lit terms - general

accumulation

a stylistic device that is defined as a list of words which embody similar abstract or physical qualities or meanings, with the intention to emphasize the common qualities that words hold

ad hominem

a literary term that involves commenting on or against an opponent, to undermine him instead of his arguments

antanaclasis

a phrase or word is repeatedly used, though the meaning of the word changes in each case

anthropomorphism

a technique in which a writer ascribes human traits, ambitions, emotions, or entire behaviors to animals, non-human beings, natural phenomena, or objects

antiphrasis

a phrase or word is employed in a way that is opposite to its literal meaning, in order to create an ironic or comic effect

antithesis

the juxtaposition of two opposing elements through the parallel grammatical structure

cacophony

the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing, and unmelodious sounds – primarily those of consonants – to achieve desired results

catharsis

an emotional discharge through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal, or achieve a state of liberation from anxiety and stress

chiasmus

two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect

denouement

the resolution of the issue of a complicated plot in fiction

dissonance

the use of impolite, harsh-sounding, and unusual words in poetry

double entendre

a phrase or a figure of speech that might have multiple senses, interpretations, or two different meanings, or which might be understood in two different ways

epiphora

a word or a phrase is repeated at the ends of successive clauses

ethos

credibility, or an ethical appeal

foil

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

hamartia

a character’s tragic or fatal flaw, or mistake in judgment, that ultimately leads to their downfall

hubris

excessive pride or arrogance

hypophora

a writer raises a question, and then immediately provides an answer to that question

in medias res

narrating a story from the middle after supposing that the audiences are aware of past events

innuendo

an indirect or a subtle observation about a thing or a person

intertextuality

making use of a textual reference within some body of text, which reflects again the text used as a reference

invective

denotes speech or writing that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution

isocolon

a succession of sentences, phrases, and clauses of grammatically equal length

kinesthesia

a poetic device that gives a feeling of natural, or physical bodily movement or action (like a heartbeat, a pulse, and breathing)

litotes

a phrase that utilizes negative wording or terms to express a positive assertion or statement

malapropism

the use of an incorrect word in place of a similar-sounding word, which results in a nonsensical and humorous expression

metonymy

a figure of speech in which one object or idea takes the place of another with which it has a close association

oxymoron

pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory

pejorative

language used negatively to evoke unfavorable feelings, often employing slurs or negative phrases

peripeteia

a pivotal turning point, the unexpected twist that leaves characters and readers alike grappling with a newfound reality

polyptoton

the use of excessive words with similar etymologies instead of shorter expressions

polysyndeton

several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect

refrain

a verse, a line, a set, or a group of lines that appears at the end of stanza, or appears where a poem divides into different sections

sardonic

grimly mocking or cynical

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to signify the whole, or vice-versa

synesthesia

a technique adopted by writers to present ideas, characters, or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one sense, like hearing, sight, smell, and touch at a given time

syntax

a set of rules in a language that dictate how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought

tricolon

a rhetorical term that consists of three parallel clauses, phrases, or words, which happen to come in quick succession without any interruption

verisimilitude

likeness to the truth, such as the resemblance of a fictitious work to a real event, even if it is a far-fetched one

vernacular

daily-used language in writing and speaking

vignette

a small impressionistic scene, an illustration, a descriptive passage, a short essay, a fiction or nonfiction work focusing on one particular moment; or giving an impression about an idea, character, setting, mood, aspect, or object

zeugma

a figure of speech in which a word, usually a verb or an adjective, applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas

zoomorphism

animal attributes are imposed upon non-animal objects, humans, and events; and animal features are ascribed to humans, gods, and other objects

diacope

repetition of a phrase or word, broken up by other intervening words