Literary TermsLiterary Terms•We will be using these literary We will be using these literary terms throughout your time in this terms throughout your time in this

class.class.

•You need to keep up with your You need to keep up with your literary notes for all stories we literary notes for all stories we read this year. Don’t lose your read this year. Don’t lose your

terms! terms!

•You will have a quiz over these You will have a quiz over these terms on Friday – STUDY!!!!!!! terms on Friday – STUDY!!!!!!!

We will use the following terms:We will use the following terms:

Character Character AntagonistAntagonist ProtagonistProtagonist

MoodMood Plot Plot PersonificationPersonification

ExpositionExposition Rising ActionRising Action ClimaxClimax

Falling ActionFalling Action ResolutionResolution ConflictConflict

FlashbackFlashback ForeshadowingForeshadowing SuspenseSuspense

Point of ViewPoint of View SettingSetting StyleStyle

ThemeTheme ToneTone Figures of SpeechFigures of Speech

MetaphorMetaphor SimileSimile

SettingSetting• the time and place of the action. the time and place of the action. • includes all the details of a place and includes all the details of a place and

time – the year, the time of day, even the time – the year, the time of day, even the weather. The place may be a specific weather. The place may be a specific country, state, region, community, country, state, region, community, neighborhood, building, institution, or neighborhood, building, institution, or home. home.

CharacterCharacter

A character is a person or A character is a person or an animal that takes part an animal that takes part in the action of a literary in the action of a literary work. work.

AntagonistAntagonist

•The Antagonist is a character The Antagonist is a character or force in conflict with a main or force in conflict with a main character, or protagonist. character, or protagonist.

ProtagonistProtagonist

•The Protagonist is the The Protagonist is the main character in a literary main character in a literary workwork

Point of ViewPoint of View

Point of View Point of View is the perspective, or is the perspective, or vantage point, from which a story is vantage point, from which a story is told. It is the relationship of the told. It is the relationship of the narrator to the story.narrator to the story.

First-personFirst-person is told by a character who is told by a character who uses the first-person pronoun “I”.uses the first-person pronoun “I”.

Third-person limited point of view Third-person limited point of view is is the point of view where the narrator the point of view where the narrator uses third-person pronouns such as “he” uses third-person pronouns such as “he” and “she” to refer to the characters. and “she” to refer to the characters.

ToneToneTone is a reflection of a writer’s or speaker’s Tone is a reflection of a writer’s or speaker’s

attitude toward a subject of a poem, story, attitude toward a subject of a poem, story, or other literary work. or other literary work.

For example, respect, anger, For example, respect, anger, lightheartedness, or sarcasm.lightheartedness, or sarcasm.

MOODMOODMoodMood, or atmosphere, is the , or atmosphere, is the

feeling created in the reader by a feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage. literary work or passage.

PlotPlotPlot is the sequence of events. Plot is the sequence of events. The plot usually begins with an The plot usually begins with an expositionexposition

that introduces the setting, the characters, that introduces the setting, the characters, and the basic situation. This is introduced and the basic situation. This is introduced and developed. The conflict then increases and developed. The conflict then increases until it reaches a high point of interest or until it reaches a high point of interest or suspense, the suspense, the climaxclimax. The climax is . The climax is followed by the falling action, or end, of the followed by the falling action, or end, of the central conflict. Any events that occur central conflict. Any events that occur during the falling action make up the during the falling action make up the resolutionresolution..

PLOTLINEPLOTLINE

ExpositionResolution

Ris

ing A

ctio

n

Climax

Falling Action

Conflict Introduced

Rising ActionRising ActionRising Action is the part of the Rising Action is the part of the plot that begins to occur as plot that begins to occur as soon as the conflict is soon as the conflict is introduced. The rising action introduced. The rising action adds complications to the adds complications to the conflict and increases reader conflict and increases reader interest.interest.

