Literary Terms A step to SOL Reading success. Accuracy of information Make sure the information You...
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Literary Terms A step to SOL Reading success. Accuracy of information Make sure the information You use in an essay is correct. Check the source for credibility
Accuracy of information Make sure the information You use in an
essay is correct. Check the source for credibility.
Slide 3
Allegory A story whose elements mirror another concept.
Slide 4
Alliteration Repetition of beginning consonant sounds
Slide 5
Allusion A reference to something from literature, religion,
history, or Culture that adds to the passage.
Slide 6
apostrophe Addressing something or someone not present or
unable to answer. Ex: Asking your pencil for the answer to a
difficult question on a test.
Slide 7
aside A dramatic device in which a character addresses the
audience.
Slide 8
Characterization The way the author gives us information about
characters: His hair was disheveled. He had pillow lines on his
face. His eyes kept drooping in class.
Slide 9
Citations Giving credit to a source that you use in a paper or
project In the epic poem Beowulf, Beowulf is described as Higlac's
Follower and the strongest of the Geats -- greater And stronger
than anyone anywhere in this world (BeowulfTranslations)
"BeowulfTranslations.net: Translations by Burton Raffel (1963)."
BeowulfTranslations.net: Start Page. Web. 29 Oct. 2010..
Slide 10
Cliche An overused expression As cold as ice Between the sword
and the wall Life is a bowl of cherries
Slide 11
Conflict The major problem of a story Person vs. Person Person
vs. Nature Person vs. self Person vs. society
Slide 12
Dialect The way people actually speak as shown in dialogue From
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn "Jim, this is nice," I says. "I
wouldn't want to be nowhere else but here. Pass me along another
hunk of fish and some hot corn-bread." "Well, you wouldn't a ben
here 'f it hadn't a ben for Jim. You'd a ben down dah in de woods
widout any dinner, en gittn' mos' drownded, too; dat you would,
honey. Chickens knows when it's gwyne to rain, en so do de birds,
chile."
Slide 13
Dialogue Words showing the actually conversation between
characters. After the meal, the two sat and read the paper and
spoke of the days events. Did you hear about the tornado in Kansas?
asked the wife. No, her husband responded, was it bad? Not too bad,
but it ripped a roof of a high school. I cant imagine the fear the
teachers and students felt as they knew the tornado was bearing
down on them. Do you think the Kansas schools have basements just
in case? her husband replied.
Slide 14
Diction Word choice In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
uses formal language: The stranger had entered the room with the
characteristic quietude of the profession to which he announced
himself as belonging. (chapter 4) In the hallways, students use
informal diction.
Slide 15
Drama - A story told entirely in dialogue Example: Shakespeares
play The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet ROMEO I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will
be Romeo. JULIET What man art thou that thus bescreen'd in night So
stumblest on my counsel? ROMEO By a name I know not how to tell
thee who I am: My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself, Because
it is an enemy to thee; Had I it written, I would tear the word.
JULIET My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words Of that tongue's
utterance, yet I know the sound:
Slide 16
Exaggeration Representing something in an excessive manner. In
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck learns about a girl who
was obsessed with death: she kept a scrap- book when she was alive,
and used to paste obituaries and accidents and cases of patient
suffering and write poetry after them out of her own head. (Twain
137)
Slide 17
Fiction/fictitious A story that is not true. So something that
is fictitious is not true. Excerpt from Robin Hood Robin Hood was
captain of the band of Merry Men. Next to him came Little John. He
was called Little John because he was so tall, just as Midge the
miller's son was called Much because he was so small. Robin loved
Little John best of all his friends. Little John loved Robin better
than any one else in all the world. Yet the first time they met
they fought and knocked each other about dreadfully.
Slide 18
Figurative language Using words that go beyond the literal
description to describe something. Literal Figurative We are at the
top of a very steep slope.
Slide 19
flashback When a character remembers back to events that
happened prior to the current scene in the story.
Slide 20
foreshadowing Hints an author gives about what is coming next.
Dont try to carry all those boxes up the stairs at once. Im afraid
you might fall down the stairs
Slide 21
Free verse a poem written w/o a specific rhyme or pattern Ants
by Ravi Shankar One is never alone. Saltwater taffy colored beach
blanket spread on a dirt outcropping pocked with movement.
Pell-mell tunneling, black specks the specter of beard hairs swarm,
disappear, emerge, twitch, reverse course to forage along my shin,
painting pathways with invisible pheromones that others take up in
ceaseless streams. Ordered disarray, wingless expansionists form a
colony mind, no sense of self outside the nest, expending summer to
prepare for winter, droning on through midday heat. I watch,
repose, alone.
Slide 22
Heading The titles of different sections in a paper.
