open the safe? He wondered. The
storm was approaching them quickly and they didn’t even know it.
third limited
the speaker is unable to know what is in any character's mind but the protagonist’s
The school dance made Chris nervous. He didn’t know what to wear and spent a long time in
front of his mirror, trying out different hair styles. He wished he could find the perfect
look for the dance and for high school in general.

character
A person, or any thing presented as a person, e. g., a spirit, object, animal, or natural force, in
a literary work

protagonist
The hero or central character of a literary work

antagonist
A person or force which opposes the protagonist in a literary work

inner conflict
character in conflict with self

characterization
How a writer reveals the personality of a character

direct characterization
character is revealed (1) by what the character says about himself or herself; (2) by what
others reveal about the character
He was a short man with balding hair. He didn’t like riding the subway so he walked around
town.

indirect characterization
character is revealed by the character's own actions
With lightning speed Sarah expertly stopped the car right before the cliff’s edge. She looked
out at the view; she wasn’t sweating or breathing fast.

static character
a character who does not change throughout the story

dynamic character
a character who changes throughout the story

motivation
what drives the characters to act

style
How a work can be described, based on its different parts.
serious, simple, sparse, detailed

details
Carefully chosen by the author to create a certain effect and move the plot forward

description
A collection of details that create an effect and move the story forward

juxtaposition
putting two things side by side, sometimes to emphasize their differences

repetition
Repeating words, phrases, images, etc. in order to create a particular effect
imagery
language that evokes one or all of the five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching.
The ocean was a light green blue and smelled like salt. The wind hit our faces and spray from
the curling waves chilled our skin.

simile
the comparison of two unlike things using like or as.
The night sky was as black as coal.
Like a horse, he pranced through the field.

hyperbole
exaggeration or overstatement
I am so hungry I could eat a horse!

alliteration
the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.
E.g. sweet smell of success, a dime a dozen, bigger and better, jump for joy

consonance
the repetition of consonant sounds
e.g. lady lounges lazily, dark deep dread crept in

assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds.
e.g. fleet feet sweep by sleeping geeks

metaphor
comparison of two unlike things using the verb "to be"
e.g. he is a pig

allegory
is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are
equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself.

tone/mood
the attitude a writer takes towards a subject or character: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic,
satirical, tongue-in-cheek, solemn, objective

allusion
a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or ficticious, or to a work of art. Casual
reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event.
Like the queen of England sitting in her throne, he sat in front of everyone else.

foreshadowing
the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in literature.

anecdote
A very short tale told by a character in a literary work

symbol
using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning
Bats, full moon = evil
Sunshine, rainbows = good

irony
an action or statement is the reverse of what is expected
sarcasm
form of verbal irony