general literature terms

anecdote

a brief story sbout an interesting, amusing, or strange event. it is generally used in literature to either entertain or, more importantly, to make a point and reinforce the author’s purpose

aphorism

a statement of truth or opinon expressed in a concise and witty manner. ex: people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”

binary opposition

contrasting ideas such as black/white, darkness/light, etc. These assume there are no gray areas. used in reference to major thematic contrasts

irony

contrast between what is explicitly stated and what is really meant

verbal irony

the words literally state the opposite of the writer’s or speakers true meaning. ex: if someone got in a sticky situation and said, “guess today’s my lucky day…”

situational irony

events turn out the opposite of what was expected; what the characters and readers think ought to happen is not what does happen ex: sara is trying to avoid a water gun fight that her brothers are having, and she falls into a puddle

dramatic irony

facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience or other characters in the work ex: in romeo and juleit, the audience knows juliet is in a drugged sleep, so when romeo thinks she is dead and kills himself, it increases the audience’s shock.

juxtaposition

two or more ideas, places, characters, and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem, for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts. ex: in the short story, edgar allan poe juxtaposes wine and the bones of dead people, as well as the revelry of arnival in the streets above and death in the catacombs below.l this ___ highlights the twisted nature of the story and how a man is lured to his death in the catacombs.

paradox

it is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but which may include a latent truth. i is also use to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional ideas. a ___ is often used to make a reader think over an idea in an innovative way. ex: i can resist anything anything but temptation, your enemys friend is your enemy

rhetorical questions

just asked for effect or to lay emphasis on some point being discussed when no real answer is expeced

rhetoric

the are of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively

sarcasm

bitter caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

shift

a change from one tone, attitude, etc. look for key words like but, however, even though, although, yet, and so on

style

a writers characteristic way of writing determined by the choice of words, details, imagery, arrangement of words in sentences, and the relationship of the sentences to one another (syntax), and point of view

theme

the central idea of a work; the insight it offers into life.