allegory
story in which characters, things or actions represent or lead to a strong moral or lesson
allusion
a reference to another work of literature, person, or event
analogy
similarity; parallelism; comparing two similar things
anecdote
short summary of a humorous event to make a point
antagonist
the character who works against the protagonist in the story
autobiography
author's own account of his/her life
biography
Story of a person's life written by someone else
conflict
The problem (Can you name different types?)
denouement
Outcome of a story
dialogue
Direct conversation between characters
epic
Long narrative poem that tells the great deeds of a hero
epiphany
The moment of sudden understanding
epitaph
Short verse written in memory of someone
essay
Kind of writing that expresses a person's viewpoint
exaggeration
Stretching the truth
expository
Kind of writing that explains something
fable
Short, fictional story usually involving animals that teach a lesson
flashback
an event from the past presented in teh present, out of order in the story
foreshadowing
giving hints or clues about what will come later in the story
genre
category or type of literature
gothic
characterized by mystery, castles, supernatural events, old mansions, etc.
hyperbole
exaggeration or overstatement
imagery
words chosen to paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind
malapropism
humorous play on words resulting from two similar words being misused
metaphor
figure of speech that is a comparison without using like or as
irony
words or phrases that convey the opposite meaning or expected outcome
mood
feeling of the story
moral
the lesson of the story
motif
often-repeated idea in a story
narrator
person telling the story
novel
lengthy, fictional written story
novella
story longer than a short story but not as long or complex as a novel
omnicient
point of view in which the reader know all thoughts, feelings, and actions of all the characters
oxymoron
combination of contradictory terms (can you name one?)
paradox
statement that seems contrary to truth but may be true (can you give an example?)
parody
story that uses humorous excessive exaggeration to mock something
personicication
figure of speech where an inanimate object or animal is given human characteristics
plot
sequence of events in a story
protagonist
the main character of the story
quest
series of events in search of something
sarcasm
using false praise to mock someone or something
satire
literary device used to make fun of human weaknesses
setting
where the story takes place
simile
comparison using like or as`
soliloquy
monologue revealing the thoughts of a charachter usually alone on a stage
stereotype
characterizing a person by the general qualitiies of a group of people, without individuality
symbol
person, place, thing or event that stands for something else
theme
a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work
tragedy
story in which the hero is destroyed
understatement
the opposite of hyperbole