Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 1

RELEVANT LITERARY TERMS AND BRIEF AUTHOR STUDY

“Christmas Day in the Morning” by Pearl S. Buck

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 2

Literary Terms:

FLASHBACK: This occurs most often in literature when the narrator or a character remembers something from his or her own past and shares it with the readers. Flashbacks are a way of sharing information that has occurred in the past that is relevant to the story.

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 3

Literary Terms:

SIMILE: A simile is a literary device that is a comparison using “like” or “as.” Writers use similes to make their writing more interesting.

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 4

Literary Terms:

ALLITERATION: Alliteration is another literary device. It is the repetition of identical beginning consonant sounds within sentences. Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 5

Literary Terms:

SYMBOL: A symbol is something that stands for something else. Symbolism is common in literature. Sometimes it is quite obvious. Sometimes it is rather subtle. Example: the chocolate bar in Hero by S.L. Rottman is a symbol of trust.

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 6

Literary Terms:

THEME: Themes are what the author wants us to understand or think about after having read something. In short works of literature, there is often just a single theme. In longer pieces of literature, multiple themes are common.

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 7

Literary Terms:

PERSONIFICATION: Personification is another literary device wherein the author gives something nonhuman human characteristics. Example: I had such a crush on Danny that the wind constantly whispered his name to me.

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Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973): American writer and novelist

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Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973): Daughter of American missionaries –

spent most of her life before 1932 in China

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Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973): Best known for her novel The Good

Earth – Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize

(1932) and the Nobel Prize for literature (1938.)

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Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973): Best known for her for her “rich and

truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces” (Wikipedia).

Reading and Literature 8 -- Mrs. Munnier 12

Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973): Common themes in writings of Pearl

S. Buck:

The rights of women The rights of minorities (U.S. and

worldwide) Asian culture in general Asian and mixed-race adoption