English Final

Inference

A conclusion reached in the basis of evidence and reasoning.

first person

A narrative perspective where the story is told from the vantage point of a character within the story, using pronouns like “I”, “me”, “my”, “we”, “us”, and “our”.

second person

Used the pronoun “you” to directly address the reader, creating an immersive experience where the reader feels like they are the character in the story.

third person limited

A story is told by an external narrator who refers to the characters as “he”, “she”, “they”, or by name, but the focus is limited to the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of one particular character.

Third person omniscient

A narrative style where the narrator is all-knowing, having access to the thoughts, feelings, and memories of all characters in the story.

characterization

The representation of characters in narrative and dramatic works. The term character development is sometimes used as a synonym.

Internal Conflict

A psychological or emotional struggle that occurs within a characters mind.

External Conflict

A struggle or clash between a character and an outside force, rather than an internal struggle.

foreshadowing

A literary device where an author hints at future events or plot developments, often to create suspense or build anticipation.

authors purpose

The reason why an author wrote a particular piece.

tone

The author’s or narrator’s attitude toward the subject matter and audience.

mood

The overall feeling or atmosphere a piece of writing evokes in the reader.

style

The unique way an author expresses themselves through language, encompassing elements like word choice, sentence structure, and tone.

setting

The time and place where a story unfolds.

theme

The central idea, message, or underlying meaning of a story.

allusion

A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work.

archetypal themes

Recurring, universal patterns, characters, symbols, or plotlines that resonate deeply with readers across cultures and time.

puns

A form of wordplay that exploits the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

irony

A literary device that creates a contrast between expectation and reality.

extended metaphor

A sustained comparison between two unlike things, developed over multiple lines, paragraphs, or even an entire work of literature rather than a single sentence.

imagery

Descriptive language used to create vivid mental pictures or sensations for the reader, often engaging the five senses.

plot

The sequence of events that make up a story, focusing on the “what” and “why” of the narrative.

drama

A specific genre of a narrative that is primarily intended for performance, typically on a stage.

sonnet

A specific type of poem with 14 lines, usually written in iambic pentameter and following a particular rhyme scheme.

stanza

A grouping of lines in a poem that forms a unit.

verse

A single metrical line in a poetic composition.

dialogue

A conversation between two or more characters.

soliloquy

A speech a character delivers alone on stage (or believes they are alone) that reveals their internal thoughts, motivations, and plans to the audience.

aside

A short remark or passage spoken by a character in a play, movie, or other narrative, that is intended to be heard by the audience, but not by the other characters on stage.

dramatic irony

Occurs when the audience or reader knows something that a character in the story does not.

stage directions

Instructions written in a play’s script that provide information, guiding actors and designers on how to perform the play.

rhyme

The correspondence of two or more words with similar-sounding final syllables placed so as to echo one another.

meter

The rhythmic pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.

tragedy

A type of story or play where a noble or high status character experiences a downfall due to a fatal flaw or a combination of circumstances, often leading to a disastrous or sorrowful conclusion.