LITERARY

ELEMENTS

WHEN AND WHERE A STORY TAKES PLACE

SETTING

THE SEQUENCE OF RELATED EVENTS THAT MAKE UP A

STORY

PLOT

BASIC SITUATION (EXPOSITION) CONFLICTS (COMPLICATIONS)

CLIMAX RESOLUTION

THE PLOT OF A

STORY CONSISTS OF

4 PARTS:

PRESENTS THE MAIN CHARACTER AND HINTS OF

UPCOMING CONFLICT

BASIC SITUATION (EXPOSITION)

EVENTS IN THE STORY THAT CAUSE PROBLEMS OR

CONFLICT-- INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL

STRUGGLES INVOLVING THE MAIN CHARACTER

CONFLICTS

(COMPLICATIONS)

TYPES OF CONFLICT

EXTERNAL CONFLICT WHEN A CHARACTER STRUGGLES

WITH AN OUTSIDE FORCE

INTERNAL CONFLICT WHEN A CHARACTER STRUGGLES

WITH HIM OR HERSELF

THE HIGH POINT OF THE PLOT—IT USUALLY DECIDES

THE OUTCOME OF THE STORY

CLIMAX

THE LAST PART OF THE PLOT—IT IS WHEN THE

PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED AND THE STORY ENDS

RESOLUTION

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER PROLOGUE EPILOGUE FLASHBACK

FLASH-FORWARD FORESHADOWING

SUSPENSE

TIMING OF EVENTS

IN THE PLOT

CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

THE ORDER IN WHICH EVENTS OCCUR IN THE STORY

FLASHBACK

AN EPISODE FROM THE PAST THAT SOMETIMES

INTERRUPTS THE PLOT

FLASH-FORWARD

AN EPISODE FROM THE FUTURE THAT SOMETIMES

INTERRUPTS THE PLOT

PROLOGUE

AN EVENT(S) THAT IS PRESENTED BEFORE THE

BEGINNING OF THE STORY—IT CAN BE A FLASHBACK OR A

FLASH-FORWARD

EPILOGUE

AN EVENT(S) THAT IS PRESENTED AFTER THE END OF A STORY—IT IS USUALLY

A FLASH-FORWARD

FORESHADOWING

PRESENTING HINTS OR CLUES AS TO WHAT MAY HAPPEN

LATER IN THE STORY

SUSPENSE

THE ANTICIPATION, EXCITEMENT, OR ANXIETY

RELATING TO THE OUTCOME OF A STORY

RELATED TERMS

PREDICTION A TYPE OF INFERENCE; A GUESS

BASED ON EVIDENCE

INFERENCE A CONCLUSION OR OPINION

BASED ON FACTS OR EVIDENCE

PROTAGONIST THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A

LITERARY WORK (A DRAMA OR STORY)

THE HERO OR HEROINE (SHERO)

ANTAGONIST

A CHARACTER OR FORCE IN A STORY THAT CONTENDS

WITH OR OPPOSES THE MAIN CHARACTER, CAUSING

CONFLICT(S)

POINT OF VIEW

THE VANTAGE POINT FROM WHICH A WRITER TELLS A

STORY

FIRST PERSON

POINT OF VIEW

WHEN A CHARACTER IS TELLING THE STORY—IT IS USUALLY TOLD BY THE MAIN

CHARACTER

THIRD PERSON

POINT OF VIEW

WHEN THE AUTHOR TELLS THE STORY—HE OR SHE CAN SEE THE “WHOLE PICTURE,” NOT JUST WHAT THE MAIN

CHARACTER SEES

CHARACTER

A PERSON OR PERSONALITY IN A STORY, DRAMA, POEM,

OR NOVEL.

