Literary Text Analysis Flashcards

In a short story, the main character is described as determined but impatient, and these traits cause conflict throughout the plot. What literary term describes the character's personality traits and how they influence the story?

Answer: Characterization

Characterization refers to how an author develops a character's personality traits, motivations, and how those traits influence the narrative.

A poem repeats the line 'The river runs, the river runs' at the end of every stanza. What is this literary device called?

Answer: Refrain

A refrain is a line or group of lines repeated at regular intervals in a poem, similar to a chorus in a song.

What does it mean when a story is told from a FIRST-PERSON point of view?

Answer: The narrator is a character in the story and uses 'I' and 'we'

In first-person point of view, the narrator is a character within the story and uses 'I,' 'me,' 'my,' and 'we.'

In 'Romeo and Juliet,' two young people fall in love despite their families' bitter feud, and they die as a result. What is the THEME of this tragedy?

Answer: Hatred and conflict can destroy innocent lives

The central theme of Romeo and Juliet is that hatred and conflict (the feud) have tragic consequences — they destroy the innocent love of Romeo and Juliet.

In a folktale, the phrase 'Once upon a time, in a land far away' appears at the beginning. What does this phrase signal to the reader?

Answer: The story is set in an unspecified, imaginary time and place — traditional folktale elements

'Once upon a time, in a land far away' is a traditional opening formula for folktales and fairy tales, signaling an imaginary, unspecified setting that is separate from reality.

The climax of a story is BEST described as:

Answer: The moment of highest tension or turning point in the story

The climax is the moment of highest tension and emotional intensity in the story — the turning point where the main conflict reaches its peak.