Transcript Journal
Journal
Describe the funniest thing that has ever
happened to you.
Introduction to Literary Terms
Get ready for the time of your life.
Setting
The time and place
where the action of the
story occurs.
Example: It was
Halloween at grandma’s
house. The sky was dark,
and the wind rustled the
dead leaves as we
trudged along carrying
our empty orange
pumpkins.
Simile
A comparison of two
unlike things using
the words "like" or
“as.”
Example: Her hair
was like gravy,
running brown off her
head and clumping
up on her shoulders.
Metaphor
A comparison of two
unlike things not
using the word "like"
or "as.”
Example: Her home
was a prison.
Imagery
When a writer uses
words to paint a
picture in the mind
of the reader using
language that
appeals to the five
senses (hearing,
sight, touch, taste,
smell).
Example: Her blue
eyes were as bright
as the Sun, blue as
the sky, but soft as
silk.
Types of Imagery
Visual Imagery Imagery you can see
Auditory Imagery Imagery you can
hear
Tactile Imagery Imagery you can feel
Olfactory Imagery Imagery you can
smell
Gustatory Imagery Imagery you can
taste
Personification
Giving human
characteristics to
animals or nonhuman objects.
Example: The sun
kissed the flowers.
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues
given to the
reader to suggest
what will happen
later in a work of
literature.
Example: A castle
in a horror movie
is called Deathtrap
Hall.
Conflict
A struggle between two opposing forces.
Types: Internal and External
Internal Conflict: When a character is having a
struggle within themselves
Types of External: Person vs. Person, Person vs.
Nature, Person vs. Society, Person vs. Technology
Protagonist
The main character
in a literary work,
usually has a
mission to fulfill or
accomplish.
Antagonist
The character who
opposes the
protagonist.
Point of View
Perspective of the narrator or the
speaker
First person: Use of pronouns "I" and "me”
Second person: Use of pronouns “you” and
“we”
Third person: Uses pronouns "he", "she",
"it".
Point of View
This can also mean
perspective in terms
of which factors are
influencing the
speaker like
circumstances,
experience, setting,
etc.
Freytag’s Pyramid for Plot
Structure
Exposition
The exposition
provides the
background
information needed
to properly
understand the
story, such as the
protagonist, the
antagonist, the basic
conflict, and the
setting.
Rising Action
During the rising
action of a story,
conflicts arise and
action of the story is
propelled forward.
Climax
The climax is the
turning point of the
story, and marks a
change in the
direction of the
story.
Falling Action
During the falling
action of a story, the
conflicts that have
arisen begin to
unravel themselves,
leading to the story’s
conclusion.
Denouement
The denouement,
also known as the
resolution, of a story
occurs when all of
the conflicts in a
story are typically
resolved and the
protagonist has
either succeeded or
failed.