1. LITERARY TERMS
A REVIEW OF TERMS WE WILL EXAMINE AS WE READ FICTION AND LITERARY NON-FICTION

2. THEME
a central message or insight into life
the “big idea”

3. GENRE
a type of literature (fiction, non-fiction,
poetry, drama, etc.)

4. the sequence of events of a story
PLOT
the sequence of events of a story
(what happens)

5. explanation of background, setting, and characters
EXPOSITION
explanation of background, setting, and characters

6. not always human (remember “Wall-E”?)
CHARACTER
a person in a story
not always human (remember “Wall-E”?)

7. PROTAGONIST the main character
The person dealing with the problem in the story

8. a character who works AGAINST the protagonist
ANTAGONIST
a character who works AGAINST the protagonist

9. time and place where the story takes place
SETTING
time and place where the story takes place

10. the “problem” that the protagonist must solve (or not)
CONFLICT
the “problem” that the protagonist must solve (or not)

11. EXTERNAL CONFLICT
the problem comes from outside the protagonist (man vs man, man vs nature, Batman vs Joker)

12. the problem occurs inside a character’s mind; a decision must be made
INTERNAL CONFLICT
the problem occurs inside a character’s mind; a decision must be made

13. steps the protagonist takes to deal with the conflict
RISING ACTION
steps the protagonist takes to deal with the conflict

14. CLIMAX
the “high point” of the story; the point where the problem/conflict is solved

15. FALLING ACTION
events between the climax and the end of the story; what happens after the problem is solved

16. RESOLUTION/DENOUMENT
The end of the story; what the reader is left with

17. the viewpoint of the narrator (whoever is telling the story)
POINT-OF-VIEW
the viewpoint of the narrator (whoever is telling the story)

18. FIRST-PERSON POINT-OF-VIEW
The narrator is a character in the story (“I saw this; I did this; she did that to me.”)

19. THIRD-PERSON POINT-OF-VIEW
The narrator is not a character in the story. (He did this; she did that; this happened to them.)

20. MOOD
the feeling the story gives to the READER. If the story cheers you up, it has a light, or happy mood. If the story is a downer, it has a dark mood.

21. the attitude of the narrator/author
TONE
the attitude of the narrator/author

22. a direct comparison using “like” or “as” (like a diamond in the sky)
SIMILE
a direct comparison using “like” or “as” (like a diamond in the sky)

23. METAPHOR
a comparison that does NOT use “like” or “as” (the stars were diamonds in the sky)

24. PERSONIFICATON
Gives human characteristics to non-human things/ideas (the wind whispered a lullaby)

25. ALLUSION
reference to another piece of literature or historical event

26. HYPERBOLE
a gross exaggeration used for effect (the baseball player hit that ball a mile!)

27. IRONY
A contrast between appearance and reality—usually one in which reality is the opposite of what it seems

28. SITUATIONAL IRONY
Where things turn out differently than what the reader is lead to expect

29. Where the reader knows something a character does not
DRAMATIC IRONY
Where the reader knows something a character does not

30. Where someone knowingly says one thing and really means another
VERBAL IRONY
Where someone knowingly says one thing and really means another
Sarcasm is a good example of this, but is not the only one