Literary Terms and Concepts

Front

Theme

Back

The big idea or lesson learned from a story; the message the author wants to share with you. Honesty is the best policy.

Front

Plot

Back

The series of events that take place in a story, including conflict, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, flashback, foreshadowing, and suspense.

Front

Setting

Back

When and where the story takes place, including cultural setting, historical setting, and how the setting affects the story.

Front

Character

Back

A person or thing who plays a part in a story, including protagonist, antagonist, static, dynamic, flat, round, and internal response.

Front

Characterization

Back

How authors develop characters, including direct and indirect characterization.

Front

Poetry: Genre Characteristics

Back

Includes meter, structural elements, graphical elements, rhyme scheme, and internal rhyme.

Front

Drama: Genre Characteristics

Back

Includes dialogue, stage directions, and scene.

Front

Thesis

Back

The whole text is mainly about; it connects all the pieces together and helps the reader understand the main point and purpose of the writing.

Front

Features

Back

Analyze features such as references or acknowledgments to provide background information, etc.

Front

Organization

Back

The way the information is arranged in the text, including definition, classification, advantage and disadvantage, logical order, order of importance, compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, chronological order, and description.