Literary+Terms

Plot - The plot is the organization Introduction - The act of introducing or the state of being introducted. Rising Action - A series of incidents that builds towards the greatest interest. Climax - The turning point in the story Conclusion - The end or close of the story. Setting - Time, Place, Mood Antagonist - A major character who opposes the protagonist. Protagonist - The main character of the story that changes. Round Character - A character whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated. Flat Character - An easily recognized character type in fiction who may not be fully delineated. Dynamic Character - Change in outlook or character during the story. Static Character - Does not change Conflict Types - Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Himself, Man vs. Society Metaphor - A figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something. Personification - T he person or thing embodying a quality or the like. Simile - Using the word like or as. Allusion - A passing or casual reference. Oxymoron - An oxymoron is a type of paradox that combines two terms ordinarily seen as opposites. Euphemism - I s the use of roundabout language to replace colloquial terms that are considered too blunt or unpleasant. Foreshadowing - T o show or indicate beforehand. Point of View - First person, Third person Omniscient - H aving complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, or understanding perceiving all things. Satire - A literary genre comprising such compositions. Symbol - A symbol is a sign representing something other than itself. Theme - A subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition. Irony: T he use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning. a. Dramatic: When the audience or reader knows a fictional character is making a mistake, because the audience has more information than the character. b. Verbal: I s a statement in which the meaning that a speaker employs is sharply different from the meaning that is ostensibly expressed. c. Situational: This is a relatively modern use of the term, and describes a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results when enlivened by perverse appropriateness. Imagery - T he formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things.