LITERARY TERMS STUDY GUIDE

  1. Exposition--Beginning; the background information of a story
  2. Rising Action--Building the story
  3. Climax--The high point; most exciting part of a story
  4. Falling Action--Tying things together; things settling down in a story
  5. Resolution-- The end result; the outcome of a story
  6. Alliteration--Repetitive use of an initial consonant sound
  7. Allusion--A reference to someone or something famous
  8. Analogy--An extended comparison to aid understanding
  9. Protagonist--The leading character in a story or a play
  10. Antagonist--The force opposing the main character
  11. Oxymoron--A comparison of opposites
  12. Autobiography-- A story someone writes about his/her own life
  13. Biography-- A story someone writes about someone else
  14. Flat Character--Same as static; stays the same throughout story
  15. Round Character--Same as dynamic; capable of growth and change
  16. Characterization--Development of people in a story; physical, mental, etc.
  17. Coincidence--When two things happen at the same time by chance
  18. Comedy--A humorous story or play
  19. Internal Conflict--A struggle that happens in a character’s mind
  20. External Conflict--A character’s struggle with an outside force
  21. Contrast--Showing the differences between two things
  22. Dialogue--Conversation of characters; set off by quotation marks
  23. Dialect--Speech pattern characteristic of a certain region or class
  24. Simile—A comparison using “like” or “as”
  25. Dramatic Monologue--A long speech by one character
  26. Fiction--Writings that are products of an author’s imagination
  27. Flashback--Author interrupts story to present previous happenings
  28. Foreshadowing--Author drops hint about what happens later in a story
  29. Personification--Non-human subjects are given human characteristics
  30. Non-Fiction--Writings that are true
  31. Metaphor--A direct comparison saying that one thing is the other
  32. Imagery--Words or phrases that appeal to the senses
  33. Mood--Frame of mind or state of feeling created by a writing
  34. Onomatopoeia--Use of words that sound like their meaning
  35. Irony--Say one thing--mean another/expected result different

  1. Plot--Series of events in a story
  2. Hyperbole--Exaggeration for effect
  3. 1st Person Point of View--Presents story as if told by a character; “I,” “me,” & “my” are used
  4. 2nd Person Point of View--“You” is used in an effort to make the reader a character
  5. 3rd Person Point of View--“He” or “she” and character’s names are used
  6. Omniscient Point of View--Presenting story as if told by an all-knowing observer
  7. Rhetorical Question--Not intended to evoke a reply; asked for dramatic effect
  8. Stereotype--Oversimplified idea of someone; allows no individuality
  9. Sarcasm--Use of sneering remarks, to make fun or hurt feelings
  10. Style--Distinctive manner in which an author uses language
  11. Symbolism--An object that stands for an idea or belief
  12. Theme--Underlying thought or idea on which a writing is based; the message of the story
  13. Transition--Natural and easy progress from one incident to the next
  14. Suspense--Feeling of excitement or curiosity created by a writing
  15. Genre--Categories of literary works
  16. Narrator--The person who tells the story
  17. Short Story--A literary work that can usually be read in one sitting
  18. Tone--The attitude implied by the writer toward the subject
  19. Conflict--The central tension that drives the story; the problem or situation
  20. Man vs. Nature--A character’s conflict with a storm, animal, earthquake
  21. Man vs. Supernatural--A character’s conflict with a ghost, alien, monster
  22. Man vs. Society--A character’s conflict with government, the community
  23. Man vs. Self--A character’s conflict with a decision, his/her conscience
  24. Man vs. Man--A character’s conflict with another person
  25. Setting--The place and time in which the story’s action occurs
  26. Denotation--The literal or dictionary meaning of a word
  27. Connotation—Suggested/implied meanings associated with a word beyond itsdictionary meaning