CHARACTER TRAITS

WORDS THAT CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE A CHARACTER’S APPEARANCE OR PERSONALITY

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED:

THE CHARACTER’S SPEECH

1ST PERSON NARRATION

THE MAIN CHARACTER TELLS ABOUT HIM OR HERSELF OR

OTHER CHARACTERS AS HE OR SHE TELLS THE STORY

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED:

THE CHARACTER’S SPEECH

DIALOGUE

CHARACTERS IN THE STORY REVEAL THINGS ABOUT

THEMSELVES AS THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER IN THE STORY

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED:

THE CHARACTER’S SPEECH

MONOLOGUE

A CHARACTER IS ALONE AND IS TALKING TO THE

AUDIENCE OR READER

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED:

THE CHARACTER’S SPEECH

SOLILOQUY

A CHARACTER IS ALONE AND IS TALKING TO HIM OR

HERSELF—USUALLY USED IN A PLAY

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED

THE CHARACTER’S APPEARANCE

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED

THE CHARACTER’S ACTIONS

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED

THE CHARACTER’S THOUGHTS

(SOMETIMES REVEALED IN A SOLILOQUY)

WAYS THAT CHARACTERS ARE DESCRIBED

HOW OTHER CHARACTERS FEEL ABOUT OR ACT

AROUND THIS CHARACTER OR WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT

HIM OR HER

TYPES OF CHARACTERIZATION

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

WHEN THE AUTHOR TELLS THE READER DIRECTLY ABOUT THE

CHARACTER(S)

TYPES OF CHARACTERIZATION

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

WHEN THE AUTHOR TELLS THE READER INDIRECTLY ABOUT THE

CHARACTER(S)—THE READER MAKES HIS OR HER OWN JUDGMENTS ABOUT

THE CHARACTER(S)

FLAT VS. ROUND

CHARACTERS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVlyIvLg3Q

MOTIVATION

THE CAUSES OR REASONS FOR A CHARACTER’S BEHAVIOR IN

A STORY

IRONY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE EXPECT OR WHAT

SEEMS SUITABLE OR APPROPRIATE AND WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN A

STORY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY

IRONY THERE ARE 3 TYPES OF IRONY:

VERBAL IRONY

SITUATIONAL IRONY

DRAMATIC IRONY

TYPES OF IRONY

VERBAL IRONY

WHEN SOMEONE SAYS ONE THING BUT MEANS THE

OPPOSITE EX. SARCASM, DRY HUMOR

TYPES OF IRONY

TYPES OF IRONY

TYPES OF IRONY

TYPES OF IRONY

TYPES OF IRONY

SITUATIONAL IRONY

WHEN AN EVENT OCCURS THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF OR DIFFERENT FROM WHAT

WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN

TYPES OF IRONY

SITUATIONAL IRONY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=VigLgJEFP8w

TYPES OF IRONY

DRAMATIC IRONY

WHEN WE KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO A CHARACTER BUT THE CHARACTER DOES NOT

KNOW

TYPES OF IRONY

DRAMATIC IRONY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGikxIaOuNQ

SATIRE WRITING THAT RIDICULES THE SHORTCOMINGS OF PEOPLE OR

INSTITUTIONS IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING ABOUT A CHANGE—OFTEN USES

EXAGGERATION OR HUMOR TO INVITE LAUGHTER AT SOMEONE’S EXPENSE.

EXS. OF SHORTCOMINGS—GREED, INJUSTICE, CRUELTY,

STUPIDITY, DECEIT, ETC.

SATIRE

SATIRE

SATIRE

SATIRE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M-

KlV5cPUo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE3kXUg8JmI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wD97oyHzu0

AMBIGUITY

WHEN THE AUTHOR OFFERS SEVERAL CONFLICTING

MEANINGS AND LEAVES THE READER TO SORT THEM OUT

THEME

THE CENTRAL IDEA OF A STORY (ALSO CALLED MOTIF)

UNIVERSAL THEME IDEAS ABOUT LIFE THAT

OCCUR OFTEN IN LITERATURE—THEY USUALLY DEAL WITH BASIC HUMAN

NATURE OR CONCERNS

EX. GOOD VS. EVIL LIFE OR DEATH

LOVE BETRAYAL

ALLEGORY

A STORY IN WHICH CHARACTERS, SETTINGS, AND

ACTIONS STAND FOR (SYMBOLIZE) SOMETHING

BEYOND THEMSELVES

SYMBOL AN ORDINARY OBJECT, PERSON, OR ANIMAL TO WHICH WE ATTACH A

MEANING

EX. EAGLE=BRAVERY, NOBILITY

LION=COURAGE

FOX OR WOLF=SLYNESS, DECEIT, TRICKERY

DONKEY=STUPIDITY

TONE

THE ATTITUDE A WRITER TAKES TOWARD A SUBJECT, CHARACTER, OR THE READER

MOOD

THE ATMOSPHERE CREATED BY THE WRITER BY USING

CERTAIN WORDS, SETTINGS, ETC.

