LITERARY TERMS FOR THE SNIPER

1. SUSPENSE: The uncertainty, anxiety or excitement a reader feels about what is going to
happen next in a story

2. FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: This category includes similes, metaphors, personification and

hyperbole
a. SIMILE: An indirect comparison between two seemingly unlike things by using a
connective word such as like, as, than, or resembles
b. METAPHOR: A direct comparison between two unlike things without using a
connective word such as like, as, than, or resembles
c. PERSONIFICATION: A type of metaphor in which a nonhuman thing or quality is
given human characteristics or qualities
d. HYPERBOLE: Extreme exaggeration

3. SETTING: The setting of a story is made up of details about the following:

a. TIME: time of day, year, historically relevant facts
b. PLACE: specific location, country, city, planet
c. ENVIRONMENT: Describe the environment that surrounds the characters: landmarks,
buildings or other architecture, weather, etc.

4. FORESHADOWING: The authors use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in the
plot. Foreshadowing is primarily used to arouse the readers curiosity and increase suspense.

5. CHARACTERIZATION: Characterization is the way an author develops characters in a

story. Characters are developed through their
a. ACTIONS = what they do
b. APPEARANCE = hair color, eye color, height, body type, clothing, etc.
c. SPEECH = what they say to others
d. THOUGHTS = what they think