Literary Terms and Devices: Understanding Elements of Literature

Literary Terms and Devices

Main Idea Definition: What a piece of writing is mostly about

Summary Definition: gives the main idea and important details of a literary piece

Theme Definition: a central message, idea, or concern that is expressed in a literary piece

Setting Definition: the time and location of the events described in a literary piece

Genre Definition: a classification of literature such as: horror, non- fiction, fiction, drama, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, action and adventure, mystery or comedy

Narrator Definition: the person or creature who is telling the story Example: Katniss from The Hunger Games

Plot Definition: the sequence of events in a literary piece

Exposition Establishes the characters, setting and situation/conflict of a story

Rising Action Builds suspense in the story Protagonist faces antagonist/conflict but fails

Climax The turning point of a story Where the protagonist faces the antagonist/conflict for the final time

Falling Action Shows the final results from the climax Story starts to wrap up

Resolution The ending of the story

Plot Diagram

Character Definition: a person or other creature in a literary piece Example: Katniss Everdeen or Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games.

Conflict Definition: a problem or struggle between a character and a force: Character vs. Character Character vs. Self Character vs. Nature Character vs. Society/Group Character vs. Fate Character vs. Machine

Flashback Definition: a section in a literary piece that interrupts the sequence of events in order to relate an earlier incident or set of events

My Example When was an exciting time in your life?

Foreshadow Definition: An author s use of hints or clues to give a reader an idea of what may happen next in a literary piece Example: A pipe is going to burst, but before is does, the author writes a scene where the family notices a small dark spot on the ceiling but ignores it.

Point of View Definition: The perspective in which a literary piece is told

First Person What are the subject pronouns? I We

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We Characteristics

Characteristics The narrator is someone in the story: usually the main character or someone close to the main character.

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. Characteristics

Second Person What are the subject pronouns? You

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You Characteristics

Characteristics The narrator talks directly to the reader or someone (protagonist). Usually used for instructional use.

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You -The narrator talks directly to the reader -Usually used for instructional use Characteristics

Third Person What are the subject pronouns? He She It They

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You -The narrator talks directly to the reader -Usually used for instructional use He/She/It/They He/She/It/They He/She/It/They Characteristics

Third Person Objective The narrator can only relay to the reader what is seen or heard.

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You -The narrator talks directly to the reader -Usually used for instructional use He/She/It/They He/She/It/They He/She/It/They -The narrator can only relay to the reader what is seen or heard. Characteristics

Third Person Limited The narrator is able to see in the mind of a single character (thoughts and feelings).

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You -The narrator talks directly to the reader -Usually used for instructional use He/She/It/They He/She/It/They He/She/It/They -The narrator can only relay to the reader what is seen or heard. -The narrator can see in a single character s mind: thoughts and feelings. Characteristics

Third Person Omniscient The narrator knows everything: all thoughts, feelings, actions of characters and can be shared with reader.

Your Chart Should Look Like This... Point of View First Person Second Person Third Person Objective Third Person Limited Third Person Omniscient -I/We -Narrator is in the story: usually main character/ someone close to main character. -You -The narrator talks directly to the reader -Usually used for instructional use He/She/It/They He/She/It/They He/She/It/They -The narrator can only relay to the reader what is seen or heard. -The narrator can see in a single character s mind: thoughts and feelings. -The narrator knows everything: thoughts, feelings, characters actions and can share with reader. Characteristics

Tone Definition: the attitude of an author toward the subject that he/she is writing about Example: The old man s face looked so peaceful after death that he seemed like he was in a deep sleep.

Mood Definition: the atmosphere or feeling an author creates within the piece of writing Example: The room was somber as the family members wiped their eyes and bid farewell to Grandfather Len.

Alliteration Definition: two or more words in a row that start with the same sounds Example: Penelope puts pepperoni on her pizza.

Simile Definition: a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as Example: The teacher was as mean as a witch.

Metaphor Definition: a figure of speech that compares two things that are not alike but have something in common without using like or as Example: The classroom was a zoo.

Onomatopoeia Definition: a word or phrase that mimics the sound of an object or action it refers to: animal noises, people noises, or other noises. Example: Moo, Yikes! Or Choo Choo!

Personification Definition: giving human characteristics to non human things (Animals/Objects/Weather) Example: The waffle jumped out of the toaster.

Hyperbole Definition: the use of extreme exaggeration, usually with humor Example: My backpack weighs a ton.

Imagery Definition: the use of vivid description to create a picture in the reader's mind Think: the five senses Example: The fresh and juicy orange is very cold and sweet

Denotation Definition: the dictionary definition of the word; the literal meaning Example: Snake meaning a reptile

Connotation Example: Snake meaning someone that can't be trusted Definition: the extra sense that the word implies

Allusion Example: He's such a Romeo, always around girls! (Romeo and Juliet = Shakespeare) Definition: a reference to a well known work of literature, art, music, etc.

Allusion Instructions Color the beaker, then identify the allusions in the beaker Write down under the flap: Isaac Newton is famous for his Laws of Motion Albert Einstein is a famous Physicist

Oxymoron Definition: the close placement of words having opposite or near opposite meanings in order to create a unique description Example: Clearly confused or pretty ugly