Cheat Sheet: Literary Terms and Devices

This list briefly describes literary terms and devices that are useful when interpreting the Scriptures. These terms and devices are common things that story tellers use or do in order to get their story across to their audience.

The contents of this list will evolve over time as more terms are used in our study of the Scriptures. The terms in the list are in alphabetical order.

• Character Establishment - The process by which an author introduces the reader to the people who will be in the story. This process usually defines the characters' background and their goals.
• Antagonist - The enemy or rival of the protagonist
• Protagonist - The main character. This is the person about whom the story is written
• Setting - The place and time where the story takes place
• Symbolism - A literary device in which an author uses one thing to represent or stand for another
• Foreshadowing - A literary device in which an author hints certain plot developments that perhaps will come to be later in the story. It is used to arouse the reader, viewer or listener about how the story will proceed and mentally prepare them for how it will unfold (from Wikipedia)
• Everyman - A character with whom everyone is supposed to identify easily.