Marking Period One

Essential Vocabulary and Literary Terms

Essential Vocabulary: Terms for Age and Experience

Bildungsroman: (from the German: "formation novel”) or coming-of-age story is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood during which character change is thus extremely important

The Three Characteristics of a Bildungsroman1. The protagonist embarks on a journey away from the

home or family due to feelings of loss or discontent2. The protagonist finds himself at odds with society and

its values3. Eventually, the protagonist is ultimately incorporated

into the society. The novel ends with the protagonist's assessment of himself and his new place in that society.

Frame of reference: a set of criteria or stated values in relation to which measurements or judgments can be made

Rite of Passage: a ceremony or event marking an important stage in someone's life, esp. birth, puberty, marriage, and death: a novel that depicts the state of adolescence and the rites of passage that lead to adulthood. Sweet Sixteen, driver’s license, Bar-Mitzvah

Generation Gap: The differences of outlook or opinion between people of different generations. Child, parent, grandparent. Hippies in the 60’s vs. the more traditional older generation

Loss of Innocence: The moment when a person or a protagonist in a novel realizes that all is not always good and easy in life.

Literary Terms for Characterization

Characterization: the process by which a writer makes a character seem real to the reader

Direct Characterization: the author literally tells the audience what a character is like. This may be done via the narrator, another character, or by the character him- or herself.Indirect Characterization: the audience must infer for themselves what the character is like through the character’s thoughts, actions, speech (choice of words, way of talking), looks, and interaction with other characters, including other characters’ reactions to that particular person.