Literary+Terms

Select ONE literary term we have discussed during the short story/descriptive writing unit. Write it below, with a clear definition in your own words and an example from a story or other piece of writing. Try to describe why a writer might use this technique - what effect could it have on the reader? Make sure you post your name and block following it. //Self-effacing narrator//** A narrator who plays no obvious part in the story, is not a character in the story, does not offer an opinion on events. The opposite of intrusive narrator. Example: The Most Dangerous Game - we don't know who the narrator is, or what their opinions are. The reader gets an unbiased telling of the story and is not interrupted or distracted by an opinionated narrator. (Ms K)
 * Instructions**
 * Example

To use words to put a sound in your head. For example, the beating of the heart in the Tell Tale Heart. In this case the writer's purpose was to create more suspense and tension. (Hanut Singh)
 * Aural imagery:**

When you bring the character to life through descriptions of their physical and psychological attributes. This literary term is important because it helps us understand the characters more since it provides us with more detail and better insight to what he/she is thinking and what he/she looks like. For example, the description of Zaroff in __The Most Dangerous Game,__ "He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair was a vivid white". The effect on the reader is that it helps them to understand and care about the characters more since they are round, or well-developed. (Annice Chen, Block B)
 * //Direct Characterization//**

A literary term that is used to compare two things without using like or as. Example: Her cheeks were as red as a rose. The reader is able to understand and see things more clearly because they have something that they can relate it to. (Kimber, Block B)
 * //Simile//**

//**Situational Irony**// An event occurs that the audience/ reader does not expect to occur or the result of an action was far from what was supposed to happen. e.g. A fire station catches fire because of elementary carelessness. Irony is a type of humor. It is supposed to keep the reader entertained and hooked. (Parth Patel, Block D)

Dramatic irony is when the reader or the audience or reader knows something that has happened, but another character does not. An example of dramatic irony would be in __Lamb to the Slaughter__ when we as the readers know that Mary Maloney has killed her husband, but the policemen in the story do not know. Authors use dramatic irony to create suspense because you don't know if the character in the story/film will find out about what has happened or not. Dramatic irony also gives the reader a satisfying feeling of superiority and knowldege. (Alexander Andresen, Block D)
 * //Dramatic Irony//**

Events that occur that make it seem as if "god" or nature is toying with the characters with ironic intent. A writer might use this type of irony to make the reader laugh at the situation. e.g. Jim Fixx, the author of __The Complete Book of Running__ focused on making the public knowlegable of how healthy jogging is. He later died at the age off 55 due to a heart attack while out on a jog. (Kevin Jou, Block D)
 * //Cosmic Irony//**

Indirect characterization is when the author describes a character through dialogue or description of what he/she has done. An example of indirect characterization would be in __Lamb to the Slaughter,__ Roald Dahl describes Mary mainly through her feelings and dialogue between Patrick, the policemen, and her. Author uses indirect characterization to give us a better knowledge and understanding of the main characters. (Wani Qiu, Block D)
 * //Indirect Characterization//**

A dynamic character is a character that has a personality change within the story. At first they could be soft and sweet then later end up a evil crazed killer. A writer might use this technique because it adds a twist in the story plot and keeps the reader guessing and their interest. e.g. Mary in __Lamb To the Slaughter__ is a dynamic character, at the beginning she is soft, sweet, and a perfect house wife. Later on in the story she goes crazy and kills her husband for reasons we do not know. It makes the reader wonder how the dynamic character will end up in the end. (Liam McGrath, Block D)
 * //Dynamic Character//**

This is the main character of the story. In __The Most Dangerous Game__ the protagonist was Rainsford. In __A Tell Tale Heart__ the man that killed the old man was the protagonist. You must have a protagonist becuase that is like the main character in the story. Without the main character in your story you don't really have a story. (Bracken Wilde, Block B)
 * //Protagonist//**:

An unreliable narrator a narrator who is not trustworthy and not exactly in the right state of mind. An example of an unreliable narrator would be the narrator of a __Tell Tale Heart__ because he was obviously mad and what we are reading from his point of view is not always right. An author would use this technique because it adds a good effect and creates much more suspense than say, third person, which reveals a lot of information to the reader. The reader becomes involved in the story as they try to work out what they can believe and what they can't. (Audrey Goettl, Block B)
 * //Unreliable Narrator//**

Flat characters are the characters in a story that aren't well developed and we only know one or two characteristics about them.For example, in "Lamb to the Slaughter" the flat character would be husband because Roald Dahl doesn't describe him well and we only know a few characteristics about him. Judy Wang~Block D
 * //Flat Character//**

Setting is the surroundings, background and atmosphere of a story and where everything takes place. Setting can influence the mood of the story and can help us to understand characters and plot. In the beginning of the story “Lamb of the Slaughter, it was set in a warm and peaceful house, but at the end of the story it has become a cold blooded crime scene, developing one of Dahl's themes that appearances can be deceptive. Rachel Leung Block D
 * //Setting//**

**//Symbols//** Symbol is something in a story that stands for itself and for something else. For example flag=colored cloth and stands for a country; traffic sign=piece of metal attached to a pole and stands for a traffic law. there are two types of symbols. Universal symbol and personal symbol. In the story” __Lamb to the Slaughter''__ symbols are used very often. The house symbolizes civilized society, and Mary symbolizes hidden human instincts.

