Literary Terms Flashcards

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Plot

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The sequence of events in a story, showing what happens from the beginning to the end, including the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

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Theme

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The central idea or message in a story, often about friendship, bravery, or honesty.

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Internal Conflict

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A struggle within a character’s mind, such as feeling torn between two choices or having trouble making a decision.

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External Conflict

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A struggle between a character and an outside force, like another person, society, nature, or fate.

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Situational Irony

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When something happens that is the opposite of what you expect, like a fire station burning down.

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Dramatic Irony

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When the audience knows something that the characters do not, creating tension or humor.

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Foreshadowing

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A hint or clue about something that will happen later in the story, preparing the reader for what’s to come.

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Setting

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The time and place where the story takes place, including location, time period, weather, and surroundings.

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Personification

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Giving human qualities to non-human things or animals, like "The wind whispered through the trees."

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Simile

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A comparison between two things using "like" or "as," such as "Her smile was as bright as the sun."