Introduction to LiteratureIntroduction to LiteratureLiterary TermsLiterary Terms

English 8English 8

Mrs. CowanMrs. Cowan

I.I. LiteratureLiterature is the author’s written is the author’s written form of expression that reflects his form of expression that reflects his views or opinions on life and living.views or opinions on life and living.

II. There are II. There are three main divisionsthree main divisions of of literature.literature.

A.A. ProseProse – any writing that is not – any writing that is not poetry; written in sentences and paragraphs poetry; written in sentences and paragraphs (essays, short stories, novels, newspaper (essays, short stories, novels, newspaper articles, and letters)articles, and letters)

B. B. PoetryPoetry – beautiful thought, image, – beautiful thought, image, or emotion, often expressed in rhythmical or emotion, often expressed in rhythmical language and often written according to language and often written according to patterns of linespatterns of lines

C. C. DramaDrama (play) – written by a playwright; (play) – written by a playwright; tells a group of actors what to do or say on tells a group of actors what to do or say on stagestage

IIIIII. . There are There are two kinds of writingtwo kinds of writing in in literature.literature.

A. A. FictionFiction – literature that is not true – literature that is not true 1. 1. Short storyShort story – a form of prose – a form of prose

fiction that can be read in a single sitting and fiction that can be read in a single sitting and produces a single effect; few characters; one produces a single effect; few characters; one settingsetting

2. 2. NovelNovel – a long work of fiction – a long work of fiction that contains more characters, settings, that contains more characters, settings, complicated plots, and subplotscomplicated plots, and subplots

B.B. Non-fictionNon-fiction – literature that is – literature that is truetrue

1. 1. BiographyBiography – a story about a – a story about a person written by someone elseperson written by someone else 2. 2. AutobiographyAutobiography – a – a

story about a person written by the story about a person written by the person person

3. 3. EssayEssay – a short prose composition – a short prose composition about a particular subject about a particular subject

4. 4. ArticleArticle – a prose composition – a prose composition 5. 5. News writingNews writing – prose writing – prose writing

about recent eventsabout recent events

IV. There is a IV. There is a keykey (or point of emphasis) to (or point of emphasis) to each major type of literature.each major type of literature.

A. A. NovelNovel – unfolding plot– unfolding plot

B. B. Short storyShort story – single character – single character

C. C. PlayPlay – Struggle or conflict – Struggle or conflict

D. D. BiographyBiography – personal growth – personal growth

E. E. PoemPoem – imagination, emotion, rhythm – imagination, emotion, rhythm

V. The following list of words are literary V. The following list of words are literary terms that we will be using when terms that we will be using when discussing or analyzing literature in this discussing or analyzing literature in this class.class.

A. A. PlotPlot – the events (action) of the – the events (action) of the storystory 1. 1. ExpositionExposition ( (opening situation; conflict opening situation; conflict or problemor problem) – the beginning events; ) – the beginning events; introduces us to the characters, setting, etc.introduces us to the characters, setting, etc.

2. 2. Rising action Rising action ((complicationscomplications) – the ) – the events in the central part of the story where events in the central part of the story where various problems arise; leads to the climax various problems arise; leads to the climax

3. 3. Climax Climax – the event that changes – the event that changes the main character; the turning pointthe main character; the turning point

4. 4. Falling action Falling action – the event(s) that – the event(s) that follow the climax; the action or follow the climax; the action or dialogue necessary to lead to the dialogue necessary to lead to the resolution; helps the reader solve resolution; helps the reader solve the conflict the conflict

5. 5. ResolutionResolution ( (DenouementDenouement) – the ) – the event that happens at the end to help event that happens at the end to help us solve the conflict us solve the conflict

6. 6. Plotline Plotline – a visual that shows the – a visual that shows the main events (action) of the storymain events (action) of the story

B. B. ConflictConflict – a struggle between – a struggle between opposing forces; problems and opposing forces; problems and complications in the storycomplications in the story

1. 1. Internal conflict Internal conflict ((man vs. man vs. himselfhimself) – conflict within the character) – conflict within the character

2.2. External conflict External conflict – a struggle with – a struggle with an outside force or probleman outside force or problem

a.a. Man vs. Man Man vs. Man – one against – one against oneone

b.b. Man vs. Society Man vs. Society – one against a – one against a social issue or problemsocial issue or problem

c.c. Man vs. nature Man vs. nature – one against an – one against an element or animalelement or animal

d. Man vs. Supernatural – one against ghosts, fantasies, etc.

C. C. Characterization Characterization – the description of – the description of people in a storypeople in a story

1. 1. static characterstatic character – remains the same – remains the same

2. 2. dynamic characterdynamic character – changes during – changes during the story; grows and developthe story; grows and develop

3. 3. stereotype (consistent)stereotype (consistent) – acts like – acts like you would expect him/her to act you would expect him/her to act

4. 4. protagonist protagonist – hero; main character; – hero; main character; good guygood guy

5. 5. antagonistantagonist – person (force) against – person (force) against the protagonist; the villain; bad guythe protagonist; the villain; bad guy

D. D. FlashbackFlashback – info about the past – info about the past

E. E. ForeshadowingForeshadowing – clues (hints) of what – clues (hints) of what is to comeis to come

F. F. Point-of-viewPoint-of-view – who is telling the story – who is telling the story

1. 1. First personFirst person – one of the characters in – one of the characters in the story is telling the storythe story is telling the story

2. 2. Third person omniscientThird person omniscient – the narrator – the narrator knows the feeling and thoughts of all the knows the feeling and thoughts of all the characterscharacters

