iii.

Characterization: - this refers to the roles performed by each character

in a text or play. Character can be minor or major depending on the role
played by such character.
a. Minor character: - this refers to the character that takes lesser role in
a text. The name minor character is not always often mentioned in the
text e.g. Alani in Bayo Adebowale’s Lonely Days.
b. Major character: - this refers to the character who assigned major role
by the writer.
c. Flat character: - This is a character that we know little about in a
literary text.
d. Static character: - A static character does not experience change in the
course of a text. If they are good, they are good throughout the text and
vice versa.
e. Round character: - This refers to a well-developed character. Unlike
the static character, the audience knows much about the round
character, e.g. Seytu in Zainab “A” the Descendants.
f. Dynamic character: - A Dynamic character experience change in the
plot development of a text e.g. Odewale in Ola Rotimi’s, The Gods are
not to blame.
iv. Diction: - This is the author’s choice of words chosen can be simple and
clear e.g. Amma Darko ’s faceless.
v. Theme Subject/Matter/Lesson: - This refers to the author’s topic of
discussion e.g. “Widowhood” in Lonely days or racism in “Native Son”.
vi. Plot: - This refers to the sequential arrangement of events in a text. The
plot indicates how a story is connected with the other to form a chain of
connected story. It can be linear if it contains a single story line or
episodic if it contains many sub-plots.

Literary appreciation: - This refers to how the readers enjoy the reading of a
certain text. A writer can use various literary terms so as to attract the readers
to appreciate and enjoy reading his text. Among the common concepts used in
literary appreciations are among others the following.

1. Simile: - This figure of speech involves a direct comparison between two

dissimilar things usually using the words like, as like, as ……..as, though,
as etc. E.g.
 i. I shall float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.
ii. Beyonce was as tender as the morning rose flower.
2. Personification: - This is used when a writer gives the attributes of
human being to non-human or an inanimate object. E.g.
i. The gurgling drums
ii. Echo the stars
iii. The forest howls
iv. And between the trees the dark sun appears
v. (Lenrie Peter’s we have come home again
3. Metaphor: - This makes an indirect comparison between two objects
that are not related without using as, like or resemble. E.g.
i. Pregnant clouds
ii. Ride stately on its back
iii. Gathering to parch in hills
4. Symbolism: - This is when a writer uses symbols of objects to represent
an idea. The object is used to project a new meaning within the present
context e.g. “His blue shirt billows like a tattered kite” (O sward mtshali’s
‘’ Boy on a swing’’).
5. Irony: This is a statement that means the opposite of what it expresses.
Eg
The teacher decelerate Audu is the best student having come behind in
the list of the graduating students.
6. Mentonym : This figure of speech is a device that makes use of an object
that can be associated with someone or a group of people to referto
them. Eg: All the lands belong to the crown.
The crown here, means the king.
7. Syneedochhe: This is using a part to represent the whole or using the
whole to present a part. Eg.
The principle and his members to staff are putting their heads together.
The world ‘heads’ here refers to their whole bodies and also to all of
them as one. They are deliberating on an important issue not just with
their heads but with their whole body everyone is concerned.
8. Hyperbole: This is an exaggerated statement use for the purpose of
emphasis, eg, (i) I owe world will be ogog when I marry you my queen.
9. Litotes: This is the direct opposite of hyperbole. It is an ironical
understement that makes use of double negatives to express a positive
statement eg, (i) The girl is not arrogant (ii) She may be quite but she is
not a dullard.
The first sentence above means that the girl in question is humble while
the second sentence means that the girl is brilliant.
10. Euphemism: This refers to the way of presenting something unpleasant
in a pleasant way. Eg, (i) The Emir has joined his ancestors. (ii) When you
arrived, was in the rest room in the first example, the statement means
that the king is dead. In the euphemism for ‘’toilet.
11. Paradax: This is a statement that expresses truth in a contradictory
member, eg (i) A journey of a million miles starts with a step. (ii) The egg
fathered the chicken.
The first example is absolutely true, no matter how long a journey is, it
must start with a step. In the second example, the life of a chicken
begins as a small. Egg
12. Oxymoron: This refers to the placement of two words that are
opposite in meaning side by side, eg
That from the dangerous safety of the tower, I may go down in to the
street’’…………’’ (Leopold sedar senghor’s ‘’ in memoriam).
Dangerous safecty’’ here is an example of oxymoron.
13.