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Literary Terms

Terms used to talk about stories, plays, poems and books.

85 cardsGrades 6–8, Grades 9–12#literary terms#literature

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  • plotTerm
    The series of events in a story
  • settingTerm
    When and where a story takes place
  • characterTerm
    A person, animal or being in a story
  • protagonistTerm
    The main character
  • antagonistTerm
    The character or force that opposes the protagonist
  • conflictTerm
    The struggle between opposing forces in a story
  • themeTerm
    The central message or big idea of a work
  • narratorTerm
    The voice that tells the story
  • point of viewTerm
    The perspective from which a story is told
  • first-personTerm
    The narrator is in the story and uses I
  • third-person limitedTerm
    The narrator tells what one character thinks and feels
  • third-person omniscientTerm
    The narrator knows what all characters think
  • second-personTerm
    The narrator speaks to you
  • expositionTerm
    The part of a story that introduces characters and setting
  • rising actionTerm
    The events that build tension toward the climax
  • climaxTerm
    The turning point or most exciting moment
  • falling actionTerm
    The events after the climax that lead to the end
  • resolutionTerm
    How the conflict is settled
  • dialogueTerm
    The words spoken by characters
  • monologueTerm
    A long speech by one character
  • soliloquyTerm
    A speech in which a character speaks thoughts aloud, alone on stage
  • asideTerm
    A remark made to the audience, unheard by others
  • stage directionsTerm
    Notes in a script about movement and sound
  • actTerm
    A major division of a play
  • sceneTerm
    A smaller division of an act, in one place and time
  • tragedyTerm
    A serious story that ends in disaster for the hero
  • comedyTerm
    A story with a happy ending, usually funny
  • fableTerm
    A short story with animals that teaches a lesson
  • fairy taleTerm
    A story with magic and imaginary beings
  • folktaleTerm
    A story passed down by word of mouth
  • legendTerm
    A story about heroes that may be partly true
  • mythTerm
    A traditional story explaining nature or beliefs
  • fantasyTerm
    A story with magical or impossible elements
  • science fictionTerm
    A story based on imagined science and the future
  • historical fictionTerm
    A made-up story set in a real past time
  • realistic fictionTerm
    A made-up story that could really happen
  • nonfictionTerm
    Writing about real people, events and facts
  • biographyTerm
    The story of a person's life written by someone else
  • autobiographyTerm
    A person's life story written by that person
  • memoirTerm
    A personal account of remembered experiences
  • essayTerm
    A short piece of nonfiction on one topic
  • novelTerm
    A long fictional story
  • novellaTerm
    A fictional story shorter than a novel
  • short storyTerm
    A brief work of fiction
  • genreTerm
    A category of literature
  • anecdoteTerm
    A short true story told to make a point
  • allegoryTerm
    A story where characters and events stand for deeper ideas
  • motifTerm
    A repeated element that supports the theme
  • symbolTerm
    A thing that stands for something else
  • foreshadowingTerm
    Clues about what will happen later
  • flashbackTerm
    A scene set in an earlier time
  • suspenseTerm
    The feeling of wondering what will happen next
  • ironyTerm
    A difference between what is expected and what happens
  • satireTerm
    A work that makes fun of human flaws
  • parodyTerm
    An imitation for comic effect
  • toneTerm
    The author's attitude
  • moodTerm
    The feeling created in the reader
  • voiceTerm
    The writer's unique style
  • dictionTerm
    The author's word choice
  • syntaxTerm
    The way words are arranged in sentences
  • characterizationTerm
    How an author reveals a character
  • direct characterizationTerm
    The author tells you what a character is like
  • indirect characterizationTerm
    The author shows traits through actions and words
  • static characterTerm
    A character who does not change
  • dynamic characterTerm
    A character who changes during the story
  • flat characterTerm
    A character with one or two traits
  • round characterTerm
    A character with many traits
  • foilTerm
    A character who contrasts another to highlight traits
  • stereotypeTerm
    An oversimplified idea of a type of person
  • archetypeTerm
    A typical pattern that appears in many stories
  • epicTerm
    A long poem about a hero's adventures
  • odeTerm
    A poem praising something
  • elegyTerm
    A poem mourning a loss
  • balladTerm
    A poem or song that tells a story
  • cliffhangerTerm
    An ending that leaves the outcome uncertain
  • denouementTerm
    The final part where loose ends are tied up
  • epigraphTerm
    A short quote at the start of a work
  • prologueTerm
    An introduction before the story
  • epilogueTerm
    A closing section after the story
  • inferenceTerm
    A conclusion based on clues and what you know
  • summaryTerm
    A short retelling of the main points
  • paraphraseTerm
    Restating in your own words
  • biasTerm
    A leaning toward one side
  • audienceTerm
    The people a work is meant for
  • purposeTerm
    The author's reason for writing

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