Literary TermsLiterary Terms

DramaDrama

A Drama is a PLAY. A TRAGEDY is a serious work in

which the main character (tragic hero) experiences defeat

(EX: Julius Caesar)

A Drama is a PLAY. A TRAGEDY is a serious work in

which the main character (tragic hero) experiences defeat

(EX: Julius Caesar)

Foreshadowing: Clues or hints about future events.

EX: When you hear intense music during a scary movie and know something bad is about to happen.

Foreshadowing: Clues or hints about future events.

EX: When you hear intense music during a scary movie and know something bad is about to happen.

Soliloquy: Speech to oneself revealing innermost thoughts.

Setting: Time and place the story occurs (EX: Rome, 44BC)

Repetition: Frequent repeating of words or sounds.

Soliloquy: Speech to oneself revealing innermost thoughts.

Setting: Time and place the story occurs (EX: Rome, 44BC)

Repetition: Frequent repeating of words or sounds.

Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.

EX: The sun danced across her face. Onomatopoeia: Words look the way

they sound. EX: Buzz, snap, crackle, pop.

Personification: Attributing human characteristics to non-human things.

EX: The sun danced across her face. Onomatopoeia: Words look the way

they sound. EX: Buzz, snap, crackle, pop.

SIMILE: Comparison of 2 unlike things using LIKE or AS. She is sweet as candy.

SIMILE: Comparison of 2 unlike things using LIKE or AS. She is sweet as candy.

METAPHOR: Direct comparison of 2 unlike things. -I am a pig.

Aside: words are heard by the audience but not others in the play.

Act: Subdivision of a play Scene: Acts are further subdivided

into these.

Aside: words are heard by the audience but not others in the play.

Act: Subdivision of a play Scene: Acts are further subdivided

into these.

POETRYPOETRY Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration Example: I’m about to explode. Iambic Pentameter:

IAMB: Stressed syllable followed by unstressed syllable (2 syllables-DaDUM)

PENTAMETER: 5 IAMBS on one line of poetry.

Altogether, Iambic Pentameter is 10 syllables.

DaDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUM

Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration Example: I’m about to explode. Iambic Pentameter:

IAMB: Stressed syllable followed by unstressed syllable (2 syllables-DaDUM)

PENTAMETER: 5 IAMBS on one line of poetry.

Altogether, Iambic Pentameter is 10 syllables.

DaDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUMdaDUM

Free Verse: reads like a paragraph; no set line length.

Fixed Verse: Fixed line length, reads like a song.

Free Verse: reads like a paragraph; no set line length.

Fixed Verse: Fixed line length, reads like a song.

TYPES of PoemsTYPES of Poems Elegy: Mournful lament for the dead. Ballad: Tells a story, has plot and

characters and dialogue Dramatic Monologue: One person’s

speech to an implied audience. Extended Metaphor: Comparison

between 2 things that extends over an entire poem.

Elegy: Mournful lament for the dead. Ballad: Tells a story, has plot and

characters and dialogue Dramatic Monologue: One person’s

speech to an implied audience. Extended Metaphor: Comparison

between 2 things that extends over an entire poem.

Sound DevicesSound Devices Alliteration: Same sounds at the

beginning of words in a line of poetry. Ex: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled

Peppers. Assonance: Same vowel sounds in the

middle of words in a line. Ex: White Stripes.

Consonance: Same consonant sounds at the end of words. Ex: Stroke of luck

Alliteration: Same sounds at the beginning of words in a line of poetry. Ex: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled

Peppers. Assonance: Same vowel sounds in the

middle of words in a line. Ex: White Stripes.

Consonance: Same consonant sounds at the end of words. Ex: Stroke of luck

SymbolismSymbolism

A person, place, or thing that stands for something else. Ex: The American flag, a donkey

stands for democrat, an elephant stands for republican, a heart stands for love, etc.

A person, place, or thing that stands for something else. Ex: The American flag, a donkey

stands for democrat, an elephant stands for republican, a heart stands for love, etc.

FICTION: FALSE!FICTION: FALSE!

