Literary Terms and Definitions

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Antagonist

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The character or force who opposes the protagonist in a story.

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1st Person

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A narrative style where the story is told using first person pronouns like 'I' or 'we'.

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Climax

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The turning point of the story; the moment of greatest tension or conflict.

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Diction

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The author's intentional choice of words and vocabulary when crafting the text.

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Inciting Conflict

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An event or decision that creates a story’s problem or sets the story in motion.

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Protagonist

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The main character in a story, often facing a conflict that must be resolved.

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Theme

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The central idea or underlying message of a literary work.

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Imagery

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Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and creates vivid mental pictures.

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Foreshadowing

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A literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.

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Symbolism

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The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities in literature.