Literary Terms

a struggle or problem in a story that the main character encounters.

• Resolution

• Conflict

• Exposition

• Climax

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

• Tone

• Mood

• Plot

• Metaphor

a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work.

• Mood

• Tone

• Conflict

• Theme

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

• Rising Action

• Exposition

• Falling Action

• Conflict

A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.

• Falling Action

• Rising Action

• Conflict

• Resolution

A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.

• Conflict

• Exposition

• Resolution

• Setting

The attitude of the author or narrator in a piece of writing.

• Mood

• Tone

• Simile

• Metaphor

The conflict in the story between a character and an OUTSIDE force such as nature, technology, or another character.

• Internal Conflict

• Metaphor

• Simile

• External Conflict

The conflict of a story where a character struggles with something INSIDE themselves.

• External Conflict

• Tone

• Internal Conflict

• Mood

When the author gives hints within a story about something that is going to happen later.

• Mood

• Tone

• Simile

• Foreshadowing