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageSer
ver?pagename=program_fisheries
Slide 23
Imagery Using words to paint a picture by appealing to the Five
senses: sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch
Slide 24
Irony Contrast between expectation and reality situational
different twist from what Is expected
Slide 25
Metaphor Direct comparison between to things Example The train,
a bright blue snake, slid along the river.
Slide 26
Mood -The emotional feeling of a piece of writing Examples;
happy, tense, sad, scary, angry Excerpt from Dracula Then he took
my traps, and placed them on the ground beside me as I stood close
to a great door, old and studded with large iron nails, and set in
a projecting doorway of massive stone. I could see even in the dim
light that the stone was massively carved, but that the carving had
been much worn by time and weather. As I stood, the driver jumped
again into his seat and shook the reins. The horses started
forward, and trap and all disappeared down one of the dark
openings. I stood in silence where I was, for I did not know what
to do. Of bell or knocker there was no sign. Through these frowning
walls and dark window openings it was not likely that my voice
could penetrate. The time I waited seemed endless, and I felt
doubts and fears crowding upon me. What sort of place had I come
to, and among what kind of people?
Slide 27
narrator The character telling the story.
Slide 28
Oxymoron When a figure of speech creates a sense of confusion
or incongruity Jumbo shrimp - clean dirt
Slide 29
paradox An idea that seems to contradict itself but ends up
being true.
Slide 30
paraphrase To put someone elses idea into your own words.
Because of unsatisfactory performance and the recent economic
downturn, Im afraid that your position is no longer available, as
it will be filled by someone more able to perform the functions of
the job
Slide 31
personification Giving human qualities to non-human things. The
clock laughed at me.
Slide 32
plagiarism Copying someone elses words or ideas without giving
them credit. I knew I should have cited my sources!
Slide 33
Point of view FirstI went to the store. ThirdHe went to the
store. OmniscientHe went to the store to buy flowers to apologize
to his wife for forgetting their anniversary. LimitedHe went to the
store and bought the most expensive flowers he could find (but no
one knows why yet!)
Slide 34
Pun A pun is a play on words, here Snow White is waiting for
her pictures, prints, but Grimmy makes a play on the word
Prince.
Slide 35
Sarcasm A sharp, bitter expression often meant to criticize. I
was late to school, I forgot my homework, and my lunch got squished
in my backpack. Im having the best day of my life!
Slide 36
Setting The time and place of a story. New York City, 2008New
England, 1630
Slide 37
Simile Comparison using like or as
Slide 38
Sonnet lyric poem 14 lines, iambic pentameter
Shakespearean/English 3 quatrains and a couplet Italian/Petrarchan
2 quatrains followed by a sestet (quatrains 4 lines usually of ABAB
rhyme, sestet six lines, in a sonnet they will be rhymed)
Slide 39
Stage directions Descriptions (usually in italics) that
describe characters actions, moods, or settings in a play. Example:
Matt: (taking two steps backwards) Good grief, Dan, dont you EVER
shower?
Slide 40
Stanza Vespertina Cognito by Natasha Trethewey Overhead,
pelicans glide in threes their shadows across the sand dark
thoughts crossing the mind. Beyond the fringe of coast, shrimpers
hoist their nets, weighing the harvest against the day's losses.
Light waning, concentration is a lone gull circling what's thrown
back. Debris weights the trawl like stones. All day, this
dredgingbeneath the tug of wavesrhythm of what goes out, comes
back, comes back, comes back.Natasha Trethewey Stanza
Slide 41
summary To condense the main idea in your own words.
Slide 42
Symbol When a word represents an idea. Love Peace
Freedom/patriotism Sunrise = rebirth Sunset = death
Slide 43
Sympathetic character A character for whom the reader feels
sympathy. MISSING! Please help!
Slide 44
synonym A word that means the same thing as another word.
Example: fat obese big-boned overweight
Slide 45
theme The broad idea, moral, or message of a story. Examples:
Friendship Overcoming challenges
Slide 46
tone The attitude of the speaker Dont you take that tone with
me!
Slide 47
transition A word or phrase that bridges two different topics.
Transitional words and phrases include: For example, Similarly, On
the other hand, Another reason for _______ is __________.
Slide 48
understatement An expression of speech that contains less
strength than would be expected. Example: The hiking trail is a
little bit dangerous. Theres a slight chance of death.
Slide 49
Works cited A page at the end of an essay that gives credit to
sources.
Slide 50
Types of Writing: analytical A type of writing in which the
author analyzes something in depth. For example, analyze symbols in
a book. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge represents societys
greed.
Slide 51
Types of Writing: symbolic Writing that makes use of symbols to
convey the main idea. Example: An old man might be used to
symbolize death.
Slide 52
Types of Writing: informational Writing meant to convey
information. Example: a brochure or an encyclopedia article.
