Literary Termss

Literary Terms

Charaterization

The process in which the details about a character in a story are explained. First, the writer introduces the character with noticeable emergence. Then, the writer often talks about his behavior and the thought-processes of the character.

Direct Characterization

It happens when a writer reveals traits of a character in a straightforward manner, or through direct comments made by another character.

Indirect Characterization

The reader has to deduce the character's traits by observing the thought process, behavior, speech, way of talking, appearance, and manner of communication with other characters.

Static Character

A character that does not undergo inner changes, or undergoes a little change.

Dynamic Character

It changes during the course of a novel or a story. This change in character or his/her outlook is permanent. 

Flat Character

The audience does not know much about these characters because the writer does not provide detailed information about them.

Round Character

This character has a complex personality. Like real people, they have depth in feelings and passions. 

Plot

The events that make up a story.

Hook

It is a literary technique that writer's use to keep their readers engaged in their stories.

It may appear at the beginning of the story, may contain several pages of a novel, several paragraphs of a short story, or only an opening sentence, or a single line.

Exposition

A literary device used to introduce background information about events, settings, characters, or other elements of a story.

Rising Actions

A series of relevant incidents that create suspense, interest, and tension in a narrative. They include all decisions, characters’ flaws, and background circumstances that together create turns and twists.

Climax

The point at which a conflict or crisis reaches its peak.

Falling Actions

When the main problem of the story resolves.

Resolution

The unfolding or solution of a complicated issue in a story.

Figurative Language

The use figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful.

Figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and allusions go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give readers new insights.

Flashback

Interruptions that writers do to insert past events, in order to provide background or context to the current events of a narrative. 

Point of View

The angle of considering things, which shows us the opinion or feelings of the individuals involved in a situation. 

Allegory

A narration or description in which events, actions, characters, settings or objects represent specific abstractions or ideas.

Hyperbole

A boldly overstated or exaggerated claim or statement that adds emphasis without the intention of being literally true.

Metaphor

 A metaphor creates implicit comparisons without the express use of “like” or “as.”

Simile

A literary device to assert similarity with the help of like or as, which are language constructs that establish equivalency. 

Conflict

A struggle between two opposing forces,

Connotation

A meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes explicitly. Words carry cultural and emotional associations or meanings, in addition to their literal meanings

Denotation

The dictionary's definition of a word.

Diction

Style of speaking or writing, determined by the choice of words by a speaker or a writer.