Literary Terms

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message

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The explicit or implicit meaning communicated in a text.

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mode

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The various processes of communication — listening, speaking, reading/viewing, and writing/creating. Also refers to semiotic resources like sound, print, image, and gesture.

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stereotype

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When a person or thing is judged to be the same as all others of its type. Stereotypes are often oversimplified.

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contrast

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The difference in tone or color used to highlight important elements in an image.

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viewpoint (point of view)

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Refers to the viewpoint of an author, audience, or characters in a text. Narrative point of view refers to the ways a narrator may be related to the story, such as first or third person, omniscient or restricted in knowledge of events, reliable or unreliable in interpretation of what happens.

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voice qualities

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Variation in tone, pitch, volume, and pace to communicate meaning.

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narrative structure

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The organizational framework of a story, including the sequence of events, the pacing, and the way the plot unfolds.

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symbolism

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The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, giving deeper meaning to objects, characters, or events in a text.

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tone

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The attitude or approach that the author takes toward the work’s central theme or subject.

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imagery

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Descriptive language that creates vivid pictures in the reader's mind, appealing to the senses.