Glossary
Actions
What a character does within the narrative, which often reveals their personality, motivations, and values more effectively than direct description.
Example:
Despite his fear, the knight's actions of charging the dragon alone demonstrated his unwavering courage and loyalty.
Analysis
The explanation of *how* and *why* the chosen evidence supports the thesis statement, connecting textual details to broader interpretations.
Example:
The analysis of the character's repeated hand-washing goes beyond simply stating the action; it explains how this ritual reveals her obsessive guilt and psychological distress.
Atmosphere
The prevailing mood or emotional tone of a literary work, often created through setting, imagery, and word choice.
Example:
The constant rain and fog in the detective novel created a gloomy and mysterious atmosphere, mirroring the protagonist's internal struggle.
Character Analysis
The process of examining a character's traits, motivations, and development within a story, often through their actions, dialogue, and descriptions.
Example:
When performing a character analysis of Jay Gatsby, one might explore how his lavish parties and isolated demeanor reveal his deep longing for Daisy.
Climax
The turning point of the story, where the main conflict reaches its peak and the outcome becomes clear.
Example:
The moment Romeo and Juliet secretly marry is often considered the climax of the play, as it marks the point of no return for their tragic love.
Conflict
The struggle between opposing forces that drives the plot of a story, which can be internal (within a character) or external (between characters or forces).
Example:
The central conflict in 'The Old Man and the Sea' is Santiago's epic struggle against the marlin, symbolizing humanity's battle with nature.
Descriptions
The details provided by the narrator about characters, settings, or objects, which help readers visualize and understand the story's elements.
Example:
The vivid descriptions of the decaying mansion in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' immediately establish a gothic and ominous atmosphere.
Dialogue
The spoken words exchanged between characters in a literary work, which can reveal character traits, advance the plot, or establish tone.
Example:
The sharp, witty dialogue between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in 'Pride and Prejudice' highlights their initial animosity and intellectual sparring.
Dramatic Situation
The underlying conflict or tension that forms the basis of the plot, creating suspense and driving the narrative forward.
Example:
The dramatic situation of a lone astronaut stranded on Mars immediately establishes a high-stakes struggle for survival.
Evidence
Specific textual details, direct quotes, or paraphrased passages from the literary work used to support claims and arguments in an analysis.
Example:
As evidence for the character's generosity, one might cite the scene where she anonymously donates a significant portion of her savings to charity.
Exposition
The beginning of a story where background information about the characters, setting, and basic situation is introduced.
Example:
The opening chapters of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' provide the exposition, introducing Harry's miserable life with the Dursleys and the magical world's existence.
Falling Action
The events that occur after the climax, leading towards the resolution, where conflicts begin to unravel.
Example:
After the monster's defeat, the heroes' journey home and their recovery from injuries represent the falling action of the epic.
Figurative Language
Language that uses figures of speech to go beyond the literal meaning of words, creating deeper meaning, vividness, or emotional intensity.
Example:
Poets often employ figurative language like personification or hyperbole to evoke strong emotions and complex ideas in their verses.
Figurative Reading
Interpreting a text by understanding its symbolic, metaphorical, or deeper meanings beyond the literal words.
Example:
A figurative reading of a character's 'cold heart' would understand it to mean they are emotionally distant or cruel, not that their organ is literally frozen.
First-person
A point of view where the narrator is a character in the story and tells it using 'I' or 'we,' offering a subjective and limited perspective.
Example:
In 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' the story is told from a first-person perspective by Scout Finch, allowing readers to experience Maycomb through her young eyes.
Flashback
A literary device that interrupts the chronological sequence of events to present an earlier event or scene, often to provide background information.
Example:
A sudden flashback to the protagonist's childhood trauma explains their current fear of enclosed spaces.
Geographical Location
The specific physical place where a story unfolds, which can include details like climate, landscape, and architecture.
Example:
The isolated, rural geographical location of Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' contributes to the chilling normalcy of its horrific ritual.
Imagery
Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch), creating vivid mental pictures for the reader.
Example:
The author used rich imagery to describe the forest: 'the scent of damp earth and pine needles, the rustle of dry leaves underfoot, and the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy.'
In Media Res
A narrative technique where the story begins in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning, immediately engaging the reader.
Example:
Homer's 'The Odyssey' famously begins in media res, with Odysseus already on his long journey home, rather than detailing his departure from Troy.
Literal Reading
Interpreting a text based on the explicit, surface-level meaning of the words, without looking for deeper or symbolic significance.
Example:
A literal reading of 'It was raining cats and dogs' would suggest animals were falling from the sky, rather than simply heavy rain.
Literary Analysis
The process of examining a literary text in detail to understand its meaning, structure, and the author's craft, typically presented as a well-supported argument.
Example:
A strong literary analysis of 'The Catcher in the Rye' would explore how Holden Caulfield's alienation is conveyed through his cynical narration and observations.
Literary Interpretation
The act of explaining the meaning or significance of a literary text, often by analyzing its various elements and their effects.
Example:
A literary interpretation of 'The Yellow Wallpaper' might argue that the wallpaper symbolizes the narrator's trapped mental state and societal oppression.
Metaphor
A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as,' stating that one thing *is* another.
Example:
Shakespeare's line 'All the world's a stage' is a famous metaphor, comparing life to a theatrical performance.