VOICE

THE WRITER’S USE OF LANGUAGE, WORD CHOICE,

AND TONE

ALLUSION

A REFERENCE A WRITER MAKES TO ANOTHER

LITERARY WORK

COMPARE

FINDING SIMILARITIES (THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME) BETWEEN TWO OR

MORE THINGS

CONTRAST

FINDING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO OR MORE

THINGS

ASSONANCE

THE REPETITION OF SIMILAR VOWEL SOUNDS

IN A SENTENCE OR A LINE OF POETRY OR PROSE

CONSONANCE

THE REPETITION OF SIMILAR CONSONANT

SOUNDS IN A SENTENCE OR A LINE OF POETRY OR

PROSE

PARADOX

A SELF-CONTRADICTORY STATEMENT THAT AT FIRST

SEEMS TRUE

EX. THE MORE YOU SPEND, THE MORE YOU SAVE.

PARALLELISM

REPEATED SYNTACTICAL (THE STRUCTURE OF SENTENCES) SIMILARITIES INTRODUCED FOR RHETORICAL (SPEAKING

AND WRITING) EFFECT

OVERSTATEMENT

TO STATE IN TERMS THAT ARE TOO STRONG FOR THE

SITUATION

EX. HE OVERSTATED THE IMPORTANCE OF LOSING HIS HOMEWORK BY SAYING IT WAS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

UNDERSTATEMENT

TO STATE IN TERMS THAT ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH

FOR THE SITUATION

EX. SHE UNDERSTATED THE IMPORTANCE OF FAILING HER TEST BY SAYING THAT

THE GRADE WOULD BE DROPPED.

ALLITERATION

THE REPETITION OF CONSONANT SOUNDS,

ESPECIALLY AT THE BEGINNING OF WORDS

EX. SHE SELLS SEASHELLS BY THE

SEASHORE.

EPIC

A WORK OF LITERATURE THAT COVERS A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND USUALLY HAS HEROIC

CHARACTERS

EPIC HERO

A MAIN CHARACTER IN AN EPIC WHOSE LEGENDARY OR

HEROIC ACTIONS ARE CENTRAL TO HIS/HER CULTURE, RACE, OR

NATION

FICTION

A WORK OF LITERATURE THAT HAS BEEN MADE UP

OR INVENTED BY THE AUTHOR

NONFICTION

A WORK OF LITERATURE THAT IS TRUE AND

FACTUAL; IT IS NOT MADE UP OR INVENTED

RHYME

THE MATCHING OF FINAL VOWEL OR CONSONANT

SOUNDS IN TWO OR MORE WORDS, USUALLY USED IN

POETRY

TYPES OF RHYME

EXACT RHYME WHEN THE FINAL SOUNDS OF

WORDS MATCH EXACTLY

EX. MOAN-GROAN; BELL-TELL; MOVING-GROOVING

TYPES OF RHYME

APPROXIMATE RHYME WHEN THE FINAL SOUNDS OF

WORDS DO NOT MATCH EXACTLY, BUT CLOSELY

EX. DOVE—COVE; AGAIN-RAIN; DAWN=-

MORN

TYPES OF RHYME

INTERNAL RHYME

WHEN WORDS WITHIN THE SAME LINE OF POETRY RHYME

EX. I LOVE THE WAY FLOWERS BLOOM IN MAY.

