English 10H - Literary Terms

absolute

a word free from limitations or qualifications (best, unique, all, perfect)

ex. This is the worst burrito I’ve ever had.

adage

a familiar proverb or wise saying

ex. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

allegory

a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions

ex. Animal Farm is an allegory for the events of the Russian Revolution.

alliteration

the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words

ex. The big ball bounced by Bob’s bakery.

juxtaposition

placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast

ex. An old woman holding a newborn baby.

allusion

a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize

analogy

a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way; metaphors and similes are both types of analogies

ex. Diego entered the room like a cat stalking its prey.

Madison is the sole daisy among the field of wilted poppies.

anaphora

the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences

ex. Strike as I would

Have struck those tyrants!

Strike deep as my curse!

Strike! and but once

anecdote

a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event

antecedent

the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun is referring to

ex. Doug — he

assonance

the repetition of identical or similar vowels — especially in stressed syllables — in a sequence of nearby words

ex. the early bird gets the worm

apostrophe

a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction

ex. someone shouting toward the sky, cursing Fate

euphony

a term applied to language that strikes the ear as smooth, pleasant, and musical

ex. Comic book colors on a violin river cryin leonardo,

Words from out a silk trombone.

I rang a silent bell, beneath a shower of pearls,

In the eagle-winged palace of the queen chinee.

rhythm

varying pattern in the beat of stresses or accents, in the stream of speech sounds 

ex .I grow old … I grow old …

I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled 

cacophony

language which is perceived as harsh, rough, and unmusical — the discordancy/harshness is the effect of not only the sound of the words, but also of their significance

ex. I shall not lose old strength

In the lone frost’s black length

Strength long since fled!

repetition

recurring/repeated language which deliberately used in order to achieve a specific emphasis or certain effect

ex. We real cool. We

Left school. We

 

Lurk late. We

Strike straight. We

 

Sing sin. We

Thin gin. We

 

Jazz June. We

Die soon.

personification

where either an inanimate object or abstract concept is spoken of as though it were endowed with life or human attributes or feelings

ex. Sky lowered, and muttering thunder, some sad drops

Wept at completing of the mortal sin

aphorism

a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance

ex. a picture is worth a thousand words

archetype

a detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke response

ex. The tale of Star-crossed lovers is an archetypal story

argument

a statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work

** similar to theme (used in place of theme in a nonfiction work)

ex. The argument of Zinn’s essay, “What’s Next for Suburbia?” is that ultimately, greed and consumption will destroy the nuclear family.

asyndeton

a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions

ex. She ran, jumped, swung, flew.

connotation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

denotation

the literal meaning of the word

soliliquoy

a speech performed by a single character, ALONE

monologue

a speech spoken by a single character; CAN BE SPEAKING TO AN AUDIENCE

cliche

an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off

motif

a standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works or throughout a specific work

elegy

a formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme

ellipsis

the omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context

ex. "Some people prefer cats; others, dogs"

epic

a long narrative poem written in elevated style which presents the adventures of characters of high position and episodes that are important to the history of a race or nation

The Odyssey

paradox

a statement that initially appears to be contradictory but then, on closer inspection, turns out to make sense.

ex. Oscar Wilde: “I can resist everything except temptation.”

epigram

a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying

ex. Oscar Wilde: “I can resist everything except temptation.”

epigraph

a saying or statement on the title page of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work

Remarque's opening to All Quiet. "This book is to be neither an accusation or an adventure..."

dramatic irony

When the audience or reader is aware of critical information of which the characters are unaware

verbal irony

When a character says one thing but means another

situational irony

a contrast between what appears to be and what actually exists, between what is expected and what is experienced.

colloquialism

informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing

conceit

extended metaphor that compares two unlike things; generally elaborate and require explaining

epithet

a term used to point out a characteristic of a person

“swift-footed Achilles”

epitaph

an inscription on a tombstone or burial place

prose

most typical form of language; both non-fiction writing as well as fictional writing; pretty much any writing that’s not verse

verse

refers to writing that is not prose; verse = poetry

bildungsroman

a special kind of novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of its main character from his or her youth to adulthood 

euphemism

a special kind of novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of its main character from his or her youth to adulthood

expletive

an interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes (often), a profanity

figurative language

any language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.)

inference

a conclusion one draws (infers) based on premises or evidence

implication

a suggestion an author or speaker makes (implies) without stating it directly.

hyperbole

intentional exaggeration to create an effect

idiom

an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression; or, a regional speech or dialect

anachronism

something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time

Deus ex Machina

a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new character, ability, or object; translation: God out of the machine.