Literary Terms and Concepts

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Theme in literature

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A universal idea about life that a story is exploring, such as love, war, betrayal, honor, duty, friendship, growing up, etc.

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What is a 'Paradox' in literature?

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A statement that contradicts itself. For example, 'I am nobody.'

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Pseudonym

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A fake name, such as one an author may write under.

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Autobiography

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When someone writes the story of their OWN life, it is their autobiography.

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Biography

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If I were to write the story of someone ELSE’S life, I would be writing a biography of that person.

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Nonfiction

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A text that is factual, not made up.

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Fiction

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A story or text based on made-up events that did not really happen.

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What is a 'Genre' in literature?

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The category in which a story belongs, such as historical fiction, science fiction, romance, mystery, etc.

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Plot

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The events of the story.

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What is 'Suspense' in a story?

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The feeling of dread and anticipation that the author can create to make us wonder what will happen next.