LIT TERMSOverview

Audience◦ The people for whom the author is writing◦ Examples: young adults, academia, specialized groups, etc.

Plot◦ The sequence of events in a work of literature◦When someone asks you to summarize something, you recite the plot◦ Example: In the story “The Gift of the Magi,” the characters Jim and Della want to

buy each other nice Christmas gifts. Jim sells his watch so he can buy hair combs for Della. However, Della sells her hair to buy a chain for Jim’s watch.

Setting◦ Time, place, and social condition of the work◦ Example: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place in Maycomb, Alabama in

the early 1930s during the Great Depression.

Conflict (internal/external)◦ The struggle which grows out of the interplay of two opposing forces in the plot◦ Types of conflict:

◦ Person vs. Person◦ Person vs. Nature◦ Person vs. Self◦ Person vs. Society

◦What examples can you think of?

Theme◦ The central of dominating idea of a work◦With fiction, this is a non-specific universal idea◦ Examples from To Kill a Mockingbird?

Character development/characterization◦ The way in which an author forms his/her characters. ◦ Three fundamental methods:

◦ Direct exposition (descriptive writing)◦ The actions of a character◦ Indirect (the way other see a character or how he sees himself)

◦ All of these methods depend on point of view

Dialogue◦ Conversation that meets one or more of the following criteria:

◦ Advances action/not mere ornamentation◦ Is consistent with character of speaker (social position, tone, background, etc.)◦ Natural, not necessarily verbatim, “semblance of reality”◦ Presents interplay of ideas◦ Notes differences of position and diction and tone◦ Serves to lighten exposition

Mood◦ The emotional attitude of the author towards his subject◦How the reader feels about the work◦ Examples: “Cask of Amontillado”

Tone◦ The attitude of the author toward his audience◦MANY different types:

◦ Formal, informal, intimate, somber, playful, serious, humorous, suspenseful, ironic, condescending, etc…

Style◦ The arrangement of the words by the author which best represents the author and

the idea he/she wants established

Author’s purpose◦Why the author has written the work he/she has

Narration/point of view◦ The purpose of narration is to recount an event or series of events. This is done

through point of view◦ Point of view is the way a reader is presented the material of a story through a

narrator◦Different points of view:

◦ First person: someone is telling the story from their own perspective (uses “I” and/or “we”)◦ Third person: the story is being told from an outside observer (someone not in the story)◦ Omniscient: the narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of the other characters (this can

be first or third person)

Figurative language◦ Intentional departure from normal order, construction, or meaning of words in

order to give strength/meaning◦ Examples: hyperbole, personification, metaphor, repetition

Imagery◦ The collection of detailed images that create all the senses in the mind of the

reader

Symbolism◦ The use of one object to represent or suggest another

Allusion◦ A reference (maybe casual) to a historical or literary figure or piece of media

Foreshadowing◦ A device by which the author of a work gives reference and/or hint of what is to

come in the work◦ Example: The opening lines of To Kill a Mockingbird

Flashback◦ A device by which the writer of fiction presents scenes or incidents that occurred

prior to the opening scene

Implied meaning◦ To indicate the intention/meaning of something (including the entire work) without

directly stating it

Genre◦ The designation of a distinct type, category, or form of a specific work. ◦Older/historical genres:

◦ Tragedy◦ Comedy◦ Epic◦ Lyric

◦More recent genres:◦ Novel◦ Short story◦ Essay

Form◦ The pattern, structure, or organization which the author employs to express the

content of the writing ◦ Examples: expository, persuasive, descriptive, etc.

Exposition◦One of the four types of writing along with argumentation, description, and

narration◦ The purpose of the exposition is to explain the nature of an idea, object, or theme

Editorial◦ The editorial usually takes the form of argumentation or exposition◦ Its purpose is to discuss current issues (often times editorials are biased)◦ Three divisions:

◦ Statement◦ Clarification◦ Expression of opinion

Personification◦ A figure of speech which gives animals, ideas, abstractions, and inanimate objects

human form, character, or sensibility◦ Example: Everyone was being extremely quiet – the plates, the glasses, the

refrigerator who usually hummed softly in the background had ceased their chatter.”

Structural conventions◦ The planned framework of a literary piece and the sentences within that piece

Simile◦ A figure of speech that compares two items generally with the terms “like” or “as”

Metaphor◦ In a general and simple sense, it is an implied comparison between two things

(does NOT use “like” or “as”)◦ Extended metaphor: develops over an entire work

◦ In To Kill a Mockingbird, comparing the injustice of discrimination to killing a songbird is an extended metaphor

Alliteration◦ The repetition of initial consonant sounds◦Used to give emphasis to words and sounds to create a musical effect◦ Example: “Helplessly Hoping” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Irony◦When something doesn’t turn out the way it seems that it should◦ Three types:

◦ Verbal: words used to suggest the opposite of what they mean (sarcasm)◦ Dramatic: when there is a difference between what the audience knows and what the

character does, thinks, or says◦ Situational: when an event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the

characters, reader, or audience