Fiction terms 2

allegory

A story in which characters, things, and events represent qualities or concepts to reveal a truth.

anecdote

A short account of an interesting event.

aphorism

A short, astute statement of a general truth.

archetype

A recurrent pattern or motif in literature, art, or mythology.

aside

A remark by a character in a play intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

bildungsroman

A novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education, often a coming-of-age story.

canon

A list of literary or artistic works considered to be of the highest quality.

catharsis

The release of emotions of pity and fear by the audience at the end of a tragedy.

dialogue

Conversation between two or more people in a book, play, or movie.

emblem

A thing serving as a symbolic representation of a particular quality or concept.

epic

A long narrative poem telling the deeds of heroic or legendary figures.

epigram

A brief, witty statement.

epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight.

fable

A short story, typically with animals as characters, conveying a moral.

farce

A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and improbable situations.

flashback

A narrated scene that marks a break in the narrative to inform about past events.

frame story

A story within a story.

foreshadowing

A warning or indication of a future event.

generalization

A statement about a class based on an examination of some of its members.

genre

A category of artistic composition characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter.

interior monologue

Writing that expresses a character's inner thoughts.

invocation

The action of appealing to something or someone for assistance or authority.

melodrama

A dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events to appeal to emotions.

monologue

A long speech by one actor in a play or movie.

motif

A repetition of imagery or figurative language that enhances the theme.

narrative

A spoken or written account of connected events—a story.

parody

An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes.

prose

Written or spoken language in its ordinary form, not poetry.

reversal

An adverse change in fortune, especially for a character in a literary work.

rhetorical question

A question posed for effect that requires no answer but provokes thought.

setting

The time and place of a fictional work.

soliloquy

An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself, especially by a character in a play.

stereotype

A generalization about a group that has become a cliché.