General Literary Terms

Allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

Allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference

Ambiguity

the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness

Apostrophe

a speaker addresses someone or something that is not present or cannot respond

Archetype

a universally understood symbol, pattern of behavior, or original model from which other things are copied or emulated

Connotation

an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning

Denotation

the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests

Diction

the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing

Didactic

writing whose primary or secondary purpose is to teach or instruct, conveying moral, ethical, or religious lessons, advice, or philosophical ideas

Epigram

a concise, witty, and often satirical statement or short poem that expresses a single thought or idea, sometimes with a surprising or humorous twist

Euphemism

a milder, more indirect phrase used to replace a harsh, unpleasant, or taboo word or idea, often to make a statement less offensive or to soften an uncomfortable subject

Genre

a category of writing defined by a shared style, form, content, or tone

Grotesque

describes things that are bizarre, ugly, and distort the natural into something absurd, often evoking both disgust and empathy simultaneously

Hyperbole

a figure of speech involving deliberate and obvious exaggeration for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally

Imagery

the use of descriptive language to create vivid mental pictures and sensory experiences for the reader, appealing to the five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell

Irony

a literary device that creates a contrast or gap between what is said and what is meant, or between what is expected and what actually happens

Dramatic Irony

a literary device where the audience or reader possesses knowledge that one or more characters in a story do not, creating suspense, humor, or a sense of impending tragedy

Situational Irony

a plot device where the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what was expected or intended

Verbal irony

a figure of speech in which a speaker says one thing but means the opposite

Metaphor

a literary device and figure of speech that makes a non-literal, implicit comparison between two fundamentally unlike things by stating or implying that one thing is the other

Metonymy

a figure of speech where a word or phrase is substituted for another word or phrase that is closely related or associated with it, but not physically or literally part of it

Motif

a recurring, symbolic image, idea, or element that appears repeatedly throughout a work to reinforce its larger themes and meanings

narrative point of view

the perspective from which a story is told, determined by the narrator's position relative to the story and their knowledge

narrator

the voice or entity that tells a story, providing the reader with the perspective through which events are seen and understood

oxymoron

a figure of speech that combines two contradictory or opposite words in a single phrase or concept, creating a new, often surprising or thought-provoking meaning

parable

a short, fictional story, typically using commonplace human experiences as metaphors, to teach a moral, religious, or ethical lesson

paradox

a self-contradictory statement or situation that contains a deeper, often surprising, truth upon closer examination

parody

an imitation of the style of a specific author, work, or genre for comic or satirical effect

personification

a literary device that attributes human characteristics, actions, or emotions to non-human things, such as inanimate objects, animals, or abstract concepts

poetry

a literary art form using the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke emotions, imaginations, and ideas, often in a condensed form

sarcasm

sarcasm is a form of verbal irony where the intended meaning is the opposite of the literal words spoken or written

sattire

a technique that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize or mock an individual, institution, or societal convention

setting

the time and place in which a story occurs, encompassing not just the geographic location but also the historical period, social context, and environment that shape the narrative and its characters

simile

a literary device and figure of speech that creates a comparison between two different things by using the words "like" or "as" to explicitly highlight a shared quality

onomatopoeia

a figure of speech where a word's pronunciation imitates the sound it describes

stream of consciousness

a narrative technique that attempts to portray the continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions from a character's mind, often in a disordered or non-linear fashion

style

the distinct way an author uses language, including word choice (diction), sentence structure (syntax), tone, and figurative language, to express their ideas and create meaning, mood, and imagery

symbolism

a device where an object, person, or idea has a literal meaning but also represents a deeper, abstract meaning, such as a theme, quality, or concept

synecdoche

a figure of speech where a part of something is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part

theme

a central, unifying idea or message that runs throughout a text, providing a deeper understanding of the work's overall meaning and its connection to the human experience

tone

the author's or speaker's attitude toward the subject matter, which is conveyed through their choice of words (diction), sentence structure (syntax), and overall writing style