CONNOTATION

THE SUGGESTION OF A MEANING BY A WORD APART FROM THE THING IT EXPLICITLY NAMES OR DESCRIBES

SOME WORDS HAVE POSITIVE

CONNOTATIONS, SOME HAVE NEGATIVE, AND SOME ARE NEUTRAL

EX. PRETTY=POSITIVE

UGLY=NEGATIVE

TALL=NEUTRAL

DENOTATION

A DIRECT, SPECIFIC MEANING OF A WORD AS DISTINCT FROM AN IMPLIED OR ASSOCIATED

IDEA

ONOMATOPOEIA

THE USE OF WORDS TO IMITATE THE SOUNDS THEY

DESCRIBE

EX. WHOOSH; BUZZ; HISS; POP

FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

A FORM OF LANGUAGE USE IN WHICH WRITERS AND

SPEAKERS CONVEY SOMETHING OTHER THAN THE LITERAL MEANING OF THEIR

WORDS

TYPES OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

HYPERBOLE THE USE OF EXTREME

EXAGGERATION TO EMPHASIZE A POINT

EX. I’VE TOLD YOU A MILLION

TIMES NOT TO DO THAT!

TYPES OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

SIMILE A FIGURE OF SPEECH INVOLVING A

COMPARISON BETWEEN UNLIKE THINGS USING LIKE, AS, OR AS

THOUGH

EX."MY LOVE IS LIKE A RED, RED ROSE."

TYPES OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

METAPHOR

A FIGURE OF SPEECH INVOLVING A COMPARISON BETWEEN UNLIKE

THINGS WITHOUT USING LIKE, AS, OR AS THOUGH

EX."MY LOVE IS A RED, RED ROSE."

TYPES OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

PERSONIFICATION

A FIGURE OF SPEECH WHICH GIVES SOMETHING NON-HUMAN OR

INANIMATE HUMAN QUALITIES

EX. “THE TREES DANCED IN THE WIND.” “THE SUN SMILED DOWN ON THE WEARY TRAVELERS.”

TYPES OF FIGURATIVE

LANGUAGE

IDIOM

AN EXPRESSION THAT CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD FROM THE MEANINGS OF ITS INDIVIDUAL

WORDS.

EX. IT HAS BEEN RAINING CATS AND DOGS ALL DAY.

DID YOU HEAR THAT FRED KICKED THE BUCKET?

FOIL

A CHARACTER WHO SERVES AS A CONTRAST TO ANOTHER

CHARACTER AND/OR PARALLELS THE MAIN

CHARACTER IN A PLAY OR STORY

ARCHETYPE

A CONSTANTLY RECURRING SYMBOL, MOTIF, OR TYPE OF CHARACTER IN LITERATURE

EX. WISE OLD MAN, FAIRY GODMOTHER, EVIL STEPMOTHER, VILLAINS, HEROES,

LOVESICK TEENAGER, ETC.

STEREOTYPE

AN IDEA THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT A THING OR A GROUP AND THAT MAY OFTEN BE UNTRUE OR

ONLY PARTLY TRUE

EX. BLONDES ARE DUMB; REDHEADS HAVE FIERY TEMPERS

IMAGERY

THE USE OF LANGUAGE THAT APPEALS TO ONE OR MORE OF

THE FIVE SENSES

EX. A BLUE SWEATER, A TINKLING BELL, A FUZZY PEACH

DICTION

THE SELECTION OF WORDS IN A LITERARY WORK

EX.THE DICTION OF EDGAR

ALLAN POE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF STEPHEN KING.

MYTH

A STORY OFTEN DESCRIBING THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERHUMAN BEINGS THAT ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE THE ORIGIN OF A

PEOPLE'S CUSTOMS OR BELIEFS OR TO EXPLAIN MYSTERIOUS EVENTS

(AS THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS)

BLANK VERSE

A LINE OF POETRY OR PROSE IN UNRHYMED IAMBIC PENTAMETER,

OFTEN FOUND IN POETRY BY SHAKESPEARE

ASIDE WORDS SPOKEN TO THE

AUDIENCE BY A CHARACTER IN A DRAMA THAT ARE NOT SUPPOSED

TO BE HEARD BY THE OTHER CHARACTERS ONSTAGE.

