Novel Literary Terms
By: Faith Watson
1. Flashback
a scene set in a time earlier than the main story
2. Foreshadowing
a hint about what is going to happen later in a story
3.Euphemism
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant
4. Style
the particular way in which a writer uses language; created through diction (word choice) or figurative language
5. Structure
the way in which the author organizes a piece of literature
6. Inference
a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning
7. Imagery
visually descriptive or figurative language; the senses are used to create an image in a reader’s mind
8. Simile
comparing two things using “like” or “as”
9. Metapor
comparing two things without using “like” or “as”
10. Personification
giving human characteristics to inanimate objects
11. Allusion
a reference to a statement, person, place, or an event from literature, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, science, or pop culture