Literary TermsLiterary TermsLiterary TermsLiterary Terms

Genre• A style of art, film, music, or

literature• Some literary genres are

mysteries, westerns, romances, and comedies

Protagonist• The main character of a novel,

play, or story• Usually the “good guy”• Opposes the antagonist

Antagonist• A character in a novel, play, or

story who opposes the protagonist• Usually the “bad guy”

Archetype• A character who represents a

certain type of person• Examples: Cinderella is an

archetype of a princess.

Setting• Where the story takes place

– Can refer to place, time period, season, etc. Anything that helps a reader picture when and where a story is happening

– Little House on the Prairie is set in Minnesota in the 1800s.

Characterization• The way an author establishes a

character• An author may directly describe

the appearance or personality of a character or show it indirectly through action or dialogue.

Plot• The action in the story• Imagine you go to a movie and

your friend asks “What happened?” When you answer that question, you are telling him/her about the plot.

Exposition• The background, the start of a

story, what has happened before the story begins.

Conflict• The elements that create a

problem for the protagonist• Conflicts can be internal (within

one character) or external (among or between characters, society, and/or nature)

Rising Action• The series of conflicts in the story

that lead to the climax

Climax• The turning point in a story; the

most intense moment (either mentally, emotionally, or in action)

Falling Action• All of the action which follows the

climax and leads to the end of the story

Resolution• How the conflict is resolved• Usually occurs near the end of the

story• Ties together all of the threads• Not every conflict is resolved

neatly!

Symbolism• The use of one thing to represent

another• For example, a dove can be used

as a symbol of peace

Contrast• To explain how two things differ• To compare and contrast is to

explain how two things are alike and how they are different

Figurative Language• Language that does not mean

exactly what it says• Examples:

– “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse!” – Mrs. Jones was so mad, her head was

spinning.

Literal Language• Language that means exactly

what it says.– If you say “I could literally eat a

horse,” you had better have a big plate ready!

Personification• Giving animals or inanimate

objects human characteristics• For example, “The classroom

waited eagerly for students to fill its desks.”

• “The shadows reached for the child hovering in the corner.”

Imagery• The use of description that helps a

reader imagine how something looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes. It usually refers to appearance.

• For example: “The tiny bird’s white, feathered wings fluttered as he made his way across the starry, nighttime sky.”

Foreshadowing• A technique in which an author

gives clues about something that will happen later in the story

• Foreshadowing happens frequently on “crime” shows like CSI or Law & Order.

Point Of View• The way a story is narrated

– First person point of view is when the narrator refers to himself as “I.”

– Third person point of view is when the narrator is referred to as “he” or “she.”

Theme• The central idea of a work, the

message that an author is trying to convey

Tone• The author’s attitude toward his or

her subject• Can be serious, angry, silly,

lighthearted, nostalgic, etc.