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Below are links to easy-to-use sites with definitions.of major literary terms
http://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/schools/highland/class/weaver/literary_terms.htm http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/general/glossary.htm glossary of lit terms http://www.virtualsalt.com/litterms.htm |
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Literary Terms for the Reading Logs Theme
- the central meaning or dominant idea in a literary work. A theme provides a unifying point around which
the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a work are organized. The theme is not
the subject of the work; it is the message the author wants the audience to extract from the work Setting is determining the Time and Place as well as the customs and general environment in
fiction Characterization is the method used by a writer to develop a character. The method
includes (1) showing the character's appearance, (2) displaying the character's actions, (3) revealing the character's thoughts,
(4) letting the character speak, and (5) getting the reactions of others. POINT OF VIEW
- from whom we hear the story told Symbol
is anything that stands for or represents something else. The United States flag is a symbol of our nation, but it also symbolizes
freedom, liberty, patriotism. Irony - A mode of expression, through words (verbal
irony) or events (irony of situation), conveying a reality different from and usually opposite to appearance or expectation.
A writer may say the opposite of what he means, create a reversal between expectation and its fulfillment, or give the audience
knowledge that a character lacks, making the character's words have meaning to the audience not perceived by the character.
In verbal irony, the writer's meaning or even his attitude may be different from what he says: "Why, no one would dare
argue that there could be anything more important in choosing a college than its proximity to the beach." An example
of situational irony would occur if a professional pickpocket had his own pocket picked just as he was in the act of picking
someone else's pocket. The irony is generated by the surprise recognition by the audience of a reality in contrast with expectation
or appearance, while another audience, victim, or character puts confidence in the appearance as reality (in this case, the
pickpocket doesn't expect his own pocket to be picked). The surprise recognition by the audience often produces a comic effect,
making irony often funny. Satire - A literary mode based on criticism of people
and society through ridicule. The satirist aims to reduce the practices attacked by laughing scornfully at them--and being
witty enough to allow the reader to laugh, also. Ridicule, irony, exaggeration, and several other techniques are almost
always present. The satirist may insert serious statements of value or desired behavior, but most often he relies on an implicit
moral code, understood by his audience and paid lip service by them. The satirist's goal is to point out the hypocrisy of
his target in the hope that either the target or the audience will return to a real following of the code. Thus, satire is
inescapably moral even when no explicit values are promoted in the work, for the satirist works within the framework of a
widely spread value system. Many of the techniques of satire are devices of comparison, to show the similarity or contrast
between two things. A list of incongruous items, an oxymoron, metaphors, and so forth are examples. conflict
- a struggle between opposing forces. An internal conflict occurs within the mind of the character who is torn between
opposing feelings or goals. An external conflict exists when a character struggles against an outside force. There are
several types of external conflicts: 1) Man vs. Man ; 2) Man vs. Society; 3) Man vs. Nature; 4) Man vs. Fate. Foreshadowing
is a literary device in which an author drops subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story. |
