Literary Theory Terms

Grade 9 · English · Flashcards

Master the key vocabulary of literary analysis and critical theory used to interpret texts at a high school level.

Flashcards

Theme: The central message or insight about human experience that a literary work conveys.
Motif: A recurring element — image, symbol, phrase, or idea — that reinforces the work's theme.
Allegory: A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral/political truths (e.g., Animal Farm).
Archetype: A universally recognizable character type, symbol, or situation (e.g., the hero's journey, the trickster).
Foil: A character whose contrasting traits highlight or emphasize the qualities of another character.
Irony (Dramatic): When the audience knows something that a character does not, creating tension or dark humor.
Irony (Situational): When what actually happens is the opposite of what was expected.
Irony (Verbal): When a speaker says the opposite of what they mean; sarcasm is a harsh form.
Narrator (Unreliable): A narrator whose account of events is biased, mistaken, or deliberately deceptive, requiring the reader to read critically.
Point of View (Third-Person Omniscient): Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters and can move freely across time and place.
Diction: The deliberate word choice an author makes to create tone, voice, and meaning.
Syntax: The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences; used deliberately for effect.
Tone: The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through diction and style (e.g., bitter, hopeful, ironic).