Glossary of Literary Terms

The events that take place in a literary work.

• Allusion

• Action

• Form

• Interpretation

An extended metaphor that presents objects, events, or characters in a narrative. These items represent something else metaphorically.

• Allegory

• Allusion

• Metaphor

• Simile

A small reference to a person, place, passage, or object in another literary work or history.

• allegory

• antagonist

• protagonist

• allusion

A person, human or non-human, in the story. This may also refer to a person's traits.

• Point-of-View

• Voice

• Character

• Context

The author's attitude towards the story and/or the story's readers.

• Mood

• Irony

• Tone

• Form

The struggle between opposing forces. The conflict often provide the main ACTION and spotlights the literary plot.

• Plot

• Antagonist

• Mood

• Conflict

The literary work's meaning or lesson taught.

• Theme

• Symbol

• Context

• Point of View

The atmosphere in a literary work meant to evoke certain feelings from a reader.

• Tone

• Point of View

• Mood

• Voice

Conditions beyond the literary work that may hold relevance to understanding the story's meaning.

• Action

• Allegory

• Context

• Interpretation

The speaker in a literary work of prose.

• Voice

• Narrator

• Protagonist

• Antagonist