Literary Terms

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:

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

plot line: Resolution

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

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.

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)

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

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

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

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 9-11 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!!!

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.

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

irony: a contrast between expectation and reality

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

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.