Academic Literary Terms

Major Theme

• the most important lesson or moral in a piece of literature, repeated most often
• a lesson theme or moral mentioned in a small part of a text, briefly mentioned
• a brief statement, set of statement which go over the main points of a story, including the theme and/or central idea
• the lesson or moral within the story either major or minor

Theme

• the most important lesson or moral in a piece of literature, repeated most often
• a lesson theme or moral mentioned in a small part of a text, briefly mentioned
• a brief statement, set of statement which go over the main points of a story, including the theme and/or central idea
• the lesson or moral within the story either major or minor

Minor Theme

• a lesson theme or moral mentioned in a small part of a text, briefly mentioned
• the most important lesson or moral in a piece of literature, repeated most often
• the lesson or moral within the story either major or minor
• a brief statement, set of statement which go over the main points of a story, including the theme and/or central idea

Summary

• the lesson or moral within the story either major or minor
• the most important lesson or moral in a piece of literature, repeated most often
• a brief statement, set of statement which go over the main points of a story, including the theme and/or central idea
• a lesson theme or moral mentioned in a small part of a text, briefly mentioned

a statement of truth which can be backed up by reasons and evidence

• claim
• ineffective claims
• effective claims
• opinions
• reasons

claims that are not supported by reasons and evidence

• ineffective claims
• claim
• effective claims
• opinions
• reasons

claims that are supported by reasons and evidence

• claim
• inffective claims
• effective claims
• opinions
• reasons

how a writer feels about a certain topic, situation, or statement

• claim
• ineffective claims
• effective claims
• opinions
• reasons

the highest point of action/tension in a literary/fiction text

• climax
• plot structure
• exposition
• falling action
• rising action

explanation/introduction of a story

• exposition
• plot structure
• climax
• falling action
• rising action