trifles short play terms

pathos

evoking pity (that appeals to audience’s emotions), sympathy.

character motivation

the reason for a character's actions and behaviors in a story

metaphor

A figure of speech that compares two unlike things to create meaning. Eg. "Life is a journey."

symbolism

symbolic meaning attributed to natural objects or facts.

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versmilitude

The term that describes how realistic and believable a work of art or literature is.

* real life quality of a text/play (could we see this happening?, plausibility of realism)

theme

The underlying message or main idea that the author wants to convey through a literary work.

* can be applied to real-life situations and is often expressed indirectly through the characters, plot, and setting.

subtext

underlying or implicit meaning in a text, often conveyed through subtle hints or clues rather than explicit statements.