Literary Terms

Monomyth hero

follows the Hero Cycle

coming of age hero

young protagonist facing their first real dilemma or awakening in their adult life

antihero

does not contain typical hero qualities

epic hero

main character of an epic poem on a grand journey

tragic hero

protagonist of a tradgedy

Hero Cycle

1. Call to adventure
2. Refusal of the call
3. Supernatural aid or mentor
4. Crossing the threshold
5. New allies and enemies
6. Challenges and Temptations
7. Abyss
8. Transformation
9. Accepting new self
10. Return

Archetype

a primal stereotype

Allusion

reference to something in the real world (Classical- roman and Biblical- from the bible)

Irony

mismatch between what what's expected and what happens

situational

false expectation {Lottery}

Dramatic

when the audience knows something the characters dont {Romeo and Juliet}

Verbal

what is said is different from what is meant {Sarcasm}

symbol

physical objects that represent something abstract

motif

pattern of recurring concrete elements (different elements of the same type)

Poetry

way of using language that takes full advantage of it's potential especially regarding sound and feeling

Prose

the ordinary language people use in speaking or writing

"Form fits function"

the form of the poem fits the function or purpose

Rhyme and alliteration

rhyming the words and using the same sounds or words repeatedly

Meter

rhythmic pattern of a poetic line

Free Verse

poetry that is free from the regular rhyming and rhythm

Refrain

a word, line, or phrase that is repeated within the lines or stanzas of the poem itself

repetition

intentionally reusing a word or phrase for effect

parallelism

the repetition of grammatical elements in a piece of writing to create a harmonious effect

imagery

vivid descriptive writing to paint an image in the readers mind

satire (genre)

a work that criticizes or ridicules something in the real world through humor, exaggeration, and irony

allegory (genre)

story that is thoroughly symbolic, most of the major elements represent things

Theme

the message that the author portrays throughout their writing

Mood/Tone

atmosphere / attitude from the speaker