English

Literary Terms

1. Epic- A long narrative poem written in elevated style which presents the adventures of characters of high position and episodes which are important to the history of a race or nation
2. Fable- A brief story which leads to a moral, often using animals as characters
3. Figurative Language- Language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.)
4. Flashback- The insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a narrative
5. Foreshadowing- The presentation of material in such a way that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work
6. Frame Device- A story within a story
7. Genre- A major category or type of literature
8. Imagery- The use of figures of speech to create vivid images
9. Irony- The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; or incongruity between What is expected and what actually occurs
10. Metaphor- A direct comparison of two different things
11. Mood- The emotional atmosphere of a work; or, the author's emotional attitude toward the subject
12. Myth- A traditional story presenting supernatural characters and episodes which help explain natural events
13. Narrative- A story or narrated account
14. Ominscient Narrator- A narrator who is able to know, see and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feelings of the characters
15. Paradox- An apparently contradictory statement which actually contains some truth
16. Paraphrase- A restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity
17. Personification- Endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics
18. Plot- The action of a narrative or drama
19. Point of View- The vantage point from which a story is told
20. Resolution- The falling action of a narrative; the events following the climax