LITERARY ELEMENTS ENGLISH I-PreAP

1. LITERARY ELEMENTS ENGLISH I-PreAP

2. "The House on Mango Street"

3. Elements to Notate Anaphora Imagery Parallelism Repetition Foreshadowing Alliteration Personification Simile External Conflict Shift in Tone Internal Conflict

4. anaphora A special type of repetition with a repeated element at the beginning.

5. anaphora • It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief...” • Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities EXAMPLE • “Before that we lived on Loomis… and before that we lived on Keeler. Before Keeler is was Paulina, and before that I…” (3). • Cisneros, The House on Mango Street

6. Parallelism The coordination of sentence syntax, word order and ideas. Also known as parallel structure.

7. parallelism “The house on Mango Street is ours, and we don’t have to pay rent to anybody, or share the yard with the people downstairs, or be careful not to make too much noise, and there isn’t a landlord banging on the ceiling with a broom” (3). EXAMPLE

8. foreshadowing Hints about events to come; used to create interest or suspense.

9. foreshadowing “But even so, it’s not the house we’d thought we’d get” (3). EXAMPLE

10. external conflict • The protagonist’s struggle against an outside force. • Man vs. Man • Man vs. Nature • Man vs. Supernatural

11. external conflict “We had to leave the flat on Loomis quick. The water pipes broke and the landlord wouldn’t fix them…” (4). EXAMPLE

12. simile Comparison of two things using “like” or “as”

13. simile “And inside would have real stairs, not hallway stairs, but stairs inside like the houses on T.V.” (4). EXAMPLE

14. personification Human-like qualities are given to inanimate objects.

15. personification “…windows so small you’d think they were holding their breath …front door is so swollen you have to push hard to get in” (4). EXAMPLE

16. imagery Words or phrases that create pictures, or images, in the reader’s mind. These images are primarily visual.

17. imagery “But the house on Mango Street…” ¶ (4). EXAMPLE

18. repetition Word, sound, phrase or idea used for emphasis. Used often in persuasive speeches. The author is usually trying to convey a message.

19. repetition “small” is repeated 5 times in 1¶ (4). The word there is repeated 5 times (5). EXAMPLE

20. internal conflict When the protagonist is in conflict with himself/herself.

21. internal conflict “The way she said it made me feel like nothing” (4). EXAMPLE

22. alliteration The repetition of initial consonant sounds

23. alliteration . “great big yard and grass growing…” (4). “had been boarded up because” (4). EXAMPLE

24. ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS

25. bildungsroman A piece of literature that deals with the protagonist growing from childhood to adulthood; coming of age

26. bildungsroman • The House on Mango Street • To Kill a Mockingbird • The Secret Life of Bees • Harry Potter series • 13 Going on 30 EXAMPLE

27. tone The attitude a writer takes toward his/her subject, characters and readers. Through tone the author can amuse, anger or shock the reader.

28. shift in tone Occurs when the author’s attitude shifts from one direction to another. Ex. From happy to sad

29. plot Sequence of events or actions in a story. Plots can be simple or complicated, loosely constructed or close-knit.

30. Parts of a Plot • Exposition – Introduces characters, setting and basic situation CONTINUED

31. Parts of a Plot • Rising Action – All of the events leading up to the climax; conflicts occur during this stage. CONTINUED

32. Parts of a Plot • Climax – Highest point of emotional intensity, interest or suspense. Usually marks the turning point. CONTINUED

33. Parts of a Plot • Falling Action – All of the events after the climax leading to the resolution. CONTINUED

34. Parts of a Plot • Dénouement– (Resolution) Conflict is resolved or unraveled and mysteries and secrets connected to the plot are explained. CONTINUED

35. vignette A short descriptive literary sketch; a brief incident or scene.

36. vignette Each chapter in THOMS is a vignette. They do not go into great detail, but gives a brief synopsis of events in her life. EXAMPLE

37. point-of-view View point in which the story is told.

38. point-of-view First Person When one character, usually the protagonist, describes what he/she hears, sees, experiences; the “I” view EXAMPLE

39. "Hairs"

40. symbols When something stands for something else or when something takes on another abstract meaning.

41. symbols Rain – Insecurities Mother’s Hair – Security Bread – Women’s Work EXAMPLE

42. "Boys & Girls"

43. hyperbole Figure of speech using exaggeration or overstatement for special effect.

44. hyperbole “The boys and girls live in separate worlds” (8). EXAMPLE

45. metaphor Saying one thing in terms of something else; usually compares without using “like” or “as”

46. metaphor “Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor” (9). EXAMPLE

47. "My Name"

48. allusion Reference to a person, a place, event or literary work which a writer expects the reader to recognize and respond to.

49. allusion “Chinese year…” (10) “baptize myself…” (11) “Zeze the X…” (11) EXAMPLE

50. theme Central message or main idea about life that is revealed through a literary work. THIS IS NOT A PLOT SUMMARY!!