Literary Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering 36 key literary terms and definitions from the lecture notes.

Allegory

A story that offers both a literal and figurative interpretation, symbolic on every level including characters, plot, and theme.

Allusion

A reference to something in history, literature, culture, society…

Alliteration

Repetition of consonant sounds.

Apostrophe

Addressing something that is dead, not human, or nor present.

Anachronism

The placing of a person, event, or thing outside of its historical era, most often purposeful.

Archetype

Narratives, designs, patterns, or character types often found in literature.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds.

Connotation

The implied meaning of a word.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word.

Diction

Word choice.

Elements of Plot

The structural elements of a story including exposition, rising action, complications, climax, falling action, and dénouement/resolution.

Epithet

A phrase used to describe a person or thing-often used in place of it.

Figurative language

Language that is used in a non-literal way for added meaning and effect.

Foreshadow

To hint at future events.

Genre

A term that denotes a type of literature or literary form.

Hyperbole

A great exaggeration.

Imagery

Use of sensory details to describe something.

Irony

Includes dramatic (audience knows what character doesn't), verbal (literal meaning is opposite of implied), and situational (scene or story ends opposite way expected).

Juxtaposition

An intentional placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

Metaphor

A comparison between two different things, which can be implied (indirect comparison) or named (direct comparison).

Meter

A recognized pattern of beats and stresses in verse-rhythm.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere of a work.

Motif

A specific element, event, thing that recurs through a specific work for added meaning.

Onomatopoeia

Writing out the sound something makes.

Oxymoron

Contradictory terms are used in conjunction.

Paradox

A statement that appears to be untrue or impossible, but upon reflection or in context is true.

pun

A play on a word's multiple meaning.

Personification

Giving non human things human qualities.

Repetition

Repeating the same words, phrases, passages for emphasis.

Rhyme

Repeating the same stressed vowel sounds.

Satire

Poking fun at a social institution, person, ideology in hopes of changing it or at the least exposing its flaws.

Simile

A comparison of two different things by showing similarities (uses like, as, seems, appears…).

Symbol

A tangible thing that represents an intangible one.

Syntax

The order of words.

Tone

Author's attitude towards the subject matter.

Understatement

Deemphasizing something in hopes of drawing attention to it.