Literature & Criticism — Intro — Lingadoo Vocabulary Worksheet

Key Vocabulary

Word		Meaning	Example sentence
narrative	n.	the story or the way a story is told	The novel uses a fragmented narrative.
protagonist	n.	the main character in a story	The protagonist changes significantly by the end.
narrator	n.	the voice or person telling a story	The narrator may not be reliable.
characterisation	n.	the way a writer creates and develops characters	The characterisation is subtle and convincing.
motif	n.	a repeated image, idea, or pattern in a text	Water is a recurring motif in the poem.
imagery	n.	language that creates pictures or sensory experiences	The imagery makes the city feel alive.
irony	n.	a contrast between expectation and reality	The ending uses dramatic irony.
subtext	n.	meaning suggested but not directly stated	The dialogue has political subtext.
ambiguity	n.	the quality of having more than one possible meaning	The ambiguity of the ending invites debate.
genre	n.	a category of literature or art	The book mixes several genres.
foreshadowing	n.	hints about what will happen later	The storm is an example of foreshadowing.
allegory	n.	a story with a second symbolic meaning	The novel can be read as an allegory of power.

Common Collocations

narrative: first-person narrative, narrative structure
protagonist: female protagonist, central protagonist
narrator: unreliable narrator, first-person narrator

characterisation: complex characterisation, strong characterisation
motif: central motif, visual motif
imagery: vivid imagery, natural imagery

irony: verbal irony, use irony
subtext: emotional subtext, hidden subtext
ambiguity: deliberate ambiguity, moral ambiguity

genre: literary genre, genre convention
foreshadowing: subtle foreshadowing, use foreshadowing
allegory: political allegory, religious allegory

Language Tips

Story structure

A protagonist is the central character. A narrator tells the story.

Characterisation is how a writer presents personality, motives, and change.

Meaning and style

Imagery appeals to the senses. Subtext is meaning that is suggested rather than directly stated.

Ambiguity allows more than one interpretation.