Literary Terms Flashcards

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Theme

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The central idea of a fictional story that can teach a life lesson.

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Flashback

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A scene in a story that jumps to a time earlier than the main story

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Foreshadowing

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The use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a story.

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Conflict

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A struggle or problem in a story

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Characterization

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The features (physical or personality) of a person

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Plot

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The sequence of events in a story: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

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Dialogue

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Conversation between characters

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Symbolism

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The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

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Figurative Language

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Writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally, such as irony, metaphors, and similes.

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Thesis

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The sentence that states the purpose of an essay.