Glossary of Literature Terms

Forms of Fiction

Novels - these are long works of prose fiction, especially one that is relatively realistic.

Novella - this is a work of prose fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.

Short Story - this is a fictional narrative, usually a prose, rarely longer than thirty pages and often much briefer.

Elements of Prose Fiction

Narative Techniques - these are techniques used by the writer when writing a story.

Point of View - this is the method of narrating a short story, narrative, poem or work of nonfiction .

Characterisation - this is the presentation of a character, whether by direct discription, by showing the character in action, or by the presentation of other characters who help to define each other.

Theme - this refers to an underlying idea of the work.  It is a conception of human experience suggested by the concrete details.

Setting - This refers to the time and place a story, poem or play takes place.

Plot - This refers to the episodes in a narrative or dramatic work - that is what happens.

Style - this refers to the manner of expression, evident not only in the choice of words but also in the choice of certain kinds of sentence structure, characters, settings and themes.

Literary Devices

Irony - this refers to the contrast between what is said and what is meant.

Imagery - this refers to the words and phrases that create vivid, sensory experiences for the reader.

Symbol - this is a person, place, object or activity that stands for something beyond itself,

Satire - this is a literary technique in which ideas, costums, behaviours or institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society.

Allusion - this is reference to a historical or fictional person, place or event with which the reader is assumed to be familiar.

Structural Devices

Stream of Consciousness - this is a style of fiction that takes as its subject the flow of thought, responses and sensations of one or more characters.

Interior Monologue - this is a passage of writing which presents a character's inner thoughts and emotions in direct, sometimes disjointed or fragmentary manner.

Flashback - this is an account of conversation of na episode or event that happened before the start of the story.

Foreshadowing - this is when a writer uses hints or clues that suggests what events will occur later in the narrative.

Time Frame - this is the period in a story in which something takes place or is projected to happen.

Motif - this is a recurring word, phrase, image, object, idea or action in a work of literature.

Juxtaposition - this is the use of two themes, characters, phrases, words or situations together for comparisons or contrasts.

Eight Types Of Fictions

1. Science Fiction
2. Realistic Fiction
3. Mystery Fiction
4. Animal Fiction
5. Fantasy Fiction
6. Autobiography Fiction
7. Folktales
8. Humorous Fiction

Literary Context

Social Context - this refers to the environment of people that surrounds an intended audience.

Political Context - this reflects the environment in which something is produced indicating its purpose of agenda.

Historical Context - this reflects the time in which something takes place or was created and how that influences how you interpret it.

Religious Context  - this refers to the religion in which someone belongs to and the way in which people from different religions interpret things.

Cultural Context -  this refers to the way in which people with different cultural backgrounds interpret things.