hum 200 final jmu

anthropomorphism

attributing human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities

anthropodenial

the refusal to acknowledge human-like characteristics in animals

autodiegetic narrator

a narrator who is also the protagonist of the story they are telling

omniscient narrator

an “all knowing” third person narrator who knows the thoughts, feelings, and backstories of every character

unrealiable narrator

a narrator whose account of events cannot be full trusted due to their mental state, bias, or lack of information

intersexuality

the relationship between texts and how they influence each other

dehumanization

the process of treating people as if they are less than human, often comparing them to animals or machines

ecocriticism

the study of literature and the environment, focusing on how nature and the physical world are portrayed

posthumanism

a philosophy that explores how technology and evolution might lead to a state of being “beyond” the traditional human experience

luddism

a philosophy or movement characterized by a skepticism of, or in resistance to, new technology and industrial progress

technomorphism

describing human or biological life using machine-like terms

title drop

when the title of the work is mentioned within the dialogue or the text itself

bildungsroman

a coming of age novel that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood

anthropocentrism

the belief that human beings are the most significant or central entities in the universe

defamiliarization

the technique of presenting common, everyday things in an unusual or strange way to make the reader see them more clearly

dinggedicht

a “thing-poem” that describes a physical object with extreme objectivity, attempting to capture the objects “soul” without personal sentiment

parable

a short story designed to teach a moral or spiritual lesson

narrative irony

a situation where the intended meaning of a story or event is the opposite of its literal or expected outcome

legend

a semi-true story, handed down through history which has basis in fact but also includes mythical/exaggerated elements

uncanny valley

the sense of unease or revulsion felt when a robot or CGI character looks almost, but not perfectly human

the uncanny

a psychological feeling of something being strangely familiar yet unsettling or “creepy”

social robots

robots designed to interact with humans and follow social behaviors, such as providing companionship or assistance

frame story

a narrative technique in which an introductory story sets the stage for a second, internal story

a story within a story

meta fiction

fiction that self-consciously addresses the fact that it is a story

flashback

a scene that interrupts the timeline to show an event that happened earlier in the past

internal focalization

when the story’s information is limited strictly to what one specific character experiences, thinks, and feels

foreshadowing

hints or clues provided by the author about events that will happen later in the plot

symbolism

the use of specific objects or images to represent broader, abstract ideas

sentience

the basic capacity to have subjective feelings, sensations, or perceptions

care ethics

a moral theory that emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships and the responsibility to care for others