ClimaxClimaxThe Climax is the point of The Climax is the point of greatest emotional intensity, greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in the interest, or suspense in the plot of a narrative. The climax plot of a narrative. The climax typically comes at the turning typically comes at the turning point in a story or drama.point in a story or drama.

Falling ActionFalling Action

Falling Action is the action Falling Action is the action that typically follows the that typically follows the climax and reveals its climax and reveals its results.results.

ResolutionResolution

The Resolution is the part The Resolution is the part of the plot that concludes of the plot that concludes the falling action by the falling action by revealing or suggesting revealing or suggesting the outcome of the the outcome of the conflict.conflict.

ConflictConflict

Conflict is the struggle Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces between opposing forces in a story or play. There in a story or play. There are two types of conflict are two types of conflict that exist in literature.that exist in literature.

External ConflictExternal Conflict

External conflict exists when a External conflict exists when a character struggles against some character struggles against some outside force, such as another outside force, such as another character, nature, society, or fate.character, nature, society, or fate.

Man vs. ManMan vs. Man

Man vs. NatureMan vs. Nature

Internal ConflictInternal Conflict

Internal conflict exists within the mind Internal conflict exists within the mind of a character who is torn between of a character who is torn between different courses of action.different courses of action.

Man vs. HimselfMan vs. Himself

FlashbackFlashbackA flashback is when an earlier A flashback is when an earlier

episode, conversation, or episode, conversation, or event is inserted into the event is inserted into the sequence of events. Often sequence of events. Often flashbacks are presented as a flashbacks are presented as a memorymemory

ForeshadowingForeshadowingForeshadowing is the author’s use of Foreshadowing is the author’s use of

clues to hint at what might happen clues to hint at what might happen later in the story. later in the story.

Used to create suspenseUsed to create suspense

SuspenseSuspense

Suspense is the growing interest and Suspense is the growing interest and excitement readers experience while excitement readers experience while awaiting a climax or resolution in a awaiting a climax or resolution in a work of literature. work of literature.

ThemeThemeThe theme of a literary work is its central The theme of a literary work is its central

message, concern, or purpose. A theme message, concern, or purpose. A theme can usually be expressed as general can usually be expressed as general statement, about people or life. statement, about people or life.

may be stated directly by the writer may be stated directly by the writer although it is more often presented although it is more often presented indirectly. indirectly.

StyleStyleStyle is the distinctive way in Style is the distinctive way in

which an author uses language.which an author uses language.

Word choice, phrasing, sentence Word choice, phrasing, sentence length, tone, dialogue, purpose, length, tone, dialogue, purpose, and attitude toward the and attitude toward the audience and subject can all audience and subject can all contribute to an author’s contribute to an author’s writing style.writing style.

MetaphorMetaphorA Metaphor is a type of speech that A Metaphor is a type of speech that

compares or equates two or more compares or equates two or more things that have something in things that have something in common. A metaphor does NOT use common. A metaphor does NOT use likelike or or asas..

Example: Life is a bowl Example: Life is a bowl

of cherries.of cherries.

SimileSimileA Simile is another figure of speech A Simile is another figure of speech

that compares seemingly unlike that compares seemingly unlike things. Simile’s DO use the words things. Simile’s DO use the words likelike or or asas..

Example: Her voice was like nails on a Example: Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard.chalkboard.

OxymoronOxymoronAn Oxymoron is a figure of speech that An Oxymoron is a figure of speech that

is a combination of seemingly is a combination of seemingly contradictory words. contradictory words.

Examples:Examples: Same differenceSame difference

Pretty uglyPretty ugly

Roaring silenceRoaring silence

PersonificationPersonificationPersonification is a Personification is a

figure of speech in figure of speech in which an animal, which an animal, object, force of object, force of nature, or idea is nature, or idea is given human given human qualities or qualities or characteristics. characteristics.

Example:Example: Tears began Tears began to fall from the dark to fall from the dark

clouds.clouds.