Ingmar Chen Block D

Metaphors are a way to describe a thing by not using "like" or "as". Writers can use this technique to make a story more interesting, and more realistic. The example in "There will come soft rains" is "umbrella frantically out and in".
 * //Metaphor//**

Philip Gu Block D

//**Third person omniscient p.o.v.**// Third person omniscient point of view is told by an outside narrator who knows all the events of the story, and some times this may include past and future events. In addition the author is able to move in and out by describing the thoughts and feelings of different characters moreover to put in his own interpretations and evaluations of whats happening, known as the intrusive narrator. For example in 'Lamb to the Slaughter' the author intrudes in and comments "She might just as well have hit him with a steel club." En Ping Su Block B

A round character is also known as developed or three-dimensional character. It has a lot of characteristics, that make the character seem more real. An example of a round character is Mary Maloney in the story; 'Lamb to the Slaughter'. Another example is Rainsford in 'The most Dangerous Game' Theresia de Kruijff Block D
 * //Round Character//**

Personification is the way of describing non-human objects by giving it traits of human. Example: In __The Most Dangerous Game__, author describes the coming of night as "an apprehensive night crawled slowly by." Personification makes the story more poetic, gives more suspense, and creates a vivid image of the scene. (Dong Beom Kim, Block D)
 * //Personification//**

Direct Characterization This is a technique that the author uses to describe the character by using physical features, emotional features and their mental thoughts. Basically its what the word means “ direct characterization” meaning that the author tells you their features directly instead of showing though writing the story. An author would use this if they needed to describe a character immediately at the time of the story instead of taking time to do it though the stories EX: She had long brown hair.

Taylor Block B

A Distinguishing Feature of a character is a trait that makes the character different from every other character. For example, in ' A Tell Tale Heart' Poe told us that the old man had " a pale blue eye with a film over it". In the story, only the old man had the eye so when the author talked about the eye, we knew that he was referring to the old man. (Amanda chung Block B)
 * Distinguishing Feature**

An antagonist is the character or force that is in conflict with the main character. For example, the antagonist in __The Most Dangerous Game__ would be General Zaroff since he is the one who is in conflict with the main character Rainsford. Antagonists are important because they develop other characters while providing tension to the readers. (Jae Kyun Kim Block B)
 * Antagonist**

The Climax is the moment of greatest emotional intensity in a story. For example, in 'The Tell Tale Heart", the climax is when the narrator kills the man with the vulture eye. The climax is important because if there wasn't a high point in the story, then it would be boring. (Kimberly Chen, Block D)
 * Climax**

The inciting incident is the event that sets the story in motion. An example is in __The Most Dangerous Game__, when Rainsford falls off the boat and has to swim to safety. It begins the other events of the story as he looks for shelter on the island. The inciting incident helps make the reader find some interest in the story and lets the reader know things are beginning. Benjamin Madany Block B
 * Inciting Incident**

Denouement is French for "Unknotting". A literary term that means a solution of a mystery/final unraveling of a plot, usually solution to a tragedy or catastrophe. An example of denouement is the final scene of Shakespeare's comedy, //As You Like It//, couples marry, an evildoer repents, two disguised characters are reveled for all to see, and a ruler is restored power. (Andrew Wang, Block D) Information from http://whs.wsd.wednet.edu/faculty/cloke/literaryterms.html
 * Denouement**

//**Climax**// The climax is the most exciting and intense moment of a story; a turning point of the plot. For example, in the story __Lamb To The Slaughter__, the climax there is when the woman killed her husband with the lamb leg. Everything after the climax is called the falling action. (Julia Song, Block B)

Suspense is the feeling of tension or interest or uncertainty about what will happen further in the story. For example, in 'Lamb to the Slaughter', Roald Dahl creates suspense by using foreshadowing, third person limited point of view, and plot structure. He foreshadows that the evening the story is set in will not go well by describing the husband's unusual behaviour and anxiety. He never tells us what the husband says to his wife, leaving us wondering for the remainder of the story. we have to imagine ourselves what he said, which makes us more involved. Also, there is an unexpected twist in the plot of the story which gives a great amount of tension to the reader. (Caroline Seong, Block D)
 * SUSPENSE**

Theme is the main idea or the truth about like the author is trying to tell throughout the story. For example, one theme in __Lamb to the Slaughter__ is that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The policemen thought that it was impossible for Mary to be the murderer just because she is Patrick's wife. In addition, Roald Dahl is also trying to tell us that people have many different characteristics and behaviors. These emotions can change rapidly from one to another depending on the environment or the situation he or she is in. (Marguerite Mei, Block D)
 * Theme**

Rising Action The development of the plot and complications. It is between the inciting incident and the climax. What happens in the rising action leads up to the climax. Eg: The rising action in The Tell-Tale Heart is when the madman goes to check on the old man each night and plots his murder. Alicia Block B

Static Character
 * A static character is a character who does not change drastically throughout the story. Static characters are usually supporting or not major characters. For example, Whitney in __The Most Dangerous Game__ is a static character. He does not change throughout the story and does not make a big impact on it either. (Crystal Toh, Block D)

Intrusive Narrator An intrusive narrator is a narrator who intrudes in the story. Which means a narrator who gives his or her opinion in the story. Who plays a part in the story. For example, in the short story "A Tell Tale Heart" the narrator in the beginning kept saying his opinion from his point of view. For Example,"TRUE! Nervous,very very, dreadfully nervous I had been and am".(Fatiah D'Orfeo Block B)**

Alliteration (Zach Hing, English Block B)**
 * The repetition of consonant sounds, usually from the beginning of a word. It is used in the descriptive story that we read The Game. Examples: Frozen fingers reached through frigid air, or sparkling sun, spinning towards the goalposts

Onomatopoeia is any word that imitates a sound to describe it. For example, "Bang, Boom, and Zoom" these words create an image in the reader's mind and help the author give more detail in their writing. (Eduard Tora; Block B)
 * Onomatopoeia

** Foreshadowing –When clues are given to us about the events that are coming up. An example of this is given to us in Lamb to the Slaughter, when we are told that this night was different it wasn’t the usual. The writer uses foreshadowing to create suspense. Joey Montero Block B