Bildungsroman Prose Terms - English

Prose

written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure.

fiction

a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact

Novella

A prose fiction longer than a short story but shorter than a novel

Genre

A category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content.

medium

the methods and materials through which a work of literature is delivered (ex. online vs. print, or book vs. film adaptation)

Bildungsroman

A novel or story whose theme is the moral or psychological growth of the main character through a coming of age plot or a narrative based around formative experiences in loss and learning

Early Loss

the first phase in a Bildungsroman; this may be physical or emotional (or both), such as the loss of a loved one or the loss of a home. This phase initiates the main character's journey to growth.

Formative Experiences

The second phase in a Bildungsroman; the protagonist makes a series of choices and faces a series of conflicts. These experiences provide physical, spiritual, and emotional opportunities for growth. This period is characterized by inner and out uncertainty.

Maturation

The third and final phase of Bildungsroman; the protagonist accepts the uncertainty in their life and deals with it accordingly. This resolution is characterized by moral clarity.

Showing

simply presenting characters' words and actions without commentary and allowing that dramatization to imply their motives, feelings, and values (ELT 138)

Telling

a method by which the author describes, and comments on, characters' motives and values and often also passes judgment on characters and events, as a means of shaping the audience's response (ELT 138)

Foil

a character who contrasts with the protagonist in ways that bring out certain of his or her moral, emotional, or intellectual qualities (ELT 143)

Epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight evoked by a commonplace object or scene in a poem or a work of fiction (ELT 110-112)

Dialogue

Conversation between two or more characters; the presentation of what characters in a literary work say(ELT 144)

Plot

the selection and ordering of events and actions to show some pattern of relationship or causation (ELT 180)

Setting

the time and place in which the events in a work of fiction, drama, or narrative poetry occur (ELT 162)

Narrative Pace

the balance between summary and scene in a narrative, and the way in which the use of tension, suspense, or action to emphasize the relative importance of plot events as they relate to characterization and/or theme (ELT 188-190)

Symbolism

The use of an image, object, character, or action to convey an idea without explicitly describing the connection-- "leaving the subject that it represents open to a wide range of possible interpretations" (ELT 94).

motif

a repeated element of a text that may be abstract or concrete and has an evolving meaning that is dependent on context; use of repetition of symbols, phrases, or content to characterize the narrative's style and meaning

Point of View

the perspective the narrator takes on the events of the story; can be identified by the pronouns the narrator uses to recount events; includes first person, second person, and third person (ELT 122)

Tenor

the intended or implied subject in a metaphor (ELT 35); the concept being described through a metaphor, as opposed to the direct imagery used to create the metaphor

vehicle

the descriptive imagery within a metaphor that holds an inferred meaning (ELT 35); the figurative language or imagery used in metaphor to describe its tenor (subject)

simile

a figure of thought in which one kind of thing is compared to a markedly different object, concept, or experience; the comparison is made explicit by the word "like" or "as" (ELT34-35)

Metaphor

a figure of thought in which a word or phrase that in literal use designates one kind of thing is applied to a conspicuously different object, concept, or experience, without asserting an explicit comparison (ELT 35)

extended metaphor

a metaphor that is sustained through several lines or even throughout an entire work, and which builds complexity over time (ELT 37-38); ex. Siddhartha described throughout the novel as a vessel filled partway.

mixed metaphor

a metaphor in which two or more incongruous vehicles are applied to the same tenor (ELT 36)

Personification

A figure of thought in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes; The name refers to the process of conceiving of the literal subject as though it were a person (ELT 42)

pathetic fallacy

when inanimate aspects of nature, such as the landscape, the season, or the weather reflect human qualities or feelings and in doing so, embody the characters, plot, and/or conflict of the story (ELT 43); (note: "pathetic" in this case does not imply 'inspiring sadness' but instead applies to the act of creating emotional connect (the root word 'path' indicates connectivity, such as 'sympathy' or 'empathy' ) .

Synecdoche

a figure of thought in which the term for a part of something is used to represent the whole e.g. "nice wheels!" to describe a car (ELT 44)

Metonymy

a figure of thought that substitutes the name of an entity with something that is closely associated with it e.g. "the throne" to describe "the king" (ELT 44)

Hyperbole

a figure of thought in which a point is stated in a way that is greatly exaggerated (ELT 59)

Understatement

a form of irony in which a point is deliberately expressed as less, in magnitude, value, or importance, than it actually is (ELT 60)

Paradox

a figure of thought in which a statement that appears on the surface to be contradictory or impossible turns out to express an often striking truth (ELT 62)

Oxymoron

a figure of thought that closely links two seemingly contrary elements in a way that, on further consideration, turns out to make good sense (ELT 62-63)

Euphemism

an indirect, kinder, or less harsh or hurtful way of expressing unpleasant information (ELT 63)

Allusion

a reference in a work of literature to specific history, literature, myth, culture, or religion; the reference and its correlation to the narrative are not explained by the narrator (ELT 81)

theme

a central, abstract idea that a work of literature conveys, either directly or implicitly (ELT 167)

tone

the attitude that a literary speaker expresses toward his subject matter and audience (ELT 168); the emotional impact of a literary work

diction

word choice (ELT 74-81); phrasing in a narrative that may influence the plot's setting, time period, culture, or other distinguishing verbal qualities.

syntax

sentence structure (ELT 204); the deliberate use of structure and phrasing in sentences to characterize narrative elements

imagery

the verbal representation of sensory experience; includes all five senses (ELT 90)

detail

facts, observations, and incidents used to develop a subject and impart voice; focuses the reader's attention and influences the reader's view of a topic (ELT 107)