literature prose fiction terms, poetry terms english lit

Novel

An extended work of prose fiction (50,000+ words) featuring complex plots, multiple developed characters, detailed settings, and broad themes.

Short Story

A brief work of prose fiction (typically under 10,000 words) focused on a single incident or theme

Novella

A work between short story and novel length (20,000-50,000 words), allowing focused but detailed development

Cultural Setting

The social environment and customs shaping the world of the story (values, beliefs, norms, politics, religion).

Physical Setting

The tangible environment (geography, weather, time period, architecture, sensory details)

Story

The full chronological sequence of events ("what happened").

Plot

How events are arranged for effect ("how it's told").

Narrative

The telling of the story—includes voice, structure, and style.

Exposition

Opening section introducing setting, characters, and background.

Problem/Conflict

Central struggle driving the story (external or internal).

Rising Action

Series of events building tension toward the climax.

Climax

Turning point of highest tension where conflict peaks.

Denouement/Resolution

Conclusion where conflicts are resolved and new balance established.

Subplot

Secondary storyline complementing or contrasting the main plot.

First-Person

Story told using "I" from a character's viewpoint.

Third-Person Omniscient

All-knowing narrator outside the story.

Third-Person Limited

Narrator outside the story but limited to one character's perspective.

Reliable Narrator

One whose account aligns with story's truth.

Unreliable Narrator

One whose credibility is doubtful.

Indirect Speech

Narrator summarises a character's words (no direct quotes).

Interior Monologue

Direct presentation of a character's thoughts.

Free Indirect Speech

Blend of third-person narration and character's inner voice.

Stream of Consciousness

Continuous, unfiltered flow of thoughts and perceptions.

Protagonist

Main character driving the story's conflict or change.

Antagonist

Force opposing the protagonist (person, society, nature, self).

Secondary Character

Supporting figure, often flat or archetypal.

Foil

Character contrasting the protagonist to highlight their traits.

Characterization

The author's methods for revealing character traits.

Direct Characterization

Narrator explicitly states traits.

Indirect Characterisation

Traits shown through behaviour or dialogue.

Narrative Tension

Sense of uncertainty or anticipation that keeps readers engaged.

Suspense

Feeling of anxious curiosity about upcoming events.

Pace

Speed of story progression, shaped by scene length and detail

Narrative Structure

Framework of how a story is arranged.

Prolepsis (Flash Forward)

Jump ahead in time to future events.

Flashback

Interruption to reveal past events.

Linear Structure

Chronological sequence from beginning to end.

Circular Structure

Story begins and ends similarly, creating closure or repetition.

Concrete Words

Words that refer to tangible objects or sensory

experiences

Abstract Words

Words that refer to ideas, qualities, or concepts that

cannot be directly perceived by the senses

Literal Meaning

The primary, surface-level definition of a word or

phrase, denoting exactly what is said

Connotative Meaning

implied or suggested emotional and cultural

associations a word carries, beyond its literal definition

Archaism

the use of old-fashioned, outdated language

Neologism

A newly coined word or expression, or a new use for an old word, introduced into a language

Formal Register

Language characterised by a casual, conversational

style and the use of slang or colloquialisms, reflecting everyday speech

Informal Register

Language characterised by a casual, conversational

style and the use of slang or colloquialisms,eflecting everyday speech

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things that states one thing is another, without using "like" or "as"

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using connective words such "like", "as", or "than"

Personification

Assigning human characteristics, emotions, or actions

to inanimate objects, animals, or abstract ideas

Hyperbole

The use of extreme exaggeration for emphasis or effect; an overstatement that is not meant to be taken literally

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch), creating a sensory experience for the reader

Symbolism

The use of an object, person, or event to represent something else, usually a deeper, abstract idea (e.g., a dove symbolises peace)

Verse

A single line of poetry; sometimes used to refer to a stanza

Stanza

A group of lines forming the basic recurring metrical unit of a poem; a verse paragraph

Quatrain

A stanza or poem consisting of four lines

Couplet

Two consecutive lines of verse that rhyme and typically have the same meter

Form

The overall structure, organisation, and pattern of a poem, which may follow a set convention (e.g., sonnet, ballad)

End-Stopped

A line of poetry where the grammatical clause or phrase concludes at the end of the line, often marked by punctuation

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence or clause from one line of a poem to the next without a pause or terminal punctuation

Caesura

A deliberate pause or break near the middle of a line of poetry, often indicated by punctuation

Spacing/Indentation

The physical arrangement of lines and words on the page, including white space and alignment, which can affect rhythm and emphasis.

Repetition

The conscious and purposeful re-use of a word, phrase, line, or idea to create emphasis, rhythm, or a unifying effect

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses for emphasis

Polysyndeton

The deliberate use of many conjunctions (like and or or) in close succession, often slowing the pace and creating a sense of multiplicity

Asyndeton

The omission or absence of conjunctions between parts of a sentence, creating a quickened, urgent rhythm

Word Order

The sequence in which words appear, used to establish rhythm, emphasis, or meaning

Inversion

A literary device where the normal grammatical word order (subject-verb-object) is reversed or rearranged for poetic effect or meter

Parallelism

The use of successive verbal constructions in poetry or prose that correspond in grammatical structure, meaning, or meter

Refrain

A line or set of lines repeated regularly throughout a poem, often at the end of a stanza, functioning like a chorus

Alliteration

The repetition of identical initial consonant sounds in words that are close to one another

Assonance

The repetition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words that have different consonant sounds

Consonance

The repetition of similar consonant sounds in nearby words, especially in the middle or end of words

Onomatopoeia

The use of a word that phonetically imitates or suggests the sound that it describes

End Rhyme

The correspondence of sound between the final syllables of lines of poetry

Rhyme Scheme

The ordered pattern of rhymes at the ends of the lines of a poem or verse. It is denoted by assigning a letter of the alphabet (A, B, C, etc.) to each terminal sound, with matching letters indicating rhyming lines.

Slant Rhyme (or Near Rhyme)

A rhyme in which the vowel sounds or the

final consonant sounds are similar, but not identical. It offers an imperfect, subtle correspondence of sound

Sibilance

A specific type of alliteration or consonance that involves the strong repetition of hissing sounds—often represented by the letters "s", "sh", "z" or soft "c" - to create a smooth or sometimes sinister effect.

Plosive

A sound device where the repetition of "bursting" consonant sounds is used. These sounds are made by completely stopping the airflow and then quickly releasing it. The main plosive consonants are "p", "b", "t", "d", "k" and "g"

Rhythm/Meter

The systematic arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables that creates a measurable beat or pattern in a line of verse

Beat

The fundamental pulse or rhythm of a poem, often referring to the regular recurrence of stressed and unstressed syllables

Emphasis

The prominence or weight given to a specific word or syllable through vocal stress, positioning, or other poetic devices to draw the reader's attention to its importance

Stressed/Unstressed

Refers to the two basic types of syllables that create

meter. The pattern of both forms the poem's rhythm

Stressed Syllable

pronounced more forcefully or loudly

Unstressed Syllable

Pronounced more softly

Iambic Pentameter

A specific meter where each line of verse consists of

ten syllables—five metrical feet (penta-meter)—each foot being an iamb (one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable: da-DUM)