Literary Vocabulary Literary terms you need to know!
What is figurative language? all language that involves figures of speech or symbolism and does not literally represent real things
alliteration the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words Ex. Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
allusion a direct or indirect reference to something historical, literary, religious, or mythical Ex. He s a lyrical Houdini.
assonance the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together, and it is sometimes known as "internal rhyme" or "slant rhyme Ex. He seems the least beat in any season.
flashback a vivid memory or scene from the past
foreshadowing the author s use of clues to hint at what might happen later in the story; writer s use this to build their reader s suspense
hyperbole a purposeful exaggeration or overstatement Ex. He's the best ever!
imagery words or phrases that appeal to one or more of the five senses
irony when you say one thing, but you actually mean the opposite or when the opposite of what you expect actually happens; it can take the form of sarcasm, overstatement or understatement Ex. His lines hit as soft as iron. (This is irony because you don t expect iron to be soft.)
juxtaposition when two unlike things are positioned next to each other to highlight the difference between opposites Ex. A grandmother holding a newborn baby might be a very powerful image, juxtaposing birth and old age.
simile/metaphor metaphor: a comparison between two things that is not meant literally but by means of a vivid comparison express something about him, her, or it Rhino tough Angel soft simile: a comparison between two things using the words like or as He slept like a log.
onomatopoeia words that sound like what they describe (Bam! Pow!) Ex. The crowd was buzzzing.
personification giving human-like qualities to objects that are not human
pun usage of words that sound alike but have different meanings Ex. I been fly so long I fell asleep on the plane Lil Wayne
symbolism a person, place or thing that in addition to its literal meaning, has other layers of meaning faith religion Jesus Christmas family holiday tradition America freedom liberty
Elements of a Story Literary terms you need to know!
protagonist/antagonist protagonist: the main character in a story antagonist: the villain or enemy in a story who creates conflicts
setting/characters/plot setting: the time and place where action occurs in a literary work characters: a person or animal that takes part in the action of a literary work plot: the sequence of events in a story
voice the distinctive qualities of a writer s style including: attitude, sentence style, and ideas
theme the central message, concern, or purpose in a literary work
conflict/climax/resolution conflict: a scene within a story that interrupts the sequence of events (problem) Cinderella leaves her shoe at the ball. climax: the turning point or high point in the action of the plot; the moment of greatest tension The prince puts the shoe on Cinderella and it fits! resolution: end of the central conflict (solution) Cinderella and the prince get married and live happily ever after.
Output: One-Pager Design a One-Pager that expresses thoughts about literary terms* key concepts/definitions from notes One or more graphic representation (picture) One or more examples Border/other appropriate decorations Fill entire page Be creative and have fun! *use the terms you wrote down on your sticky
Sample One-Pagers