Internal Conflict: Character struggles within himself.

External Conflict: Character struggles with outside forces.

Internal Conflict: Character struggles within himself.

External Conflict: Character struggles with outside forces.

Types of Conflict (Examples)Types of Conflict (Examples)

Character vs. Character: 2 people fighting

Character vs. Self: Making a tough decision

Character vs. Society: Peer pressure Character vs. Nature: Getting swept up

by a tornado.

Character vs. Character: 2 people fighting

Character vs. Self: Making a tough decision

Character vs. Society: Peer pressure Character vs. Nature: Getting swept up

by a tornado.

IRONYIRONY Dramatic Irony: When we know something

that the character doesn’t know. EX: We knew the conspirators were going to kill Caesar, but he didn’t know.

Verbal Irony: When the character says one thing but means another.

Situational Irony: When we expect one thing but something else happens. EX: Elie didn’t expect the hospital patients to be liberated.

Dramatic Irony: When we know something that the character doesn’t know. EX: We knew the conspirators were going to kill Caesar, but he didn’t know.

Verbal Irony: When the character says one thing but means another.

Situational Irony: When we expect one thing but something else happens. EX: Elie didn’t expect the hospital patients to be liberated.

PLOTPLOT

Exposition: Intro info Rising Action Climax: TURNING POINT IN THE

STORY Falling Action Resolution: Conclusion

Exposition: Intro info Rising Action Climax: TURNING POINT IN THE

STORY Falling Action Resolution: Conclusion

Static Character: STAYS THE SAME throughout the story (Ex: Cassius)

Dynamic Character: CHANGES AS A RESULT of the story (Ex: Brutus)

Static Character: STAYS THE SAME throughout the story (Ex: Cassius)

Dynamic Character: CHANGES AS A RESULT of the story (Ex: Brutus)

Protagonist: Main Character in the story

Antagonist: Anyone/thing that opposes the protagonist.

Protagonist: Main Character in the story

Antagonist: Anyone/thing that opposes the protagonist.

POINT OF VIEWPOINT OF VIEW Objective: Narrator tells only facts Subjective: Narrator is biased, tells the story

with emotion and opinions. 1st person: Narrator is IN the action (uses I,

we, me) 3rd limited: Narrator is outside of the action

and only follows ONE character. (he, she, they)

3rd omniscient: Narrator is outside of the action and knows ALL about every character.

Objective: Narrator tells only facts Subjective: Narrator is biased, tells the story

with emotion and opinions. 1st person: Narrator is IN the action (uses I,

we, me) 3rd limited: Narrator is outside of the action

and only follows ONE character. (he, she, they)

3rd omniscient: Narrator is outside of the action and knows ALL about every character.

Allusion: Reference to something famous (bible, place, person, etc.)

Theme: Lesson/message that they story is centered around

Tone: Way the AUTHOR FEELS about his subject.

Mood: Way the author makes the READER feel.

Allusion: Reference to something famous (bible, place, person, etc.)

Theme: Lesson/message that they story is centered around

Tone: Way the AUTHOR FEELS about his subject.

Mood: Way the author makes the READER feel.

WritingWriting

Claim: Thesis Evidence: REASONS Warrant: WHY your evidence/reasons

are RELEVANT or important. Counterclaim: Someone else’s

argument against you. Rebuttal: Your proof/final argument that

proves the other person wrong.

Claim: Thesis Evidence: REASONS Warrant: WHY your evidence/reasons

are RELEVANT or important. Counterclaim: Someone else’s

argument against you. Rebuttal: Your proof/final argument that

proves the other person wrong.

Nonfiction: REAL!Nonfiction: REAL! Biography: an account of someone’s life

written by someone else Autobiography: an account of a

person’s life written by that person Memoir: an autobiography written about

a certain event or MEMORY. Vignette: a short excerpt or episode (a

series is put together to form a story).

Biography: an account of someone’s life written by someone else

Autobiography: an account of a person’s life written by that person

Memoir: an autobiography written about a certain event or MEMORY.

Vignette: a short excerpt or episode (a series is put together to form a story).