Lit Terms 41-60

Falling action

The part of the plot following the climax, in which tension from the central part of the story decreases. wraps up the narrative, resolves its loose ends, and leads toward the closure.

Feminine Rhyme

a rhyme between stressed syllables followed by one or more unstressed syllables

Figures of Speech

1. a word or phrase used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect.

Flashback

device used in stories, films, television episodes, etc., that interrupts the flow of the plot to “show” readers/viewers an event that happened previously

Flat Character

a type of character in fiction that does not change too much from the start of the narrative to its end

Foil

a literary device designed to illustrate or reveal information, traits, values, or motivations of one character through the comparison and contrast of another character

Foot (poetry)

a measuring unit in poetry, which is made up of stressed and unstressed syllables. The stressed syllable is generally indicated by a vertical line ( | ), whereas the unstressed syllable is represented by a cross ( X )

Foreshadowing

a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story.

Free verse

poetry that is free from the limitations of a regular meter or rhythm and does not rhyme with fixed forms.

Hubris

is character trait that features excessive pride or inflated self-confidence, leading a protagonist to disregard a divine warning or violate an important moral law.

Hyperbole

a figure of speech and literary device that creates heightened effect through deliberate exaggeration.

Iambic meter

a rhythmic pattern comprising five iambs (unstressed syllable followed by stressed) in each line

Implied Metaphor

a literary device used in prose and poetry to compare two unlikely things, with common characteristics without mentioning one of the objects of comparison

Indirect Characterization

type of literary device that reveals details about a character without stating them explicitly

Internal rhyme

a poetic device that can be defined as metrical lines in which its middle words and its end words rhyme with one another

Irony

a literary device in which contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true.

Lyric (in poetry)

a poem in which the poet either expresses his feelings and emotions. The poet also presents a character in the first person to express his emotions.

Masculine rhyme

When two stressed syllables at the end of consecutive or alternate verse lines sound similar

Metaphor

a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two non-similar things.

Meter

the basic rhythmic structure of a line within a poem or poetic work. “Feet” are the basic units