AN ASIDE IS USUALLY USED TO LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW WHAT ANOTHER

CHARACTER IS THINKING.

DIALECT

A REGIONAL VARIETY OF A LANGUAGE DIFFERING FROM

STANDARD LANGUAGE

A VARIETY OF A LANGUAGE USED BY THE MEMBERS OF A PARTICULAR GROUP OR CLASS

FREE VERSE

POETRY WITHOUT A REGULAR PATTERN OF

METER OR RHYME.

POETRY

WRITING THAT USUALLY INVOLVES RHYTHM AND RHYME

COUPLET

SETS OF TWO LINES THAT RHYME EX. He was a fair-haired lad, to be sure,

Modest, humble, and so very pure.

STANZA

A DIVISION OR UNIT OF A POEM THAT IS

REPEATED IN THE SAME FORM

IAMBIC PENTAMETER

A TEN SYLLABLE LINE WITH THE

UNSTRESSED/STRESSED PATTERN

TYPES OF STANZAS

COUPLET=2 LINES THAT RHYME AND HAVE THE SAME LENGTH AND

METER (RHYTHM) QUATRAIN=4 LINES CINQUAIN=5 LINES SESTET=6 LINES OCTAVE=8 LINES SONNET=14 LINES

KENNING

A METAPHORICAL COMPOUND WORD OR PHRASE USED ESPECIALLY IN OLD ENGLISH AND OLD NORSE POETRY

EXS. SWAN-ROAD FOR OCEAN; BATTLE-SWEAT FOR

BLOOD; SLAUGHTER-DEW FOR BLOOD;

SLEEP OF THE SWORD FOR DEATH; FEED THE EAGLE FOR KILL YOUR ENEMIES; SWAN OF BLOOD FOR

RAVEN; FEEDER OF RAVENS FOR WARRIOR

FRAME STORY

A STORY THAT SERVES TO BIND TOGETHER SEVERAL DIFFERENT

NARRATIVES

SOCIAL

COMMENTARY

A SPOKEN OR WRITTEN ACT OF REBELLION TOWARD AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP;

COMMENTARY ON SOCIAL ISSUES OR SOCIETY

http://prezi.com/y1oywx_fheo8/chaucer-the-canterbury-

tales-social-commentary/

LIAR’S PARADOX

THE PARADOX OF A MAN WHO STATES "I AM LYING." IF HE

IS LYING, THEN HE IS TELLING THE TRUTH, AND

VICE VERSA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVxwEzOJVhg

EXEMPLUM

AN ANECDOTE (A VERY, VERY SHORT STORY) THAT TEACHES

A MORAL OR A LESSON

MORAL

A LESSON ABOUT LIFE OR HUMAN NATURE

FABLES, PARABLES, AND SATIRES OFTEN CONTAIN

MORALS.

TRAGEDY

A PLAY DEALING WITH TRAGIC EVENTS AND HAVING AN UNHAPPY

ENDING, ESPECIALY ONE CONCERNING THE

DOWNFALL OF THE MAIN CHARACTER.

TRAGIC HERO

A GREAT OR VIRTUOUS CHARACTER IN A DRAMATIC

TRAGEDY WHO IS DESTINED FOR DOWNFALL, SUFFERING, DEFEAT, OR

DEATH

DRAMA

A STORY INVOLVING CONFLICT OR CONTRAST OF

CHARACTER, ESPECIALLY ONE INTENDED TO BE

ACTED ON THE STAGE; A PLAY.

COMIC RELIEF

AN AMUSING SCENE, INCIDENT, OR SPEECH INTRODUCED INTO

SERIOUS OR TRAGIC ELEMENTS, AS IN A PLAY, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY RELIEF

FROM TENSION, OR TO INTENSIFY THE DRAMATIC

ACTION.

ELISION

IN A DRAMA,THE OMISSION OF ACTION (NOT SHOWN ON THE

STAGE) BUT IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAPPEN

OFFSTAGE

OXYMORON

A COMBINATION OF WORDS THAT HAVE OPPOSITE OR

VERY DIFFERENT MEANINGS

EXS. Jumbo shrimp; cold sweat