Prologue
The opening of a novel or play used to set the mood and to give a brief history up to this point of the story.
Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whole misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
-Prologue, William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Epilogue
Comes after the conclusion of the story and often tells of the fate of the characters in that story. Also serves to tie up any loose ends not addressed in the climax or conclusion. For example, the Epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling involves two of the main characters, Harry and Ginny, 19 years after they have killed Voldemort sending their own children to the same school they learned magic from.
Dialogue
Dialogue is the words spoken by characters to eachother or even to themselves in literature or in a play. Like this exchange from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Lucy:[holds out her hand]
Pleased to meet you.
[Mr. Tumnus looks at her hand curiously]
Lucy: Oh, you shake it.
Mr. Tumnus : Why?
Lucy: I don't know. People do that when they meet each other.
Antagonist
The character of a story who opposes the protagonist or main character. In Lord of The Rings, this would be Sauron to the Fellowship of the Ring.
Protagonist
The main character or hero/heroin of a story. Charlie from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Great Glass Elevator would be an example of the protagonist.
Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate sounds such as buzz or zap or pow. Often used in comic books.
Caricature
A depiction of a person, place or thing in which distinctive features are exagerated often for comedic effect.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is exageration used to enhance the story. Like saying "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse".
Simile
Using "like" or "as" to make a comparison. Like "sly as a fox".
Metaphor
A word being used to symbolize something it is not. Like saying "it's raining cats and dogs".
Point of View (click for PowerPoint)
The position a person/character tells their story from. The point of view in Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss is 3rd person because it is told by a narrator or an outsiders perspective.
Allieteration
Using the same consonant or consonant sound at the beginning of a series of words. Dr. Seuss used alliteration in the title of his book, The Butter Battle Book, using the B three times in succesion.
Personification
Giving inanimate objects the thoughts, feelings or charictaristics of humans. Like saying the "wheat danced and swayed in the wind".
Structure
The logical organization of the story. Most works are ordered chronologically and many are divided into chapters. Books like James and the GIant Peach by Roald Dahl are broken up into chapters and follow a chronological order from James' early life to his journey and adventures in/on the Peach.
Unity
Means to keep the same style and theme throughout a book. For example, in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Dr. Seuss doesn't change his style to a Science Fiction chapter book, but rather maintains the picture/nonsense poetry book for which he is so well known.
Direct Characterization
The author tells the reader exactly what the character is like. Tolkien is very honest and descriptive about his characters in The Hobbit, telling about all their traits, even their negative ones.
Climax
The decisive part of a novel, the point to which the entire novel builds. In Lewis' The Silver Chair, the climax of the novel is when they find the prince and he slays the evil witch.
Denouement (click for PowerPoint)
The resolution of a long, dramatic work of literature. For instance, when Frodo finally destroys the ring at the end of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy or when Harry defeats Voldemort at the end of the Harry Potter series.
Foreshadowing
Hinting at events that are coming later in the book. In Lord of the Flies, when the Lord of The Flies tells Simon they are going to have "fun", this is hinting at Simon's impending doom.
Internal Conflict
Conflict that a character deals with that is strictly in their own mind, not caused by another person or external force. May also be called a moral dillema. Hamlets famous soliloquy deals with internal conflict where the main character is trying to decide whether or not to commit suicide.
External Conflict
A conflict that is caused by an outside person or force. In Matilda, by Roald Dahl, her parents and School Principal treat her badly and try to stifle her creativity and intelligence, this is an example fo external conflict.
Mood
The overall emotional tone of a literary work. Can develop as the story does. At the beginning of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the mood is very light and carefree, but as the series progresses the mood becomes darker and less hopefull.
Tone
Attitude used in literary work towards subjects or the audience. Tone may be informal, like you're addressing an old friend or formal, you are addressing someone for whom you have a great deal of respect. The Screwtape Letters, by CS Lewis uses an informal tone because it is supposed to be casual correspondence between an Uncle and his Nephew.