Literary Terms Page 2

the main character in a work of fiction - the character readers would like to see succeed

a simple, brief narrative that teaches a lesson by using characters and events to stand for abstract ideas

the general term for literary techniques that portray differences between appearance and reality, expectation and result, or meaning and intention

the character who opposes the protagonist

writing or speech not meant to be interpreted literally

the descriptive or figurative language used in literature to create word pictures for readers; these pictures are created by details of sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, and movement

a story told in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama

a fictional tale that explains the actions of gods or the causes of natural phenomena

a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art

the act of creating and developing a character, either direct or indirect

the repetition of initial consonant sounds to give emphasis to words, to imitate sounds, and to create musical effects

either external or internal, a struggle between opposing forces

a type of figurative language in which a nonhuman subject is given human characteristics

a central message or insight revealed through a literary work

a message about life that can be understood by most cultures

the feeling of curiosity or uncertainty about the outcome of events in a literary work

a person, animal, or thing that takes part in the action of a literary work; these include the main, protagonist, antagonist, round, flat and dynamic characters

a writing or speech that explains a process or presents information, like the plot of the story that introduces the characters, setting, and situation

poetry not written in regular rhythmical pattern or meter

a widely told story about the past that may or may not have a foundation in fact, generally having more historical truth and less emphasis on the supernatural than does a myth