Ece terms

Allegory

a narrative in which characters and actions represent abstract concepts apart from the literal meaning.

Alliteration

the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

Allusion

a brief reference to a person, event, or place in history, or to a work of art/literature.

Analogy

a comparison between two items, situations, or ideas that are somewhat alike but differ in most respects.

Anaphora

repetition of the first word or set of words in successive sentences or phrases.

Antagonist

a character who opposes the chief character or protagonist in a story.

Apostrophe

a figure of speech where a speaker directly addresses an absent person or personified quality.

Archetype

a character, action, or situation that represents common patterns of human life.

Aside

a short passage spoken by a character to the audience while others on stage pretend not to hear.

Assonance

the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds in stressed syllables.

Asyndeton

the omission of conjunctions from constructions where they would normally be used.

Atmosphere (mood)

the mood or feeling created for the reader by the writer in a literary work.

Ballad

a narrative poem that usually includes a repeated refrain.

Blank verse

unrhymed iambic pentameter, a line of five feet.

Cacophony

the use of harsh, unmelodious sounds in poetry.

Caesura

a pause or break within a line of poetry.

Carpe diem

a theme in poetry encouraging enjoyment of life's pleasures while possible.

Catharsis

the purification or purging of emotions, such as pity or fear.

Character

an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction.

Characterization

the method an author uses to introduce characters to the reader.

Chiasmus

a scheme where terms are introduced in a specific order and then repeated in reverse order.

Cliché

an overused expression or phrase that has become trite and meaningless.

Climax

the decisive turning point in a story or play when the action changes course.

Conceit

an elaborate figure of speech combining metaphor, simile, hyperbole, or oxymoron.

Conflict

the struggle between opposing forces in a narrative.

Connotation

the emotional associations surrounding a word, beyond its literal meaning.

Couplet

a pair of rhyming lines with identical meter.

Denotation

the strict, literal meaning of a word.

Denouement

the resolution of the plot in a narrative.

Dialogue

the conversation between characters in a literary work.

Diction

the author's choice of words or phrases in a literary work.

Dramatic irony

a situation where the audience knows more than the characters.

Dramatic monologue

a lyric poem where the speaker addresses someone whose replies are not recorded.

Elegy

a mourning poem lamenting an individual or tragic event.

Enjambment

the continuation of a complete idea from one line of poetry to another without pause.

Epiphany

a moment of deep realization experienced by a character.

Epistrophe

repetition of a concluding word or word endings.

Euphemism

a mild phrase used instead of a blunt or painful one.

Euphony

the harmonious grouping of words for a pleasing sound.

Exposition

the opening section of a narrative revealing characters, setting, theme, and conflict.

Flashback

an interruption of the narrative to show a past episode.

Foot

a group of syllables in verse, usually one accented and associated unaccented syllables.

Foreshadowing

a hint given to the reader about what is to come.

Free verse

poetry free from a fixed pattern of meter and rhyme.

Hamartia

a tragic flaw or misperception leading to a character's downfall.

Hubris

excessive pride or self-confidence in a hero, leading to a lack of insight.

Hyperbole

a figure of speech involving great exaggeration.

Iambic pentameter

a line of verse with five metrical feet.

Imagery

sensory details that provide vividness and evoke emotions in a literary work.

In medias res

a plot that begins in the middle of events, revealing the past through flashbacks.

Irony

a contrast between what appears to be and what really is.

Juxtaposition

placing two ideas or images side by side for original or insightful meaning.

Litotes

a figure of speech stating a positive