1. Literary Terms

2. Types of Literature: prose: • the ordinary form of spoken or
written language
• writing that is not poetry
poetry: rhythmic, compressed language
written to appeal to emotion and
imagination
drama: a story written to be acted for an
audience
Example: 
Example:

3. plot: the series of related events that make up a story

4. plot line:
Resolution

5. Elements of the Plot:
exposition: the beginning of the story that tells who the characters are and what the conflict is
Continued
Example:

6. Elements of the Plot (Continued)
rising action: the part of the story in
which various problems arise as the
characters try to resolve the conflict. The
tension of the story builds. Our textbook
calls rising action complications.
climax: the critical point in a story when
the outcome is decided one way or
another
Continued
Example: RTT washed away by flood; RTT meets Nag and Nagaina in garden
Example: RTT chases Nagaina down the hole and kills her and crushes the egg.

7. Elements of the Plot (Continued)
falling action: events that follow the
climax that contain action or dialogue
needed to lead to the resolution. The
tension decreases.
resolution: the characters’ problems are
solved and the story ends. The conflict is
resolved.
Example: Coppersmith bird sings to let all garden animals know Nagaina is dead!!!!
Example: Victor is going to help Teresa with French (he gets books from library)

8. setting: the time and place the events of a work of literature take place

9. character: a person or animal who takes part in the action of a story, play, or other literary work
Example: In “Hum”, Sami Salsaa, Tum Tum, Hugh Mason

10. to think about characters:
A couple of ways
to think about characters:
protagonist: the main character in a work
of literature. The author focuses the most
attention on the protagonist’s problems.
antagonist: a person or thing that fights
against the main character; the bad
character or force
Example: 1. “7th Grade”, Victor is the main character, he has the most conflicts (crush)
“Hum” 2. Sami faces conflicts of friendship, fitting in etc…
Example: “Hum” other students bully/antagonize Sami –AND the terrorist are other antagonists

11. More ways to think about characters:
dynamic character: a character who
changes as a result of the story’s events
static character: a character who does
not change much in the story
Example: “Hum” – Sami changed after b/c then he had to work hard to create friendships (Dialogue Club, Hugh)
Example: “Hum” - Hugh, Tum Tum never change from the beginning to the end of the story

12. conflict: a struggle or clash between opposing characters or forces
Example: “7th Grade” – Victor had a crush on Teresa and she didn’t know it

13. external conflict: a struggle with some outside force
Types of Conflicts:
external conflict: a struggle with some
outside force
Example: “Hum” – Sami was bullied by other students
Person vs. society
Person vs. person
Example: Nag vs. garden animals
Example: RTT vs. Nag
Person vs. nature
Person vs. the supernatural

14. internal conflict: a struggle within a
Types of Conflicts:
internal conflict: a struggle within a
character’s mind. The character has a
problem deciding what to do or think.
Example: “Hum” – the parents struggle after 9-11 b/c life in America is turning out to be difficult

15. theme: the truth about life revealed in a work of literature
The theme is not the same as the subject
of a story.
A theme must be written as a sentence.
A story can have more than one theme,
but one will often stand out over another.
Example: “Hum” – Friendship is born out of acceptance

16. for something beyond itself
symbol: a person, place, thing, or event that has its own meaning and stands
for something beyond itself
Example: RTT’s red eyes = anger

17. flashback: an interruption in the action
of a story to tell what happened
at an earlier time
Example: In RTT, we learn that he was only fed dead snakes, never actually fought any

18. foreshadowing: using clues to suggest events that will happen later in the plot
Example: 3SK – when we learn about the 3 convicts that previously died on the island

19. suspense: the uncertainty or anxiety you
feel about what will happen next in a story
Example:

20. The person telling the story
Narrator
The person telling the story
Example:
Point of view
Position from which the story is told or vantage point
Example:

21. There are different types of Point of View…..
First person point of view
One of the characters tells the story. The pronoun “I” is used. You really get to know that one character well, but then again you only know their side.
Example: Personal Narrative and 3SK
Third person omniscient point of view
The all-knowing narrator tells the story. The narrator is not actually in the story, but sees it all…like a god.
Third person limited point of view
Narrator focuses on the thoughts/feelings of one character. You see the action through the eyes/feelings of one character in the story.
Example: RTT
Example: Personal Narrative, 7th Grade

22. Indirect characterization
The process of revealing the character through description…how they feel, act, think, look like etc..
Indirect characterization
We find out about characters indirectly through thoughts, comments, or actions of the characters.
Example: RTT, was brave for chasing Nagiania
Direct characterization
The narrator or a character in the story tells us what we need to know about a character.
Example: Personal Narrative and Hum = Hugh was blind

23. Mood:
Overall emotion created by the passage (sad, scary, hopeful etc.)
Ex) RTT: anxiety, anger
3SK : suspenseful, creepy
Imagery
Using words that appeal to the senses
Ex) 3SK: wailing rats, pouring of rats

24. Figurative language
There are two basic purposes for studying Figurative Language:
To help you recognize the greatness of a writer’s talent as you read
To teach you how to use those same skills to improve your writing.
Figurative language creates IMAGERY in your mind as you read!

25. Simile
comparison in which one thing is compared to another unlike thing by using specific words of comparison like like, as
EX) 3SK: the rats were hanging like fruit from a tree
Metaphor
Comparing two unlike things. Sometimes a metaphor is a whole poem or paragraph.
EX) the weather was a warm blanket

26. Personification
speaking of something that is not human as if it had human abilities and human reactions
EX) the sun was smiling
Dialect
Way of speaking that is characteristic of a particular region/group of people
Ex) southern twang

27. repetition of a single letter in the alphabet
Alliteration
repetition of a single letter in the alphabet
EX) The Kindness Campaign kicked off on Monday.
Hyperbole
great exaggeration used to emphasize a point, and is used for expressive or comic effect
EX) I have told you a million times!!!

28. Onomatopoeia
Single word that sounds like the thing it refers to
EX) The crackling crunch of the paper. The hiss of the snake. Bang. Boom. Achoo.
Idiom
Groups of words whose meaning is different from the ordinary meaning of the words.
EX) That sound drives me up a wall.

29. 6. genre: a category of art with a distinctive style or form

30. irony: a contrast between expectation and reality

32. motivation: any force that drives or
moves a character to behave a particular
way. What does the character want or
need?
Physical needs: air, food, water, sleep, shelter
Safety needs: personal safety, safety of significant others, living in a safe environment, ability to get need resources—could include employment
Love/Belonging: friendship, family relationships, romantic relationship
Esteem: self-respect, confidence, achievement, recognition, respect of others, respect for others
Self-actualization: creativity, pursuit of one’s potential, self-acceptance

33. Poetry:
Assonance- The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words.
Rhyme- Correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry.
Repetition- Repeating a word, phrase, stanza, or effect in literature.