Blue lit terms

allegory

a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions

anecdote

a brief personal narrative, which focuses on a particular incident or event

style

the overall manner in which an individual writer expresses ideas

synecdoche

using one part of an object to represent the entire object

pedantic

describing an excessive display of learning or scholarship

satire

the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions

sarcasm

harsh, cutting language/tone designed to ridicule

syllogism

a logical argument in which a conclusion is based on a major primes and a minor premise

irony

a situation or statement where the truth is the opposite of appearances

non sequitur

an interference that does not logically follow from the premises

ad hominem

an argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue

motif

a standard theme or dramatic situation, which recurs in various works

antithesis

a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced

pathos

the quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity and sorrow

imagery

concrete, sensory details which contribute to the themes and ideas of a work

tautology

needless repetition which adds no meaning or understanding

syllepsis

the linking of one word with two other words in two strikingly different ways

epiphany

a moment of sudden revelation or insight

ellipsis

the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context

chiasmus

a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed

understatement

the deliberate representation of something as less in magnitude than it really is

metaphor

a direct comparison of two different things, which suggests they are somehow the same

conceit

a fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor

alliteration

the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words