Literary Terms
East of Eden
Stuff you already know
• You will be reviewing literary terms that
you have already learned.
• If you know the term and can think of an
example, do not write the definition
• Write the term and your original
example. (that is evidence that you
indeed know it so well that you can
create your own!)
Stuff you should know
• There will be a few terms that are new
to you or you haven’t though about in a
while.
• Write the term, definition and the
teacher example.
• To solidify it in your own mind, try
creating your own.
Make a Lil’ Book
• Put your name on the front page
• Put the title Literary Terms Review
Literary Terms – panel 1
Simile
Metaphor
• A comparison of two
unlike things using the
linking words like or as
to make the connection.
• A comparison of two
unlike things
• She was like an eagle
watching over us to be
sure we were safe.
• Francis was a small fish
in an ocean teeming
with sharks
Literary Terms – Panel 2
Litotes
• a deliberate
understatement, often
expressed negatively
Hyperbole
• Exaggeration
• I am so hungry I could
eat a horse.
• My but your Busby is
quite small for your
head, isn’t it?
Literary Terms – Panel 3
Metonymy
• a figure of speech in
which an attribute of
something is used to
stand for the thing itself,
e.g. "laurels" when it
stands for "glory“
• The office said we
couldn’t have food in
class.
Literary Terms - Panel 4
Allegory
Genre
• the symbolic expression
of a deeper meaning
through a story or scene
acted out by human,
animal, or mythical
characters
• one of the categories,
based on form, style, or
subject matter, into
which artistic works of
all kinds can be divided
Cain and
Abel
• Drama, poetry, nonfiction
Literary Terms - 6
Euphemism
• the use of a word or
phrase that is more
neutral, vague, or
indirect to replace a
direct, harsh,
unpleasant, or offensive
term
Juxtaposition
to place two or more
things together,
especially in order to
suggest a link
between them or
emphasize the
contrast between
them
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Literary Terms – panel 5
Oxymoron
•
the use of wit,
especially irony,
sarcasm, and ridicule, to
criticize faults
Paradox
• a statement, proposition,
or situation that seems
to be absurd or
contradictory, but in fact
is or may be true
• The character Tom
Hamilton is paradoxical
– can you see why?
Jumbo Shrimp
Literary Terms – panel 7
Assonance
Alliteration
• the similarity of two or
more vowel sound
• Repetition of consonant
sounds for effect
• The old cold man sold
his son.
• Wind whistled wildly
through the willows.
Flip your book inside out
Continue with terms
Literary Terms – Panel 8
Exposition
Denouement
• the part of a literary or
dramatic work in which
the basic facts of setting
and character are made
known
• a final part of a story or
drama in which
everything is made clear
and no questions or
surprises remain
Literary Terms – Panel 9
Flashback
Allusion
• a scene or event from
the past that appears in
a narrative out of
chronological order, to
fill in information or
explain something in the
present
• an indirect reference to
somebody or something
– often literary,
Biblical, or historical
Literary Terms – Panel 10
Protagonist
• a major character in a
book, play, or movie
whose values or
behavior are in conflict
with those of the hero
Antagonist
• opposition between or
among characters or
forces in a literary work
that shapes or motivates
the action of the plot
Literary Terms – Panel 11
Diction
Anecdote
• choice of words to fit
their context
• a short personal account
of an incident or event
Literary Terms – Panel 12
Tone
Oxymoron
• the general quality or
character of something
as an indicator of the
attitude or view of the
person who produced it
– a part of establishing
setting
• a phrase in which two
words of contradictory
meaning are used
together for special
effect, e.g. "wise fool"
Literary Terms – Panel 13
Zeugma
• a figure of speech in
which an adjective or
verb is used with two
nouns but is appropriate
to only one of them or
has a different sense
with each, as in "During
the race he broke the
record and his leg"
Aphorism
• a succinct statement
expressing an opinion or
a general truth
Literary Terms – Panel 13
Pun
Personification
• a humorous use of words
that involves a word or
phrase that has more
than one possible
meaning
• the attribution of human
qualities to objects or
abstract notions
Now what
• Look through your
little booklet – scan
both sides.
• All the terms you were
able to create your
own “fresh” examples
– give yourself a star.
• You know them and
you will not need to do
much but look them
over prior to our test.
Next
• Place a check on any
panel that you think
you need to review
and before you see
these terms again.
Last Panel
• Jot down the list of
terms you will be
studying before we
take the test on book
one.
Exit Response
• Use a half sheet of paper
and answer the
following three
questions in complete
sentences.
1. What is one literary
term I know well?
2. What is one literary
term I will have to think
about?
3. Why were checking and
listing the terms I may
need to review and
important part of the
study process?