Revision on Literary Terms in Literature - JSS3 English language Lesson Note
Key Literary Terms and Their Definitions
1. Allegory: A story where characters and events represent deeper meanings, often moral or political. Example: "Animal Farm" by George Orwell symbolises the Russian Revolution.
2. Alliteration: Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.
Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."
3. Allusion: A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of art. Example: Referring to someone as a "Good Samaritan" is an allusion to the biblical story.
4. Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist. Example: Darth Vader in "Star Wars."
5. Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.
Example: "The early bird catches the worm."
6. Characterization: How an author develops characters.
Direct Characterization: The author explicitly describes a character.
Indirect Characterization: The author shows the character through actions, dialogue, and interactions.
7. Climax: The most intense, exciting, or important point in a story. Example: The final battle in a superhero movie.
8. Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces.
Types: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Self.
9. Foreshadowing: Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.
Example: Dark clouds foreshadow a storm.
10.Hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration for effect.
Example: "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."
11. Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses.
- Example: "The fresh, juicy orange was sweet and tangy."
12. Irony: When what happens is opposite of what is expected.
- Types: Verbal Irony, Situational Irony, Dramatic Irony.
13. Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
Example: "Time is a thief."
14. Mood: The feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.
- Example: The mood of "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe is suspenseful and eerie.
15. Narrator: The person telling the story.
- Types: First-person, second-person, third person (limited, omniscient).
16. Onomatopoeia: A word that imitates a sound.
- Example: "Buzz," "hiss," "roar."
17. Personification: Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.
- Example: "The wind whispered through the trees."
18. Plot: The sequence of events in a story.
- Elements: Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution.
19. Point of View: The perspective from which a story is told.
- Types: First-person, third person limited, third-person omniscient.
20. Protagonist: The main character in a story.
- Example: Harry Potter in the "Harry Potter" series.
21. Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as."
- Example: "She was as brave as a lion."
22. Symbolism: Using symbols to signify ideas and qualities.
- Example: A dove often symbolises peace.
23. Theme: The central idea or message in a story.
- Example: The theme of love and sacrifice in "Romeo and Juliet."
24. Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject.
- Example: The tone of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is both serious and warm.
25. Understatement: Making something seem less important than it is.
- Example: Saying "It's a bit chilly" in freezing weather.