English Honors 2 Midterm

Scop

An Old English poet or storyteller who recited epic tales aloud

Allegory

A story in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral qualities

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, or text

Symbol / Symbolism

An object, character, or event that represents a deeper meaning

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth

The Muses

Greek goddesses who inspired poetry, art, and learning

Ciphers

Codes or symbols used to hide meaning

Theme

The central idea or message of a literary work

Characterization

The way an author develops characters’ personalities and traits

Rising Action

Events that build tension leading up to the climax

Falling Action

Events that occur after the climax and lead toward resolution

Prose (unrhymed iambic pentameter)

Writing that follows natural speech patterns; blank verse uses iambic pentameter without rhyme

Rhyming Couplets

Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

Alliterative Verse

Poetry that repeats initial consonant sounds

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as”

Personification

Giving human qualities to nonhuman things

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor developed over multiple lines or throughout a text

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration for emphasis

Author’s Purpose

The reason an author writes (to inform, persuade, entertain, etc.)

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject

Mood

The emotional feeling created for the reader

Attitude

A character’s or author’s feelings or outlook

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates a sound

Apostrophe

Directly addressing an absent person, object, or idea

Alliteration

Repetition of beginning consonant sounds in words close together

Kennings

Compound phrases in Old English poetry that replace nouns (e.g., “whale-road”)

Internal Conflict

A struggle within a character’s mind

External Conflict

A struggle between a character and an outside force

Foreshadowing

Hints that suggest future events

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

Narrative

A story or account of events

Aphorism

A short statement expressing a general truth or insight

Myth

A traditional story explaining natural or cultural beliefs, often involving gods

Legend

A story based on historical events but exaggerated over time

Epic

A long narrative poem about a heroic figure and significant events