Java Games: Flashcards, matching, concentration, and word search.

60 Scintillating Literary Terms

Practice the vocabulary

AB
Point of viewthe vantage point from which a narrative is told----Can be mixed
1st personthe author tells the story through a character who refers to himself as “I”
2nd personhe narrator addresses a “you”
3rd personthe narrator is not a character, referring to the characters as “he/she”
Omniscient point of viewthird person narrator with unlimited knowledge
Third-person limited point of viewthird person but from the viewpoint of one character
Objective or Dramatic point of viewthe third person narrator cannot comment, interpret, or enter a character’s mind
Characterfigure in a literary work
Foil charactera character who highlights traits in the main character by contrasting them
Flat characterUsually has one or two predominant traits
Indirect characterizationthe author shows us the character through action and dialogue
Direct characterizationthe author directly tells us about the character or has another character describe him
Round charactercomplex characters with the three-dimensional qualities of real people
Dynamic characterundergoes some distinct change of personality, character, or outlook after an epiphany
Static characterremains essentially the same person from beginning to end
Stock charactera special kind of flat character, a recurring stereotype in a culture (mad scientist)
ArchetypeCharacters, images, settings, and story patterns that exist universally (the savior, the snake, the flood, the coming of age story)
Ambiguitythe meaning cannot be definitely determined (Is the ghost there or is he crazy?)
Adverbspart of speech (often ending in –ly) that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb
Tonethe attitude of the author toward the reader or the subject matter of a literary work
Mood/Atmospherethe general feeling created for the reader by the work at a given point
Ironya contradiction or incongruity between appearance and reality
Sarcasmand exaggerated form of verbal or rhetorical irony when one thing is said but another is meant (tends toward ridicule)
Settingthe time, place, circumstances of the narrative
Dialoguediscourse between two or more characters
Symbolstand for themselves and something else
Allegoryan abstract idea is relayed through symbolism in a narrative, giving it both concrete and abstract meanings (Christian encounters Mr. Worldly Wiseman; Characters named Dream, Desire, Destiny in Sandman)
Plotthe arrangement and interrelation of events in a narrative work
Climaxthe point of highest emotional intensity in a work, when the conflict reaches its greatest height
Crisisthe turning point in the action occurs
Themethe unifying generalization about life stated or implied by the story
Dictionthe use of particular words working together to create a particular effect
Connotationassociations evoked by a word beyond its literal (or denotative) meaning
Syntaxthe order and arrangement of words in phrases, clauses, or sentences
Imagerydescription that appeals to any of the five senses
Figurative languageUnusual use of language that goes beyond the literal meaning, including metaphor, simile, personification, etc.
Metaphorthe association of two distinct things by representing one with the other
Similecompare two distinct things by using words such as “like” or “as”
Personificationhuman characteristics are given to a non-human
Allusionan indirect reference to a person, event, statement, or theme found in literature, other arts, history, myths, religion, or popular culture
Motifany recurrent image, symbol, theme, character type, subject, or narrative detail that serves as a unifying element in an artistic work
Foreshadowa hint about what will happen later in the plot
Suspensethe quality of a work that makes the outcome of a work tense and/or uncertain
Antagoniststands in the way of the protagonist getting what he/she/it wants
Protagonistthe most important or leading character in a text
External conflicta clash between a character and a force outside of him/herself
Internal conflictthe inner division or turmoil of a single character
Genrethe classification of literary works on the basis of their content, form, or technique
Proseordinary written expression (non poetic)
Hyperboleoverstatement; deliberate exaggeration
Satirea literary genre that uses irony, wit, and sometimes sarcasm to expose humanity’s vices and foibles
Juxtapositionthe arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, actions, settings, phrases, or words side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, rhetorical effect, suspense, or character development
Oxymorona statement with two parts which seem contradictory
Euphemismsubstitution of an agreeable or at least non-offensive expression for one whose plainer meaning might be harsh or unpleasant
Paradoxa statement that seems self-contradictory or nonsensical on the surface but that, upon closer examination, may express an underlying truth
Anaphoraa word or group of words is repeated at the beginning of two or more successive clauses or sentences
Epistrophea word or group of words is repeated at the end of two or more successive clauses or sentences
Polysyndetonusing several conjunctions in close succession where they are not needed
Asyndetonwriter purposefully omits conjunctions to achieve a specific effect
Tropecommonly recurring literary device (motifs, themes, images, etc.)



This activity was created by a Quia Web subscriber.
Learn more about Quia
Create your own activities