ENG 2DO 2023 LITERARY TERMS NEW (2)

Allegory

A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically moral or political.

Alliteration

A literary device where words in quick succession begin with letters belonging to the same sound group.

Allusion

A figure of speech where the author references a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by a passing reference.

Anagram

A literary device wherein the writer jumbles up parts of a word to create a new word.

Analogy

A literary device that establishes a relationship based on similarities between two concepts or ideas.

Anecdote

A short verbal accounting of a funny, amusing, or interesting event or incident.

Anthropomorphism

The act of lending human qualities, emotions, or ambitions to non-human objects or beings.

Antithesis

A device used when two sentences of contrasting meanings are in close proximity.

Aphorism

A concise statement of a principle or opinion that is widely understood to be a universal truth.

Archetype

A reference to a concept or person that serves as a prototype of its kind.

Assonance

Repetition of sounds produced by vowels within a sentence or phrase.

Asyndeton

The deliberate omission of conjunctions in a series, creating a concise and impactful statement.

Cacophony

The use of words and phrases that imply strong, harsh sounds within the phrase.

Characterization

The process wherein an author introduces and describes a character.

Circumlocution

The use of long and complex sentences to convey meaning that could be expressed more simply.

Conflict

A literary device used to express resistance the protagonist finds in achieving their aims.

Connotation

The associations people make with words that go beyond their literal definitions.

Consonance

Repetition of sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase.

Denotation

The literal meaning or dictionary definition of a word.

Diction

The distinctive tone or tenor of an author's writings, encompassing their choice of words.

Dysphemism

The use of disparaging or offensive expressions instead of inoffensive ones.

Epilogue

An afterword that provides insight into future developments after the main plot.

Epithet

A descriptive device that adds a special quality to a person's or place's name.

Euphemism

A milder or less abrasive form of a negative description.

Euphony

Words that possess an extensive degree of notable loveliness or melody in sound.

Faulty Parallelism

The failure to maintain a balance in grammatical forms within related phrases.

Flashback

A literary device that involves depicting events that have taken place before the present time.

Foil

A character in a story who contrasts with the main character to highlight attributes.

Foreshadowing

Hints or indicative phrases that set the stage for upcoming events in a story.

Hubris

Excessive pride or arrogance, often leading to the protagonist's downfall.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement that emphasizes a specific point.

Imagery

Words and phrases that create mental images for the reader by appealing to the senses.

Irony

Playing with words such that their implied meaning differs from the literal meaning.

Juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting entities close together to highlight their differences.

Litotes

An understatement in which a positive statement is expressed by negating its opposite.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that draws a comparison between two unrelated subjects.

Metonymy

Referring to an object or subject by using a closely linked word instead of its formal name.

Mood

The emotional perspective the author adopts towards the subject of the literary work.

Motif

An element, subject, idea, or concept that is constantly present throughout a literary work.

Nemesis

A situation of poetic justice where positive characters are rewarded and negative ones punished.

Onomatopoeia

Words whose sound closely resembles the sound they represent.

Oxymoron

Placing contradictory concepts together that make sense in a complex way.

Paradox

Contradictory ideas that, when combined, hold significant value.

Pathetic Fallacy

Ascribing human emotions to nonhuman objects or nature.

Periphrasis

The use of excessive language to convey a meaning that could be expressed more directly.

Personification

Lending human traits and characteristics to inanimate objects or phenomena.

Plot

The sequence of events and happenings that make up a story.

Point of View

The angle from which a story is narrated.

Polysyndeton

Using conjunctions frequently in a sentence for dramatic effect.

Prologue

An introduction to a story that sets the tone and provides a sneak peek.

Puns

A play on words that suggests two or more meanings.

Satire

The use of humor to criticize human weakness or character flaws.

Setting

The time, place, and mood of the events in a story.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Suspense

The intense feeling of waiting for the outcome of events.

Symbol

An object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.

Synecdoche

Using a part of something to refer to the whole.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and sentences in writing.

Theme

The main subject or underlying idea in a piece of literature.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward a specific character or development in the story.

Tragedy

A series of unfortunate events that leads to a disaster of epic proportions.

Understatement

Drawing attention to an obvious fact in a sarcastic manner.

Zoomorphism

Characterizing people, objects, or ideas with animal attributes.