ELA Lit Terms Vocab 31-61

Character - Foil

A character that contrasts another character.

Character - Flat

A character embodying only one or two traits and lacking development.

Character, Secondary/Minor

A supporting character important to events but not central.

Character, Round

A character who exhibits a range of emotions and evolves.

Character, Stock

A flat character based on a stereotype or recognizable type.

Characterization

The method by which the author builds or reveals a character.

Direct Characterization

A narrator tells the reader who a character is directly.

Indirect Characterization

The author shows what a character is like through speech, thoughts, or actions.

Chiasmus

Sentence strategy where the second clause reverses the arrangement of the first.

Colloquialism

An expression appropriate only for casual, informal speaking or writing.

Comedy

A dramatic work with a light, amusing plot and a happy ending.

Comedy of Manners

A satiric dramatic form that lampoons social conventions using wit and irony.

Comic Relief

Something said or done that provides a break from seriousness.

Conceit

A literary device that creates a striking analogy between two unlike things.

Metaphysical Conceit

A conceit connecting physical objects to spiritual or abstract ideas.

Confessional Poetry

Poetry that explores intimate or deeply personal experiences.

Conflict

The tension, opposition, or struggle that drives a plot.

Conflict, Dilemma

A conflict in which both choices have negative consequences.

External Conflict

Opposition or tension between two characters or forces outside the self.

Internal Conflict

The mental or emotional struggle inside a character's mind.

Consonance

Identical final consonant sounds in nearby words following different vowel sounds.

Contrast

Examining two opposites to create an effect or assert a purpose.

Couplet

Two lines of poetry, often rhyming or sharing the same meter.

Closed Couplet

Two consecutive rhyming lines that express a complete thought.

Heroic Couplet

Two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry written in iambic pentameter.

Critical Lenses

Different ways to approach interpreting a work of literature.

Deduction

Arriving at a conclusion by making an inference from a premise.

Dialect

Dialogue or narration written to simulate regional or cultural speech patterns.

Diction

A writer's choice of words.

Didactic

A work whose primary purpose is to instruct, teach, or moralize.