English Literary and Rhetorical Terms

Flashcards for English Literary and Rhetorical Terms

Apostrophe

Directly addressing someone absent, dead, or non-human as if present.

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent the whole (or vice versa).

Chiasmus

Reversal of grammatical structures or concepts in a sentence.

Oxymoron

Two contradictory terms placed together.

Simile

Comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

Metaphor

Direct comparison saying one thing is another.

Personification

Giving human traits to non-human things.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for effect.

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds (not just at the start).

Enjambment

Continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line in poetry.

Rhyme

Repetition of similar sounds at the ends of words, especially in poetry.

Inversion (Anastrophe)

Reversal of normal word order for effect.

Repetition

Intentional repeating of words/phrases for emphasis.

Parallelism

Repeating similar grammatical structures.

Antithesis

Opposing ideas placed together.

Climax

A buildup to the most intense moment.

Anticlimax

A sudden drop from serious to trivial.

Ethos

Appeal to ethics or credibility.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion.

Logos

Appeal to logic or reason.

Syntax

Sentence structure and word order.

Stanza

A group of lines in a poem, like a paragraph.

Envelope (Rhyme)

Rhyme pattern ABBA; outer lines 'enclose' inner lines.

Denotation

The literal dictionary meaning of a word.

Connotation

Emotional or cultural meaning beyond the dictionary.

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what you mean.

Situational Irony

When the outcome is opposite of what's expected.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something the character doesn't.

Visual Imagery

Imagery that appeals to sight.

Auditory Imagery

Imagery that appeals to sound.

Olfactory Imagery

Imagery that appeals to smell.

Gustatory Imagery

Imagery that appeals to taste.

Tactile Imagery

Imagery that appeals to touch.

Kinesthetic Imagery

Imagery that describes movement or tension.

Organic Imagery

Imagery of internal sensations (e.g., nausea, hunger).

Protagonist

Main character.

Antagonist

Opposes the protagonist.

Dynamic Character

Changes significantly through the story.

Static Character

Stays the same throughout the story.

Foil

A character who contrasts the protagonist.

Round Character

Well-developed and complex.

Flat Character

One-dimensional and simple.

Stock Character

A stereotypical character.

Hero/Heroine

Admirable main character.

Antihero

Central character lacking typical heroic traits.

Direct Characterization

Traits are told explicitly by the narrator.

Indirect Characterization

Traits are revealed through actions, thoughts, or dialogue.