Literary Terms

Exposition

• The part of the story that introduces the main conflict.

• The beginning part of the story which gives the setting, creates the mood, presents the characters and other information needed for understanding the story.

• The climax of the story where the tension reaches its peak.

• The conclusion of the story that resolves the conflict.

Mood

• The emotional atmosphere of a story.

• The feeling the reader gets from the story.

• The main character's personality.

• The setting of the story.

Central Idea

• The main character's journey throughout the story.

• The message or lesson that ties together all the elements of the story.

• The setting and its impact on the plot.

• The author's background and its influence on the narrative.

Point of View

• The perspective from which the story is told.

• The main character's thoughts and feelings.

• The setting of the story.

• The sequence of events in the story.

Foreshadowing

• A technique used to create suspense in a story.

• An author’s use of hints or clues to suggest events that will happen later in the story.

• A method of character development through dialogue.

• The use of vivid imagery to enhance the setting.

Author’s Purpose

• To entertain the reader

• To provide a summary of events

• The author’s reason for writing a literary text. (Persuade, inform, entertain)

• To analyze character development

Infer

• Determining something not stated directly by using reasoning and evidence from the text. Use context clues and word choice.

• Making a guess based on personal opinion without any evidence.

• Identifying the main idea of a text without considering details.

• Summarizing the text in your own words without analysis.

Symbolism

• A device that uses symbols, words, people, locations, or ideas to represent something beyond the literal meaning.

• A technique used to create vivid imagery in writing.

• A method of organizing ideas in a logical sequence.

• A form of expression that relies solely on literal meanings.

Flashback

• A scene from the past.

• A type of memory loss.

• A sudden change in mood.

• A method of storytelling.

Characterization

• The way an author describes and develops the people in the story.

• The process of creating a plot for a narrative.

• The technique of using symbols to represent ideas.

• The method of organizing a story's events chronologically.