1. Common terms needed to understand literature and writing (PART 1)
Literary Devices
Common terms needed to understand literature and writing
(PART 1)

2. ARCHTYPE
Definition: An original after which other similar things are patterned
iPod= mp3 player Superhero=Superman Villain=Darth Vader
Ex:

3. ATMOSPHERE Definition: The way that setting affects the mood of a work
Ex: a graveyard, a birthday party, a haunted house, a battle field, etc

4. CHARACTERIZATION
Definition: The process used to understand a character
Ex: “He can’t walk down the street without everybody staring at him. When we were ten, he was almost 6 feet tall and people who didn’t know him treated him older.”

5. DYNAMIC CHARACTER
Definition: A character that experiences a change of heart or point of view
Ex: Simba (The Lion King)
Marlin (Finding Nemo)

6. STATIC CHARACTER
Definition: A character that remains the same throughout the plot
Ex: The Evil Stepsisters (Cinderella)
Zeus (Greek Mythology)
Timon and Pumba (Lion King)

7. CONFLICT
Definition: The struggle between two opposing forces (any problem that occurs in a story)
Ex: Internal conflict (man vs. self)
War (man vs. man)
Titanic sinking (man vs. nature)
The Civil Rights Movement (man vs society)
Fulfilling destiny? (man vs. fate)

8. DICTION ANGRY= $10 word! FURIOUS= $50 word!! ENRAGED= $100 word!!!
Definition: The use of selective word choice
Ex: MAD= $5 word
ANGRY= $10 word!
FURIOUS= $50 word!!
ENRAGED= $100 word!!!

9. FORESHADOWING
Definition: Clues that indicate what may happen later in the story
Ex: Intense music in scary movies,
“dark clouds rolling in”
“I hope nothing bad happens!”

10. IMAGERY
Definition: Writing that creates a mental picture for the reader
Ex: When you read a book, you often visualize the characters and scenes. When they make a movie, we are often disappointed because the filmmakers idea is different than ours. This is due to IMAGERY!

11. IRONY
Definition: The contrast between actual meaning and the suggestion of another meaning OR
when something seems to be the opposite of what it is supposed to be
Ex: The inventor of the
Segway dies in Segway accident!

12. METAPHOR Definition: A comparison that does NOT use like or as
Ex: You are an angel!
That test was torture!

13. MORAL Definition: A universal lesson taught by a story
Ex: “ Don’t judge a book by its cover”
“ Slow and steady wins the race”
“ “Better safe than sorry”

14. OXYMORON Definition: a phrase that combines words that are opposites
Ex: Jumbo Shrimp
Quiet Riot Loud Silence

15. PERSONIFICATION
Definition: A figure of speech that gives human characteristics to non-living (inanimate) objects
Ex: “My car hates me.”
“ Facebook is my best friend.”

16. PLOT Definition: The events that take place in a story
(a.k.a.-what happens!)
Ex: Nemo gets captured, Nemo lives in the tank, Nemo escapes, Nemo goes home!

17. POINT OF VIEW Definition: The perspective from which a story is told
Ex: In any conflict there are many different points of view

18. FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW
Definition: A story that is told by a character using 1st person pronouns like: I, ME, MY
Ex: I couldn't believe my eyes!

19. THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW
Definition: A story that is told by a narrator outside the story
Ex: Joseph couldn't believe his eyes!

20. SETTING Ex: Freedom Writers Setting, 1990’s Los Angeles post-LA Riots
Definition: The place, time and circumstances surrounding a story
Ex:
Freedom Writers
Setting,
1990’s Los Angeles
post-LA Riots

21. SIMILE Definition: A comparison that uses like or as
Ex: You sing like a bird!
You are as light as a feather!

22. SYMBOL
Definition: a person, object or place that represents the meaning of something else
Ex:

23. THEME
Definition: A message the author wants the reader to think about and understand
Ex: Coming of Age, Identity,
Love Conquers All