Literature Terms

Forms of Prose Fiction

A novel is a long narative in the literary prose.

Novella- is a written, fictional prose narative longer than a novellete, but shorter than a novel.

Short story- is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narative.

Elements of Prose Fiction

Narrative techniques- the method involved in the telling of a story.

Point of view- refers to the way in which the narrator approaches his or her material and the audience.
Characterisation- the way in the which a writer creates characters in the narrative so as to attract or repel our sympathy.

Setting- the time or place in which a play takes place.

Theme- the abstract subject of a work; its central idea or ideas which may or may not be explicit or obvious.

Plot- the plan of a literary work especially of dramas and novel.

Style- the characteristic manner in which a writer expresses his or her self or the particular manner of an individual literary work.

Literary Devices
Imagery- is used in literature to refer to the discriptive language that evokes sensory experiences.

Symbol- is something that represents something else by analogy or asssociation.

Irony- a manner of speaking or writing that is disperesed through all kinds of literature; irony consists of saying one thing, while youmean another.

Satire- literature which exhibits or examine's vice and folly and makes them appear ridicubus or contemptile.

Allusion- is a figure of speech that makes a reference to be representation of a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art either directly or by implication.

Structural Devices

Stream of conciousness- is the attempt to convey all the contents of a characters mind, memory, sense perception, feelings, intuitions, thoughts- in relation to the stream of experience as it passes by often at random.

Interior manologue - an attempt to convey in the words the process of conciasness or thought.

Flashback-a sudden jump backwards in time to an earlier episode or scene in the story or a novel, play or film.

Foreshadowing- the technioque of suggestion or prefiguring a development in a literary work before it occurs.

Time Frame- ia given interval of time especially in relation to a particular event or process.

Motif- a recurrent thematic element .

Juxtaposition- to put side by side or close together.

Social - of having to do with human beings living together as a group in a situation which their dealings with one another affect their common well fare.

Political- a concern with government, the state or politics.

Historical- of or concerned with history as ascience.

Religious characterised by adherance to a religion devout, pius gladly.

Ethnic- designated or of a population subgroup having a common cultural heritage as distinguished by customs, characteristics, language, common history etc.

Moral- a practical lesson about life right and wrong conduct.

Intellectual- the ability to reason or understand.

Cultural- the training and the refinement of the intelect, interest, taste, skills and arts.

Types of Fiction

Realistic Fiction- fiction stories that take place in modern time.

Mystery/Suspence- fiction stories usually realistic, about a mysterios event which is not explined or a crime that is not solved until the end of the story to keep the reader in suspence.

Fantasy Fiction- fiction that contain elements that are not realistic; such as talking animals etc.

Science Fiction- stories which include futuristic technology; a blend of scientific fact and fictional elements.

Historic Fiction- stories which take place in a particular time period in the past.

Folktales/Tall Tales and Fairytales- are stories with no known creator and is passed down orally through cultures.