This page provides all of the literary term definitions for the summer reading project. Use this page to define unfamiliar literary terms, to help you answer questions, and to guide you through any unfamiliar sections.
As always, feel free to post a comment or a question if you have any confusion about any terms listed below.
If you would like a copy of the information found below, click HERE to access that information in a word document.
Literary Term Entries
The Plotline
(The action or sequence of events in a story, often limited to fiction.)
Exposition- The beginning portion of fiction where the reader is introduced to the story. Once the author, setting, characters, genre, mood, tone, and initial actions or events of a piece of fiction have been identified, this generally represents the exposition.
Rising Action- The separate actions/ events in fiction that occur after the exposition and before the climax.
Climax- The high point or turning point in a story. The entire story leads up to this crucial event.
Falling Action- The separate actions/ events that occur directly after the climax.
Resolution- The final outcome of the story.
Analytical Entries
Fiction- A story that is made up by an author
Non-fiction- Writing that is true/ has actually happened.
Characters- People or representations of people in fiction.
Characterization- Authors must describe the characters in their writing. The author reveals or describes their characters in two ways: physically (what they look like) and their psychologically (their personalities, or how they act).
Protagonist- The MAIN character of the story.
Setting- The time and place where the story occurs.
Narrator- The voice or person who is telling the story.
- 1st Person- The narrator is telling the story about themselves. In 1st person, the narrator will use words such as ‘me’ and ‘I’ to talk about things.
- 3rd Person- The narrator is telling the story about someone else. In 3rd person, the narrator will use words such as ‘they’, ‘he’, and ‘she’ to talk about things.
- 3rd Person Omniscient- This is similar to 3rd person, but the narrator is able to tell what the characters are thinking and feeling. 3rd Person Omniscient gives the reader inside information about characters that maybe even the characters themselves do not know.
Foreshadowing- Hints or clues about what happens later in the story.
Mood- How they author tries to have YOU (the reader) feel about what they are writing.
Tone- The AUTHOR’s feeling about what s/he is writing.
Irony- a word or phrase that means the exact opposite of its normal meaning.
Symbol- A person, place, or thing that represents something else. (Example- the dove is a symbol of peace.)
Conflict- The problems in any piece of fiction or non-fiction.
Theme- Universal human ideas that anyone can relate to. (For example- love, hate, suffering, success, etc.)
Descriptive Entries
Summary- Identify the most important details that best represent what is going on in the book. Identify characters, conflicts and themes, and important actions and events that occur. Each summary must be a paragraph containing about 150 words.
Questions- One of the tell-tale signs of an excellent reader is that they ask questions about what they are reading. While reading, keep track of any questions that pop into your head. These are the questions you will use to complete your project assignment. You will be required to write five questions for part one, five questions for part two, and five questions for part three of your project (15 questions in total).
Prediction- After you identify the main characters and the setting of a book you have enough information to make an educated prediction about what you think will happen later on in the story. As you continue reading, check your predictions to see if you were right or wrong. As you continue reading, change your predictions to reflect further information you have found out. Remember, when you make a prediction there is no right or wrong idea about what you think is going to happen…
Quote Analysis- Choose any sentence or passage that you like from the book while you are reading. Copy the quote and then write a brief paragraph (at least five sentences) explaining why you chose that quote.
Definition- It is impossible to understand what you are reading unless you know what the words mean. While you read, identify and define words that you do not know. You may use a dictionary, the internet, or a smart person with a wide (and accurate) vocabulary to help you out. If there are no words that are unfamiliar to you pick out words that you think are fascinating and describe why you like the word and what it means.
Connection- When you compare what you are reading to current events, other classes, life experiences, or historical events, you are able to understand the story better. In this section you will write down anything that seems familiar to you from the book you are reading. It could be an experience you had, a thought that once ran through your mind, anything! If you think about it when you are reading the book, it’s a connection!
Opinion- This is where you decide how YOU feel about what you read. Did you love it? Was it horrible? This is your opportunity to own your experience with this book. Have fun!
