Literary Elements

2. The time and place where the story occurs
5. The “turning point” of the literary work
7. Direct speech between characters
9. The moment when all of the loose ends are tied up and all of the questions answered
10. The main character of a work – the one we “root for”
13. A struggle between two or more forces
14. A comparison that uses “like” or “as”
15. of View The perspective from which the story is told
16. a type of metaphor in which human attributes are assigned to inanimate objects or abstract ideas
18. An object, person, or place used to represent something else
19. Action The results or effects of the climax
21. The central topic, subject, or message within a story
24. Action The “first hurdles” in the literary work

1. A direct comparison that doesn’t use “like” or “as”
3. The background information given at the beginning, where we are introduced to the characters, setting, and initial conflict
4. A recurring feature of a work that develops its theme
6. A character (or thing) that is the source of conflict in a literary work Characterization: The way in which the author develops the personalities of the characters
8. Type or category in which a literary work belongs
10. The sequence of events in a work of literature
11. The author’s attitude towards the subject or events
12. Returning to an earlier time in order to clarify meaning in the present time Foreshadowing: Hinting at what is to come
17. Description evoking the use of the five senses
20. When something unexpected happens or is said
22. An extreme exaggeration
23. The emotional atmosphere of a piece – how the reader “feels”