LITERARY TERMS

VOCABULARY WEEK 2

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Figurative languageislanguagethat uses
words or expressions with ameaningthat is
different from the literal interpretation. When a
writer uses literallanguage, he or she is
simply stating the facts as they are.

THEME

Inliterature, athemeis a common

thread or main idea that is repeated
throughout aliterarywork. The
themeof a novel or story is the major
message that organizes the entire
work.

MOOD

As aliterarydevice,moodis the
emotional feeling or atmosphere that
a work of literatureproduces in a
reader.

TONE
Tone, in written composition, is an attitude of a
writer toward a subject or an audience.Toneis
generally conveyed through the choice of words
or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular
subject. ... Thetonecan be formal, informal,
serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, and cheerful or it
may be any other existing attitudes.

IMAGERY
Imageryis theliteraryterm used for
language and description that appeals to
our five senses. When a writer attempts
to describe something so that it appeals
to our sense of smell, sight, taste, touch,
or hearing; he/she has usedimagery.

CONFLICT

Conflict in literature is a struggle between two

opposing forces, often between a protagonist
and antagonist.

METAPHOR

A comparison
without using like or
as.

SIMILE

A comparison using like

or as.

PERSONIFICATION

Giving human
attributes to an object
or animal.

HYPERBOLE

Exaggerated statements
or claims not meant to
be taken literally