Studied by 2 people
allegory
story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities
alliteration
repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together
allusion
refers to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture
analogy
comparison made between two things to show how they are alike
anaphora`
repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. this is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent
antagonist
opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story
antithesis
balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure
aphorism
brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth
apostrophe
calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea. if the character is asking a god or goddess for inspiration it is called and INVOCATION
assonance
the repetition of similar vowel sounds
blank verse
unrhymed iambic pentameter. blank verse is the meter used in most Shakespeare’s plays
characterization
the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character
indirect characterization
the author reveals to the reader what the character is like by describing how they look/dress by letting the reader hear what the character says by revealing their private thoughts and feelings
direct characterization
the author tells us directly what the character is like
static character
a character that doesn’t change much throughout the story
dynamic character
a character who changes is some important way as a result of the plot
flat character
has one or two personality traits, no dimension
round character
had more dimension and personality and are complex
cliche
a word, phrase, figure of speech that has become lifeless because of overuse
conceit
a metaphor that compares two things that are different
conflict
the struggle between opposing forces or characters in a story
external conflict
a conflict that occurs between two people or externally
internal conflict
occurs between someone and themselves
connotation
the associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase
consonance
the repetition of similar sounding consonants
couplet
two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry
heroic couplet
couplet written in iambic pentameter
diction
a speaker or writer’s choice of words
elegy
a poem of mourning
enjambment
the continuation of the sense and grammatical construction from one line of poetry to the next
epic
a long narrative poem written in heightened language
epigraph
a quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme
euphemism
figurative language designed to replace phrasing that would otherwise be considered harsh, impolite, or unpleasant
epithet
an adjective or phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality
figurative language
words that are inaccurate if interpreted literally
flashback
a scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened earlier
foil
a character who acts as a contrast to another character
foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
free verse
poetry that does not conform to a regular meter or rhyme scheme
hyperbole
a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement
iambic pentameter
a line of verse with five metrical feet,
imagery
the use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, a thing, a place, or an experience
irony
a discrepancy between appearances and reality
verbal irony
when someone says one thing but means something else
situational irony
when there is a discrepancy between what was expected to happen or what would be appropriate to happen and what really happened
dramatic irony
a character thinks one thing is true but the audience knows better
juxtaposition
rhetorical device where unassociated ideas are placed next to each other
lament
a non-narrative poem expressing grief or sorrow over personal loss
lyric poem
a poem that expresses the personal feelings of the speaker
ballad
tells a story
malapropism
an incorrect word used in the place of another word with the same sound
metaphor
comparison between two unlike things without like or as
metonymy
a figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing is referred to by something closely associated with it
mood
an atmosphere created by a writer’s diction
motif
a recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work
ode
a relatively long, serious, and usually meditative lyric poem that treats a noble or otherwise elevated subject in a dignified and calm manner
onomatopoeia
the use of words to describe sounds
oxymoron
combines opposite or contradictory words
parable
a short story that teaches a moral or lesson
paradox
statement that appears self-contradictory
parallel structure
the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures
parody
a work that makes fun of another work
pastoral
a literary work dealing with shepherds and or rural life
personification
a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings
plot
the series or related events in a story or playp
point of view
the vantage point from which the writer tells the story
first person point of view
one of the characters tells the storyd
third person point of view
an unknown narrator but knowns the feelings and thoughts of one character
omniscient point of view
all knowing narrator and tells everything about all the characters
objective point of view
narrator who is impersonal and objectively tells the story with no comment on any characters or events
protagonist
the central character in the story
pun
a play on words
quatrain
a poem consisting of four lines
refrain
a word, phrase, line, or group of lines that is repeated
rhyme
a repetition of similar sounds
end rhyme
rhyme that occurs at the end of two or more lines of poetry
internal rhyme
rhyme that occurs within a line of poetry
perfect rhyme
rhyming sounds which match exactly
slant rhyme
rhyming sounds which are partial rather than perfect
rhyme scheme
the pattern of rhyme in a poem or stanza
rhymed verse
poetry which contains rhyming words at the ends of certain linesrh
etoric
art of effective communitcation
rhetorical question
a question asked for effect and not actually requiring an answer
satire
ridicules the shortcomings of people
simile
comparison between two things using like or as
soliloquy
a long speech made by a character in a play alone
stream of consciousness
a style of writing that portrays the inner workings of a character’s mind
symbol
a thing that has meaning but also means something else
synecdoche
where a part makes a whole
theme
insight about human life
tone
the attitude a writer has toward the subject of work
understatement
statement less than what is meant
Note
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