Motivations
The reasons or impulses that drive a character's actions, decisions, and behaviors within a story.
Example:
Scrooge's motivations for his miserly behavior are gradually revealed to be rooted in past hurts and a fear of vulnerability.
Narrator
The voice that tells the story, which can be a character within the story or an outside observer.
Example:
In 'The Great Gatsby,' Nick Carraway serves as the narrator, offering his subjective observations of the events and characters.
POV (Point of View)
The narrative mode or perspective from which a story is told, determining whose thoughts and feelings the reader has access to.
Example:
The shift in POV from a child's innocent perspective to an adult's cynical one can drastically alter the reader's understanding of a past event.
Perspective
The lens through which a character or narrator views the events of a story, shaped by their background, beliefs, and experiences.
Example:
A child's perspective on a family argument might focus on the loud noises and scary faces, rather than the complex underlying issues.
Plot
The sequence of interconnected events that make up a story, typically including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Example:
The intricate plot of a mystery novel often involves a series of clues, red herrings, and unexpected twists leading to the revelation of the culprit.
Relationships
The connections and interactions between characters, which often drive the plot and reveal character development.
Example:
The strained relationships between the siblings in the story, marked by unspoken resentments, ultimately lead to the family's downfall.
Resolution
The conclusion of the story where the main conflicts are resolved, and the narrative comes to a close.
Example:
The final scene, where the protagonist finds peace and forgiveness, provides a satisfying resolution to their long internal struggle.
Rising Action
The series of events in a plot that build suspense and lead up to the climax, often involving complications and character development.
Example:
The numerous challenges and encounters Dorothy faces on the Yellow Brick Road constitute the rising action of 'The Wizard of Oz'.
Sequencing
The order in which events are presented in a story, which can be chronological, non-linear, or employ techniques like flashbacks.
Example:
The author's deliberate sequencing of events, starting with the tragic ending and then revealing the past, creates a profound sense of dramatic irony.
Setting
The time, place, and social environment in which a story takes place, influencing the narrative, characters, and themes.
Example:
The desolate, futuristic setting of 'The Road' emphasizes the themes of survival and the loss of humanity.
Short Fiction
A genre of prose narrative that is typically shorter than a novel and focuses on a single plot line or a limited number of characters.
Example:
Ernest Hemingway's 'Hills Like White Elephants' is a classic example of short fiction that explores complex themes through concise dialogue.
Simile
A figure of speech that compares two unlike things using 'like' or 'as,' creating a vivid image or connection.
Example:
Her smile was like the sun breaking through clouds, instantly brightening the room.
Social Environment
The cultural, economic, and political conditions, as well as the prevailing customs and values, that shape the characters' lives.
Example:
The rigid class structure and expectations of the social environment in 'The Great Gatsby' are central to the tragic pursuit of the American Dream.
Speaker
The voice that delivers a poem or monologue, distinct from the author, and whose perspective shapes the poem's meaning.
Example:
The speaker in Robert Frost's 'The Road Not Taken' reflects on a past decision, though the poem doesn't necessarily reveal Frost's own life choices.
Suspense
A feeling of anxious uncertainty or excitement about what will happen next in a story, often created through pacing, foreshadowing, and plot twists.
Example:
The slow, deliberate footsteps heard outside the cabin in the dark night built intense suspense, making the reader dread what was to come.
Symbolism
The use of objects, people, or ideas to represent something else, often an abstract concept or a deeper meaning.
Example:
The mockingbird in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a powerful example of symbolism, representing innocence and those who are vulnerable and harmless.
Symbolize Themes
When an element within a story (like a setting, object, or character) represents or stands for a larger abstract idea or message.
Example:
The green light at the end of Daisy's dock in 'The Great Gatsby' symbolizes themes of unattainable dreams and the elusive past.
Textual Details
Specific words, phrases, or sentences from a text that provide evidence or information about characters, setting, plot, or themes.
Example:
The author's repeated use of the phrase 'cold, unfeeling eyes' serves as a crucial textual detail to convey the villain's lack of empathy.
Thesis Statement
A concise sentence or two that presents the main argument or controlling idea of a literary analysis essay, guiding the entire discussion.
Example:
My thesis statement argues that the recurring motif of birds in 'The Awakening' symbolizes Edna Pontellier's yearning for freedom and ultimate entrapment.
Third-person limited
A point of view where the narrator is outside the story and uses 'he,' 'she,' or 'they,' but only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.
Example:
In a third-person limited narrative, we might know exactly what the detective is thinking as he examines clues, but not the suspect's inner turmoil.
Third-person omniscient
A point of view where the narrator is outside the story and knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters, offering a broad and objective perspective.
Example:
A third-person omniscient narrator can reveal the secret fears of the king, the hidden hopes of the peasant, and the true intentions of the villain all at once.
Time Period
The historical era or specific moment in time when a story is set, influencing social norms, technology, and character behaviors.
Example:
The Victorian time period of 'Jane Eyre' is crucial to understanding the restrictive societal expectations placed upon women.
Unreliable Narrator
A narrator whose credibility has been compromised, often due to bias, mental instability, or a lack of full understanding, leading the reader to question their account.
Example:
The narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' is an unreliable narrator, whose insistence on his sanity only serves to highlight his madness.