Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Allusion
A reference to another work of literature, person, or event
Antagonist
A character or force in conflict with the main character
Archetype
The ideal example of a particular type of person or thing (prototype)
Climax
the turning point of the story
comedy
A humorous work of drama
confidant
one to whom you confide your secrets; a trustworthy person
Conflict
A struggle between opposing forces
crisis
a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.
denouement
an outcome; result; finale
Dialogue
Conversation between characters
Diction
word choice
direct characterization
Author directly describes character
indirect characterization
consists of the author showing the audience what kind of person a character is through the character's thoughts, words, and deeds
dynamic character
A character who grows, learns, or changes as a result of the story's action
flat character
character in fiction that does not change too much from the start of the narrative to its end
round character
A character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work
static character
A character that does not change from the beginning of the story to the end
Epiphany
sudden realization
Exposition
description and explanation of an idea or theory
fiction
A story that is not true or is made up
first person
told from the narrator's point of view, using "I
limited omniscient point of view
when an author sticks closely to one character but remains in third person
omniscient point of view
the narrator is capable of knowing, telling, and seeing all (including thoughts and feelings)
objective point of view
a narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story, with no comment on any characters or events. (observational tone)
Flashback
a scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story.
Foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
Genre
a major category or type of literature
Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
in medias res
in the middle of things
Irony
A contrast between expectation and reality (The difference between what something appears to mean versus its literal meaning)
cosmic irony
an ironic situation caused when outcomes that are the opposite of human hopes and desires are blamed on fate; situation where it seems like the universe conspires against an individual or group, creating a reversal of expectations.
dramatic irony
when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't
situational irony
An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected
verbal irony
A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant (sarcasm)
Horatian
light-hearted, intended for fun
Juvenalian
harsh satire
minimalist
one who uses the most simplistic techniques
Motif
A recurring theme, subject or idea
Motivation
the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way; a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior
Narrator
Person telling the story
Plot
Sequence of events in a story
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told
Protagonist
main character
Setting
The time and place of a story
short story
a story with a fully developed theme but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel
stock character
a stereotypical character
story of initiation
coming of age stories (when a character is maturing)
stream of consciousness
a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.
Style
the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work
symbol/symbolism
one thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else
Syntax
Sentence structure
Theme
Central idea of a work of literature
third person
Point of view in which the narrator is outside of the story - an observer
Tragedy
A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character
Tone
Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character
unreliable narrator
a narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted