Literary Terms and Definitions

Alliteration

The repetition of the same sound at the beginning of words in a sentence or line.

Extended Metaphor

A comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences or lines.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where one word or phrase is substituted for another closely associated with it.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole, or vice versa.

Imbedded Stage Direction

Stage directions written into the dialogue itself, describing actions characters take while speaking.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.

Suspense

The feeling of excitement or tension about what will happen next in a story.

Comic Relief

A humorous scene or speech in a serious story meant to lighten the mood.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create sentences.

Verbal Irony

When what is said is the opposite of what is meant.

Situational Irony

When what happens is the opposite of what was expected.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something the characters do not.

Motif

A recurring symbol, theme, or idea in a story.

Theme

The central message or idea in a story.

Allusion

A reference to another work of literature, person, or event.

Symbolism

Using symbols to represent ideas or concepts.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

Figurative Language

Using figures of speech like metaphors, similes, or personification to convey meaning.

Personification

Giving human characteristics to non-human things.

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things.

Pun

A play on words, often for humorous effect.

Euphemism

A polite or indirect expression used to replace something harsh or blunt.

Narrative Voice/Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told.

Limited Third Person Narration

The narrator knows only the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Omniscient Narration

The narrator knows everything about all characters and events.

Unreliable Narrator

A narrator whose credibility is compromised.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject.

Mood

The feeling or atmosphere that a story creates for the reader.

Vocal Pitch

The highness or lowness of a speaker's voice.

Inflection

The change in the pitch or tone of a speaker's voice.

Inciting Incident

The event that sets the story in motion.

Climax

The most intense or important point in the story.

Resolution

The conclusion of the story, where conflicts are resolved.

Denouement

The final part of a story where everything is explained or resolved.

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals some truth or insight.

Diction

The writer's choice of words.

Monologue

A long speech given by one character in a play or story.

Soliloquy

A speech where a character expresses their inner thoughts aloud, often while alone on stage.

Aside

A comment made by a character in a play that is meant to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

When a character directly addresses the audience, breaking the imaginary barrier between the stage and the audience.

Tragic Hero

A character who starts high but falls due to a flaw or mistake, leading to their downfall.

Poetry

A type of literature that combines words and visual elements in a structured format, often with rhyme and meter.

Sonnet

A 14-line poem that follows a specific rhyme scheme and is often associated with English poetry.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of lines in poetry, made up of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Blank Verse

Poetry that has a regular meter but no rhyme.

Iambic Pentameter

A common meter in English poetry, with five pairs of alternating stressed and unstressed syllables per line.

End Rhyme

When the last words or syllables of two lines of poetry rhyme.

Volta

A turn or shift in the theme or tone of a poem, especially in sonnets.