im lit term1

Smile

A comparison of two items using “like” or “as.”

Connotation

Another significant meaning of a word, often steeped in symbol or feeling.

Characterization

The manner by which an author develops a character within a narrative.

Dialogue

The spoken words of two or more characters within a narrative.

Imagery

The picture in your mind that the words from the page create; can be figurative, symbolic, or literal.

Situational Irony

An event where the opposite of what’s expected happens.

Antagonist

The force, a character or element, that works against the protagonist.

Dramatic Irony

When the reader or audience knows something a character does not know, and that knowledge is important to the flow of events.

Dialect

A regional variety of language, often with distinct accents and usage, including but not limited to whole phrases.

Denotation

The explicit meaning of a word or a particular meaning of a symbol.

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature or to a part of another work of literature or to a moment in history.

Conflict

The struggle between two opposing forces in a piece of literature, which the story is built around – The forces are the protagonist and the antagonist.

Catharsis

The releasing of certain emotions in the audience, a feeling of pity and fear for the actions of the tragic hero.

Vice

An evil, degrading or immoral practice or habit; a serious moral failing.

Complex character

A character with different traits and aspects of personality but who neither grows nor changes during the literary work in which he resides.

Superego

The part of the personality which acts as a moral monitor (the morality principle) to the behaviors of the individual. It is the faculty that seeks to police what it deems unacceptable desires.

Direct Quotation

Using the words of a source directly, in a word-for-word borrowing.

Plot

The events which make up the story line, in order of their happening.

Style

The language used by the writer, as well as the narrative techniques employed, working together to form the full aspect of the printed material in front of us.

Omniscient narrator

The third person narrator who sees all and knows all – even the thoughts – about the characters of the story.

Nemesis

That force which restores order within a tragedy, named for the goddess of retributive justice.

Tragedy

A literary work, usually a drama, which deals with human themes; several elements are involved

Hubris

Excessive pride, especially found within the tragic hero.

Realism

A truthful representation, with an inclination toward pragmatism.

Pleasure Principle

The concept that pleasure is the only thing that matters and any manner of attaining it is fine; often this is the role of the id, the earliest part of the developing personality.

Denouement

The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

Drama

A full-length work of fiction that is written in dialogue, meant to be performed.