70 Literary Terms HOLT Literature plot plot chain

70 Literary Terms HOLT Literature

plot

plot chain of related events that tells us what happens in a story

conflict

conflict problem faced by a character

resolved

resolved how the story turns out

complications

complications situations that create conflict

climax

climax when the outcome of the conflict is decided

resolution

resolution the last part of the plot; the end of the story

subplots

subplots parts that are part of the larger story but are not as important

parallel episodes

parallel episodes the storyteller repeats the main outline of an episode several times

proposition

proposition an opinion; usually in the beginning of a persuasive article

facts

facts the results of scientific research and surveys

statistics

statistics facts in number form

examples

examples specific instances that illustrate reasons or facts

anecodotes

anecodotes brief stories, such as personal experiences

opinion

opinion a belief or an attitude

foreshadowing

foreshadowing clues that hint at what will happen later

characterization

characterization the way a writer reveals character

motivation

motivation what makes people behave the way they do

motives

motives why characters do the things they do

biography

biography the story of someone’s life written by another person

actions

actions what characters say and do

character

character the way someone is

biased

biased one-sided, treatment of a subject

autobiography

autobiography the story of a writers own life by the writer

setting

setting where and when a story takes place

mood

mood atmosphere; the feeling of the story

chronology

chronology time order; what happens first, next, and last

inference

inference educated guess based on clues the writer gives you and your own experience

conclusion

conclusion final thought or judgement about what you have read

valid

valid both true and logical

generalization

generalization a broad statement that can apply to many situations

theme

theme answers the question “What does this reveal? ” the general idea or insight about human existence

main idea

main idea the message, opinion, or insight that is central to a piece of non-fiction

refrain

refrain repeated sounds, words, phrases, lines, or a group of lines

allusion

allusion a reference to features of a culture that people share (literature, religion, history, mythology, sports) Ex: “I have a dream” speech

narrator

narrator person telling the story

verbal irony

verbal irony we say just the opposite of what we mean

situational irony

situational irony what happens is different from what we expect

dramatic irony

dramatic irony we know something a character doesn’t know

fallacious reasoning

fallacious reasoning “false thinking” when people draw incorrect or false conclusions Ex: Because the world is flat, you’ll fall off if you sail to the end.

sterotyping

sterotyping

sterotyping believing that all members of a group share a certain characteristic Ex: All teenagers are angry and rebellious, and they all sleep too late.

fallacy

fallacy the assumption that a problem or situation has only one possible cause Ex: If we don’t elect Jane class president, girls will have no say in running the school.

analogy

analogy a comparison of two things to show they are alike; used to explain one concept by showing how it is similar to another concept

personification

personification a non-human thing is described as if it were human or alive and did something only living things do

metaphor

metaphor directly compares two very different things Ex: The moon was a golden Grapefruit high up in the sky.

simile

simile compares one thing to another using like, as, than, resembles Ex: The moon looked like a gleaming new penny.

lyrics (poem)

lyrics (poem) poems that express feelings and do not tell stories

narrative poem

narrative poem a poem that tells a story

ballad

ballad song or a song like poem that tells a story usually about lost love or betrayal or death

tall tale

tall tale an exaggerated, far fetched story that betrayal or death is obviously not true

exaggeration

exaggeration stretching the truth

epic

epic long narrative poem written in formal or elegant language that tells about a series of events undertaken by a great hero

ode

ode originated in Ancient Greece; celebrate a particular poem or thing

sonnet

sonnet fourteen line poem

lambic

lambic verse in which the stress is on every other syllable, starting with the unstressed beat

elegy

elegy a poem of mourning

free verse

free verse does not follow a regular rhyme, scheme, or pattern

alliteration

alliteration repetition of consonant sounds Ex: snow falling fast

onomatopoeia

onomatopoeia the use of words whose sounds echo their meaning Ex: the chains saw’s buzz

imagery

imagery language that evokes sensations of light, sound, smell, taste, and touch

figures of speech

figures of speech language that is based on comparisons and is not literally true (metaphors, similes, personification)

rhythm

rhythm the rise and fall of the voice, produced by sounds

speaker

speaker the person who tells the story or talks to you in the poem

unity

unity all the story’s details support the main idea or topic

logic

logic correct reasoning

idiom

idiom means something different from the literal meaning of each word Ex: “Hold your tongue” means don’t speak in English

epilogue

epilogue a brief closing section to a piece of literature

consumer

consumer someone who buys something or uses what someone else buys

warranty

warranty spells out exactly what happens if the product doesn’t work properly and what you are required to do to receive service

contract

contract spells out exactly what services will and will not be provided

product information

product information tells what the product will do