Literary Terms

Guide to Understanding What You Read

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Setting:– the time, place, physical details, and

circumstances in which a situation occurs.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Major Characters: The character who dominates the story is the major character. – Readers can learn about major characters in many

ways, including:• Physical traits

• Dialogue

• Actions

• Attire

• Opinions

• Point of view

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Minor Characters:– A character who does not have a major

impact on the story but is seen on several occasions.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Protagonist: A protagonist is considered to be the main character or lead figure in a novel, play, story, or poem.  It may also be referred to as the "hero" of a work.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Antagonist: a character in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works again the main character, or protagonist, in some way. – The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be an

person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that prevents the main character from living “happily ever after."

– In fact, the antagonist could be a character of virtue in a literary work where the protagonist represents evil.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Foil: is a character that contrasts another character, often the protagonist, that therefore highlights certain qualities of the protagonist (or whoever the foil may be). – Ex: Jafar would be the foil to Aladdin in the

movie “Aladdin”

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Round: A round character is a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it. – Round characters tend to be more fully developed

and described than flat, or static, characters. If you think of the characters you most love in fiction, they probably seem as real to you as people you know in real life. This is a good sign that they are round characters.

LITERARY ELEMENTS

Flat: Flat characters are minor characters in a work of fiction who do not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. – Also referred to as "two-dimensional

characters" or "static characters," they play a supporting role to the main character.

LITERARY TERMS

Literary allusion: is a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. Casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event.An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion. – Example:

“Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities".

LITERARY TERMS

Simile: is the comparison of two unlike things using like or as. Related to metaphor.

Example:He eats like a pig. Vines like golden prisons.

LITERARY TERMS

Foreshadowing: is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in literature. – Example: Sam wished he could rid himself of

the sick feeling in his gut that told him something terrible was going to happen, and happen soon.

LITERARY TERMS

Paradox: reveals a kind of truth which at first seems contradictory. Two opposing ideas. – "Some day you will be old enough to start

reading fairy tales again."

LITERARY TERMS

Irony: is an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant.Three kinds of irony:

– 1. verbal irony is when an author says one thing and means something else.

– 2. dramatic irony is when an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not know.

– 3. irony of situation is a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results.

LITERARY TERMS

Hyperbole: is exaggeration or overstatement. Opposite of Understatement – Example:

I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.He's as big as a house.

LITERARY TERMS

Onomatopoeia: is a word that imitates the sound it represents. also imitative harmony – Example:

splash, wow, gush, buzz

LITERARY TERMS

Pun: Play on words – Example: A bicycle can't stand alone because it

is two-tired. – Example: She had a boyfriend with a wooden

leg, but broke it off.

LITERARY TERMS

Oxymoron: is putting two contradictory words together. – Examples:

• hot ice

• cold fire

• wise fool

• sad joy

• eloquent silence

LITERARY TERMS

Theme: is the general idea or insight about life that a writer wishes to express. All of the elements of literary terms contribute to theme.

A simple theme can often be stated in a single sentence. – Example:

After reading (this book, poem, essay), I think the author wants me to understand......."

SUMMARIZING

Conflict or Plot: is the struggle found in fiction. Conflict/Plot may be internal or external

It is best seen in:– (1) Man in conflict with another Man– (2) Man in conflict in Nature– (3) Man in conflict with self.

SUMMARIZING

Plot Diagram: