Memoir
an account based on the author's personal experiences
poem
a piece of writing that usually has figurative language and that is written in separate lines that often have a repeated rhythm and sometimes rhyme
drama
A story written to be performed by actors
figurative language
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as
Metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Hyperbole
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally
Irony
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
Symbolism
An image or an object in a text that has a deeper meaning
frame
a structure that provides premise or setting for a narrative
historical context
the historical period that shapes a work of literature and allows the reader to understand important issues in a given time period
Flashback
A method of narration in which present action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events
scene
A subdivision of an act in a play
act
A major division of a play
stage directions
an instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting.
Plot
Sequence of events in a story
Exposition
used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.
inciting incident
event that introduces the central conflict
rising action
Events leading up to the climax
Climax
the turning point of the story
falling action
Events after the climax, leading to the resolution
Resolution
End of the story where loose ends are tied up
Theme
Central idea of a work of literature
character
A person in a story
Setting
The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs
Author of Night
Elie Wiesel
Author of Crystal Night
Lifshin
Author of The Butterfly
Friedmann
Author of The Diary of Anne Frank
Goodrich and Hackett