Example from Encyclopedia Britanica: Portuguese Rio Amazonas It is
the largest river in the world in volume and in area of drainage
basin; only the Nile River of eastern and northeastern Africa
exceeds it in length. It originates within 100 mi (160 km) of the
Pacific Ocean in the Peruvian Andes Mountains and flows some 4,000
mi (6,400 km) across northern Brazil into the Atlantic Ocean. Its
Peruvian length is called the Maran River, and the stretch of river
from the Brazilian border to the mouth of the Negro River is the
Solimes River.
Slide 53
Types of Writing: satire A type of writing meant to make fun of
something in order to criticize an element in society. In Swifts A
Modest Proposal, he writes about eating babies in order to solve a
hunger problem. This is an obvious exaggeration meant to raise
social awareness.
Slide 54
Types of Writing: tall tale A humorous or witty tale with
unbelievable or exaggerated elements. Example: Johnny
Appleseed
Slide 55
Types of Writing: personal essay An essay written about
personal experiences Example: the college essaydescribe a person
who has had an impact on you. A person who has had a significant
impact on my is my grandfather. Ive never known anyone more
dedicated to his job than my grandfather. Each morning, he awoke at
3 a.m. to get to the bakery
Slide 56
Types of writing: editorial A type of writing that expresses an
opinion. Example: an editorial in a newspaper. Switch Leesburg town
elections to November On Election Day, Nov. 2, Leesburg voters will
go to the polls to elect someone for the House of Representatives,
and vote on state constitutional amendments and a school bond. It
would be great if Leesburg Town voters could also vote for their
mayor and members of the Town Council in November. Leesburg and
many other towns and cities have held their elections in May for
years. In recent years however, turnout has been terrible. Despite
a vigorous mayoral election this past May, only 13 percent of
voters came to the polls, and the weather was perfect -Loudoun
Times-Mirror Friday, Oct. 29, 2010
Slide 57
Types of writing: fable A story usually containing animal
characters and a moral. Example: The Tortoise and the Hare
Slide 58
Types of writing: biography A work written about the life of
someone.
Slide 59
Types of writing: narrative Writing that tells a story
Slide 60
Legend A type of story that is thought to be based on
historical truth or values, usually containing heroic
characters.
Slide 61
Types of writing: objective Unbiased writing Informational
research papers
Slide 62
Types of writing: subjective Biased writing Commercials
Political ads
Slide 63
Archetypes: typical characters repeated in literature Villain
Dreamer Rebel Trickster
Organizational Patterns Compare/contrastpresent similarities
and differences between people, places, things, or events. Many
people think downhill skiing and cross- country skiing are similar
sports. While both require specialized ski gear, athletic fitness,
and endurance, each requires different skills. A downhill skier
travels at high speed down steep slops and must respond quickly to
sudden turns and obstacles. The skier works with gravity. In
contrast, a cross-country skier travels over fairly level trails at
a relatively slow speed, striving to maintain a steady pace. The
skier works against gravity.
Slide 66
Organizational Patterns Problem/solution In America today, many
people are distracted by their cell phones. So distracted that they
ignore their children, their teachers, their parents, and even the
laws of the road. Driving while texting or even talking leads to
more car crashes and deaths. One states response is to make driving
while using a hand-held cell phone illegal. Although this may
irritate drivers, it lowers the crashes from distracted
driving.
Slide 67
Organizational Patterns Cause/effect "Many of today's kids are
engaged in sedentary pursuits made possible by a level of
technology unthinkable as recently as 25 to 30 years ago. Computer,
video, and other virtual games, the ready availability of feature
films and games on DVD, plus high-tech advancements in
music-listening technology have come down into the range of
affordability for parents and even for the kids themselves. These
passive pursuits have produced a downside of reduced physical
activity for the kids, often with the explicit or implicit consent
of the parents.... "Other fairly recent developments have also
contributed to the alarming rise in child obesity rates. Fast food
outlets offering consumables that are both low in price and low in
nutritional content have exploded all over the American landscape
since the 1960s, especially in suburban areas close to major
highway interchanges. Kids on their lunch breaks or after school
often congregate in these fast food outlets, consuming food and
soft drinks that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and fat. Many
parents, themselves, frequently take their children to these fast
food places, thus setting an example the kids can find
justification to emulate." (MacKie Shilstone, Mackie Shilstone's
Body Plan for Kids. Basic Health Publications, 2009)
Slide 68
Organizational Patterns Spatial layoutpresenting details to
reflect their positions in space. For example: When you first enter
the high school through the north entrance, you can turn right
towards the Science Wing. Continue through this hallway, and youll
turn left onto the Social Studies hallway. Here, you can exit to
the courtyard located at the center of the school. Through the
courtyard, you can enter the back hallway, where English and
Foreign Language classes are located. From there, turn left until
you reach the main office, the nurse, and the guidance
offices.