Literary TermsLiterary TermsWe will be using these literary terms We will be using these literary terms

throughout the school year. throughout the school year.

There WILL be literary terms used There WILL be literary terms used on your FINAL EXAMS in May!!on your FINAL EXAMS in May!!

You need to keep up with your You need to keep up with your notes. Don’t lose your terms! notes. Don’t lose your terms!

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

Character Character AntagonistAntagonist ProtagonistProtagonist

ImageryImagery MoodMood Plot Plot

ExpositionExposition Rising ActionRising Action ClimaxClimax

Falling ActionFalling Action ResolutionResolution ConflictConflict

FlashbackFlashback ForeshadowingForeshadowing SuspenseSuspense

Point of ViewPoint of View SettingSetting IronyIrony

ThemeTheme Figures of SpeechFigures of Speech

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

•Can you name some Can you name some famous Protagonists that famous Protagonists that are found in literature?are found in literature?

ImageryImageryImageryImagery is words or phrases is words or phrases

that appeal to one or more that appeal to one or more of the five senses. Writers of the five senses. Writers

use imagery to describe how use imagery to describe how their subjects look, sound, their subjects look, sound,

feel, taste, and smell.feel, taste, and smell.

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

created in the reader by a literary created in the reader by a literary work or passage. Writer’s use work or passage. Writer’s use many devices to create mood, many devices to create mood,

including images, dialogue, including images, dialogue, setting, and plot. Often, a writer setting, and plot. Often, a writer creates a mood at the beginning creates a mood at the beginning of a work and then sustains the of a work and then sustains the mood throughout. Sometimes, mood throughout. Sometimes, however, the mood of the work however, the mood of the work

changes dramatically.changes dramatically.

PlotPlotPlot is the sequence of events. The first event Plot is the sequence of events. The first event

causes the second, the second causes the causes the second, the second causes the third, and so forth. third, and so forth.

In most novels, dramas, short stories, and In most novels, dramas, short stories, and narrative poems, the plot involves both narrative poems, the plot involves both characters and a central conflict. characters and a central conflict.

The plot usually begins with an exposition that The plot usually begins with an exposition that introduces the setting, the characters, and 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 until developed. The conflict then increases until it reaches a high point of interest or it reaches a high point of interest or suspense, the climax. The climax is followed suspense, the climax. The climax is followed by the falling action, or end, of the central by the falling action, or end, of the central conflict. Any events that occur during the conflict. Any events that occur during the falling action make up the resolution.falling action make up the resolution.

PLOTLINEPLOTLINE

ExpositionResolution

Ris

ing A

ctio

n

Climax

Falling Action

Conflict Introduced

ExpositionExpositionThe Exposition is the The Exposition is the introduction. It is the part introduction. It is the part of the work that of the work that introduces the characters, introduces the characters, setting, and basic setting, and basic situation.situation.

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 a literary device in A flashback is a literary device in

which an earlier episode, which an earlier episode, conversation, or event is conversation, or event is inserted into the sequence of inserted into the sequence of events. Often flashbacks are events. Often flashbacks are presented as a memory of the presented as a memory of the narrator or of another character.narrator or of another character.

The movie The movie TitanicTitanic is told almost is told almost entirely in a flashback. entirely in a flashback.

What are some other films that contain What are some other films that contain flashback to help tell stories?flashback to help tell stories?

HolesHoles

Willy WonkaWilly Wonka

Think of some more…Think of some more…

Flashback continued…

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. Writers use later in the story. Writers use foreshadowing to build their readers’ foreshadowing to build their readers’ expectations and to create suspense. expectations and to create suspense. This is used to help readers prepare This is used to help readers prepare for what is to come.for what is to come.

Can you think of Can you think of an element of an element of

foreshadowing?foreshadowing?

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. It is a feeling of work of literature. It is a feeling of anxious uncertainty about the anxious uncertainty about the outcome of events. Writers create outcome of events. Writers create suspense by raising questions in the suspense by raising questions in the minds of their readers.minds of their readers.

Point of ViewPoint of View

Point of View is the perspective, or Point of View 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-person is told by a character who First-person is told by a character who uses the first-person pronoun “I”.uses the first-person pronoun “I”.

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

SettingSettingThe setting of a literary work is the time and The setting of a literary work is the time and

place of the action. place of the action. The setting includes all the details of a place The setting includes all the details of a place

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

Details such as dialect, clothing, customs, and Details such as dialect, clothing, customs, and modes of transportation are often used to modes of transportation are often used to establish setting. establish setting.

In most stories, the setting serves as a In most stories, the setting serves as a backdrop – a context in which the backdrop – a context in which the characters interact. The setting of a story characters interact. The setting of a story often helps to create a particular mood, or often helps to create a particular mood, or feeling.feeling.

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 a can usually be expressed as a generalization, or general statement, about generalization, or general statement, about people or life. The theme may be stated people or life. The theme may be stated directly by the writer although it is more directly by the writer although it is more often presented indirectly. When the often presented indirectly. When the theme is stated indirectly, the reader must theme is stated indirectly, the reader must figure out the theme by looking carefully at figure out the theme by looking carefully at what the work reveals about the people or what the work reveals about the people or about life.about life.

Figures of SpeechFigures of Speech

A figure of speech is a specific device or kind A figure of speech is a specific device or kind of figurative language, such as hyperbole, of figurative language, such as hyperbole, metaphor, personification, simile, or metaphor, personification, simile, or understatement.understatement.

Figurative language is used for descriptive Figurative language is used for descriptive effect, often to imply ideas indirectly. It is effect, often to imply ideas indirectly. It is not meant to be taken literally. Figurative not meant to be taken literally. Figurative language is used to state ideas in vivid language is used to state ideas in vivid and imaginative ways.and imaginative ways.

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.