Literary Terms

Comparison of unlike things that uses 'like', 'as', or 'than' (Ex. This room is like an oven.)

• metaphor

• simile

• analogy

• hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration (Ex. My backpack weighs a ton.)

• metaphor

• simile

• hyperbole

• understatement

A comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as' (Ex. Time is a thief.)

• simile

• metaphor

• analogy

• hyperbole

The author's attitude toward the subject or audience (Ex. The tone of a sarcastic piece is often mocking.)

• mood

• style

• tone

• theme

The sequence of events in a story (Ex. The plot of a mystery novel involves a crime and its resolution.)

• narrative

• theme

• plot

• setting

A recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story (Ex. The green light in The Great Gatsby represents hope.)

• motif

• theme

• allegory

• symbol

The emotional atmosphere of a literary work (Ex. The mood of a horror story is often suspenseful and eerie.)

• tone

• theme

• mood

• setting

The background information provided at the beginning of a story (Ex. The setting and characters are introduced.)

• exposition

• climax

• resolution

• narrative

Uses 'I' and is usually the main character in the story

• 1st person point of view

• 2nd person point of view

• 3rd person limited point of view

• 3rd person omniscient point of view

An expression that has a meaning different from the literal meaning of its words (Ex. It's raining cats and dogs.)

• metaphor

• simile

• idiom

• hyperbole