LITERARY TERMS

THEME =the central idea of the text ; it raises a question about human nature or
experience.
SUBJECT = the sequence of events the characters are involved in .
PLOT = the sequence of conflicts that lead to a climax and resolution that makes sense ;
the plot can be chronological when the events are presented in chronological order
disrup!d when the events are presented as they come to the mind of the
narrator
"ra#! sor$ % a story within a story (ex. he !anterbury ales"
#he parts of the plot are $
% he !&posiion ( the information telling us how and why the characters became
involved in the conflict"
% he iniiaing acion (the event that brings the opposing forces into conflict "
% he rising acion (the gradual advancement of the conflict ;the problems faced by the
characters "
% he CLIMA' (he point of highest interest &in which the protagonist takes
consciously or not% the action that will determine the future course of events "
% he dnou!#!n or resolution ' the incidents by which the conflict caused by the
initiating action is resolved .
CHARACTERS can be $ round (complex "
or "la (simple & dominated by one feature "

saic (doesn(t change from the beginning to the end "
or d$na#ic ( it undergoes changes for the better ) worse "
* character can be governed by pu(lic )alu!s (courage &modesty& faith." or by
pri)a! )alu!s ( intelligence &beauty"
* character can one of these $
% a god (he)she is divine & superior to other beings "'+ a myth
% a godli*! (he)she is a superior human being whose actions are marvellous" '+ a
legend ,a fairy-tale or a folk-tale
% a h!ro (he)she is a leader whose actions & either good or bad & are courageous"
'+an epic or a tragedy
% a non+h!ro (one of us & not superior to other people "'+ a realistic novel or a
comedy
% an ani+h!ro ( he)she is of inferior intelligence to us ; the story is one of bondage &
frustration & absurdity " '+ modernist , postmodernist and absurd literature
SETTI,- = the background ( time& space &season& weather elements& physical props&
clothing &cultural elements "against which the conflict and actions occur . ,t is strictly
connected with the plot& atmosphere & characters& the tone and even the message of the
work.
POI,T O. /IE0 = the approach from which the story is told .,t determines what
information the reader receives and how it is presented .
* first person narrative ( the story is told by one of the characters from a -first
person(s approach( "
#a third person narrative ( the story is told by the author or an observer &from a
(third person(s perspective "
O#nisci!n poin o" )i!1 = the narrator ( the author " pretends to know everything
about the characters and the action ; the reader has to take his)her information for
granted .(ex. h. .ardy /ess.."(%third person"
2!ach!d auo(iograph$ = the story is told by one of the characters tells the story long
after the events occurred & in a frame of mind greatly changed since the time of the
story &even due to the lesson learned from the experience .(ex. !h. 0ickens /1reat
2xpectations"(%3
st
person"
Su(3!ci)! narraion =(3
st
pers." the story is told by one of the characters shortly after
the conclusion of the events &still under their influence& in a sub4ective manner . .e
is addressing us &not the general publicor another character .(ex. 5ark
wain.uckleberry 6inn"
O(3!ci)! narraion = ( 7
rd
pers." the narrator reduces his role to that of an
eyewitness &chooses not to present inner life & dealing with the surface of things &
the way a camera does .( ex 2rnest .emingway"
O(s!r)!r narraion = (3
st
pers.87
rd
pers." it is a single character%point of view &of a
subordinate one & indirectly involved in the action ;he assumes several roles $ he may be a
confident of the main character& or an eye%witness& or he may find out things from other
characters .(ex. 9ick !arraway in /:. 6it;gerald(s 1reat 1atsby or 5r. <ockwood in
2 .=ronte(s >uthering .eights "
Mulipl! poin o" )i!1 = the main character is explained by means of the response of the
other characters (ex. .. ?ames / he @ortrait of * <ady"
In!rior #onologu! ( stream of consciousness"' the mental processes rendered$
directly as they occur & in the 3
st
person (dir!c in!rior #onologu!" or indirectly as if
explained & in the 7
rd
person (indir!c in!rior #onologu! ".
2ra#aic #onologu! = we overhear somebody speaking aloud to another person &which
allows the character to reveal &explain or betray himself)herself( ex. 2.*.@oe he ell%
ale .eart"
2iar$ narraion = a3st pers. narrative recording responses to events as they occur
( :amuel @epys "
Ton! = the attitude of the author vs. the sub4ect)character(s".,t can be sympathetic&
critical& ironical& sad & bitter& funny& sarcastic etc.
M!ssag! ' the lesson learned

All!gor$ = a narrative in verse or prose & in which characters & action and sometimes
setting represent abstract concepts apart from the literary sense of the story ; the
characters are often personifications of abstract ideas .(ex. 0ante(s -,nferno("
Arch!$p! = a symbol & story pattern & or character type that recurs frequently in
literature evoking associations with the original one ( ex. -!ain and *bel(+(*bsalom&
*bsalom("
Alli!raion = the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning or within the word
( -the furrow followed free(% :. .!oleridge"
Assonanc! = the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant
sounds in stressed syllables (ex. $-can hate be bate A("
Blan* )!rs! = unrhymed iambic pentameter (ex. $5ilton% -@aradise <ost($
-, may assert 2ternal @rovidence ) *nd 4ustify the ways of 1od to men .( "

Epic = a narrative poem (usually handed down in oral tradition " dealing with heroes and
adventures (ex.$ (he Bdyssey("
Epih!= a descriptive expression mentioning a quality of a person or ob4ect being
described (ex .$ -the silent moon("
.or!shado1ing =a clue given to the reader for what is going to happen .
.r!! )!rs! = a type of poetry & free from conventional verse forms(metre & rhyme" but
using rhythm (ex. > .>hitman(s (:ong of 5yself("
In!rnal rh$#!= a type of rhyme that matches stressed syllables or words in the middle
and the end of a line .(ex$- >e were the first that ever burst /,nto that silent sea ."
M!aphor = a comparison from which the real term was replaced by the comparing
one $( * precious stone into the silver sea - ' 2ngland (:hakespeare"
M$h = a traditional story connected to the beliefs of a people (it has less historical
background than the legend ex. @rometheus C Ding *rthur"
Para(l! = a brief fictional work that illustrates or teaches a lesson of lie (ex$ (he parable
of the prodigal son "
S$nacical parall!lis#= the repetition of the same syntactical structure in two or more
subsequent sentences ( - :o long as man can breathe and eyes can see)
:o long lives this & and this gives life to thee.(% :hakespeare & :onnet3E"
Parod$ = an imitation of a serious work ( !ervante (s -0on Fixote(' a parody of
romances of chivalry"
P!rsoni"icaion = attributing an abstract or lifeless thing human qualities (ex$
-9or shall 0eath brag thou wonders in .,: shade.( :hakespeare& :onnet3E"
Sair! = social and political criticism by means of witty ridiculing a character with the
intention of self%reform; irony and sarcasm are forms of satire ( irony triggers laughter &
sarcasm is more biting and bitter ex$ ?. :wift"

Solilo4ui = a long monologue of a character in which he)she speak their mind
(-.amlet( -o be or not to be.("
S$#(ol= a concrete image that signifies something bigger ) greater ) loftier