English Literature devices and terms

technical terminology to use in english lit essays

Setting

The time and place when and where a story takes place.

Atmosphere

The pervading feeling created by a story, setting up expectations in the reader about the outcome of an episode or plot.

Imagery

Descriptions and figures of speech that help the mind form forceful or beautiful pictures.

Perspective

The point of view from which a story is told, such as first person, second person, or third person.

Metaphor

An implied comparison between two different things without using "like" or "as."

Irony

A literary device revealing concealed or contradictory meanings, including verbal, dramatic, and situational irony.

Foreshadowing

Hints or warnings of events to happen later in the story.

Deus ex machina

1. A god introduced into a play to resolve the entanglements of the plot

2. An artificial or improbable device resolving plot difficulties

Verbal irony

occurs when a contrast is evident between what a character says and wht the character actually means

Allegory

1. Narrative where characters/events/setting represent deeper truths, often dealing with religious, political, or personal issues.

2. rhetorical device, used for one-to-one comparison

Thesis

The main argument in a non-fiction work expressed in a statement.

Exposition

The first act of a play is usually referred to as the exposition. The function of the exposition is to provide the reader with the information that he or she needs to know in order to understand and appreciate what is to follow, to introduce some of the characters, to establish the mood and atmosphere of th eplay and to get the action off to a good start

Alliteration

The repetition of similar initial consonant sounds.

Assonance

The repetition of similar stressed vowel sounds.

Consonance

The repetition of similar final consonant sounds.

Personification

Attributing human characteristics to animals, objects, or ideas.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a historical or literary person, event, or object. *functions on the assumption that readers will recognise references and superimpose ideas and meaning associated with it into the context

Euphemism

Using mild words in place of harsh ones to reduce offense; often used to reduce risk of offending or upsetting people

Pathos

Appealing to the emotions

Burlesque

Satire using a caricature

Denouement

Culmination or result of actions/plan/plot

Diatribe

Impassionate rant or angry speech

Dramatic irony

occurs when the author shares informtion with the reader, which is not known by the character - resulting in the reader becoming aware of

Situational irony

occurs when a set of circumstances turns out differently from what is expected or considered appropriate

Round characters

convincing, true to life - these characters exhibit many different and sometimes contradictory personality traits

Dynamic characters

these characters undergo some type of change or development in a story, often because of something that happened to them

Flat characters

Stereotyped, shallow and often symbolic; these characters exhibit only one or two personality traits

Static characters

these characters do not change in the course of the story

Rhyme

A repetition of similar initial vowel sounds followed by similar consonant sounds, resulting in rhymes

1. end rhyme - most common type, occurs at the end of a line of poetry

2. Internal rhyme - occurs when a word within a line rhymes with another word within the same line

Consonance

The repetition of similar final consonant sounds

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration in order to emphasize a fact or a feeling, to create either a comical or serious effect

Euphony

The musical effect achieved when a poet uses words and phrases that create pleasant, harmonious sounds and rhythms

Cacophony

The use of unpleasnt sounds or rhythms to create a jarring effect

Onomatopoeia

The use of a word that closely resembles the sound to which it refers

Metre

The rhythmic arrangement of syllables in verse, usually according to the number and kind of metrical feet in a line

Tone

The attitude of the author towards hi/her subject.

Antithesis

The arrangement of contrasting words, sentences, or ideas in a balanced grammatical structure. (e.g. ‘do not doubt the man who tells you he is afraid/ be afraid of the man who tells you he never doubts’)

Meiosis

A deliberate understatment, used for emphasis, or to create a humourous effect.

Metonymy

The use of a closely related term to represent an object with ehich it is associated

Motif

A recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic or musical work

Understatement

When we say less than we actually mean, or use less emphasis than required or deserved in the given context

Lexical field

field of words

Semantic field

group of meaning

Giles’ Communication Accommodation Theory

Language theory of communication that suggests people adapt their styles of speech and often converges or becomes more similar to people they're close to