3. 3. Third person limited omniscientThird person limited omniscient - - narrator knows the feelings and thoughts of narrator knows the feelings and thoughts of one characterone character

4. 4. Third person objectiveThird person objective (camera view) (camera view) – – we know what the characters are doing, not we know what the characters are doing, not what they are thinking or feelingwhat they are thinking or feeling

G. G. SettingSetting – time and place of events – time and place of events

1. 1. Time Time – when events take place– when events take place

a. a. DayDay c. c. SeasonSeason

b. b. Year Year d. d. Historical Time Historical Time

2. 2. Place Place – where events take place– where events take place

H. H. ThemeTheme – the central message – the central message about life or human nature; a universal about life or human nature; a universal truthtruth

I. I. Symbol Symbol -- an object that stands for an an object that stands for an idea or beliefidea or belief

J. J. Irony Irony – a statement, action, or – a statement, action, or situation that is the opposite of what it situation that is the opposite of what it normally means or what is expected normally means or what is expected

a.a. verbal irony verbal irony - say the opposite of what is - say the opposite of what is meantmeant

b. b. situational irony situational irony - something happens - something happens that is the opposite of what is expectedthat is the opposite of what is expected

c.c. dramatic irony dramatic irony – the reader knows – the reader knows something a character doesn’t know something a character doesn’t know

K. K. Mood Mood – the predominant emotion in – the predominant emotion in a story; how you feela story; how you feel

L. L. Moral Moral – the lesson taught by a story– the lesson taught by a story

M. M. Style Style – how the author writes; his – how the author writes; his choice and arrangement of words; his choice and arrangement of words; his use of languageuse of language

N. N. DialectDialect – a non-standard sub- – a non-standard sub-group of a language that often reveals group of a language that often reveals region, economic, or social classregion, economic, or social class

O. O. SuspenseSuspense – a feeling of anxious – a feeling of anxious uncertainty about the outcome of eventsuncertainty about the outcome of events

P. P. Realism Realism – actual or possible – actual or possible experiences in a storyexperiences in a story

Q. Q. ToneTone – the writer’s attitude – the writer’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audiencetoward a subject, character, or audience

R. R. DictionDiction – a writer’s choice of words – a writer’s choice of words

S. S. SyntaxSyntax – the arrangement of words – the arrangement of words in a sentence; how the writer in a sentence; how the writer constructs a sentence constructs a sentence

T. T. ImageryImagery – descriptive words and – descriptive words and phrases that appeal to the sensesphrases that appeal to the senses

U. U. ConnotationConnotation – not the dictionary – not the dictionary definition of a worddefinition of a word

V. V. DenotationDenotation – the dictionary – the dictionary definition of a worddefinition of a word

W. W. IdiomIdiom – a word or expression peculiar to – a word or expression peculiar to certain language; means something different certain language; means something different that the literal meaningthat the literal meaning

It’s raining cats and dogs.It’s raining cats and dogs.

X. X. Blank verse Blank verse – unrhymed poetry – unrhymed poetry

written in iambic pentameter written in iambic pentameter

Y.Y. Free verse Free verse – poetry that has no regular – poetry that has no regular pattern of rhythm or rhyme; generally pattern of rhythm or rhyme; generally arranged in lines.arranged in lines.

Z. Z. AffixAffix – a prefix or suffix – a prefix or suffix

AA. AA. PrefixPrefix – an addition to the – an addition to the beginning of a wordbeginning of a word

BB. BB. SuffixSuffix – an addition to the end of a – an addition to the end of a wordword

CC.CC. Root Root – the base of a word; the essential – the base of a word; the essential

partpart

DD. DD. SimileSimile – a comparison of two unlike – a comparison of two unlike

things using the words things using the words likelike or or asas..

She is She is as as pretty as a picture.pretty as a picture.

EE.EE. Hyperbole Hyperbole – an outrageous – an outrageous exaggeration exaggeration That weighs a ton.That weighs a ton.

FF. FF. AlliterationAlliteration – the repetition of – the repetition of consonant sounds. consonant sounds.

PPeter eter PPiipper er ppicked a icked a ppeck of eck of ppickled ickled ppeppers. eppers.

GG. GG. AssonanceAssonance – the repetition of – the repetition of vowel sounds at the beginning of a vowel sounds at the beginning of a word. word.

EEvery very eelephant lephant eeats ats eenormous normous eeagles.agles.

HH. HH. Metaphor Metaphor – comparison of two – comparison of two unlike things unlike things notnot using the words using the words likelike or or as. as.

She is the picture of health.She is the picture of health.

II.II. PersonificationPersonification – when an animal or object is – when an animal or object is given human qualities.given human qualities.

The trees sighed as the wind blew through them.The trees sighed as the wind blew through them.

JJ. JJ. Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia – words that – words that mimic the sounds they describe.mimic the sounds they describe.

The bee buzzed around my head.The bee buzzed around my head.

KK. KK. AllusionAllusion – a reference from the – a reference from the arts, history, literature, mythology, arts, history, literature, mythology, politics, religion, sports, or science.politics, religion, sports, or science.

LL. LL. InferenceInference – an educated guess – an educated guess

MM. MM. Analogy Analogy – a comparison using – a comparison using

something that is familiar to explain something that is familiar to explain

something that is unfamiliar.something that is unfamiliar.

Mesa Verde National Park is an outdoor museum, Mesa Verde National Park is an outdoor museum,

not a playground.not a playground.