HL 1 Lit Vocab (Final Review)

merry christmas

Ethos

An appeal to ethics, where the writer persuades the audience by establishing credibility or trustworthiness.

Pathos

An appeal to emotions, aiming to elicit feelings such as pity or sorrow from the audience.

Logos

An appeal to logic and reason, using facts, statistics, and logical arguments to persuade the audience.

Evidence

Information used to support and strengthen an argument, including anecdotal, expert opinion, and statistical evidence.

Expert opinion

Quoting authorities in a field to enhance the credibility of the writer's position.

Statistical evidence

Using numerical data to strengthen an argument, though statistics must come from reliable sources.

Anecdotal evidence

Personal stories or real-life examples used to support a claim.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences, affecting the readability of a text.

Repetition

The deliberate use of the same word or phrase multiple times for emphasis.

Cumulation

The use of several similar words in close proximity to add weight to an idea.

Alliteration

The repetition of the initial consonant sound in a series of words to create a rhythmic effect.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive sentences or clauses.

Parallelism

The use of similar structures in two or more phrases or clauses, contributing to balance and rhythm.

Understatement

A rhetorical device where a writer deliberately minimizes a fact or situation, often for ironic effect.

Expletive

A figure of emphasis that involves a single word or short phrase interrupting the normal flow of speech.

Invective

A verbal attack or denunciation using strong, abusive language.

Tone

The attitude or emotional quality of a piece of writing, reflected in the author's choice of words.

Colloquial Language

Informal language, often specific to a region or culture, used to convey a sense of familiarity or informality.

Inclusive Language

Language that addresses the audience directly and includes them within a shared group to create connection.

Diction

The choice and use of words and phrases in writing, which conveys character and tone.

Connotation

The implied or suggested meaning of a word, beyond its literal definition.

Denotation

The literal or primary meaning of a word that is found in a dictionary.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression used to replace one that may be considered harsh or unpleasant.

Lexical Cluster

A group of words related in meaning or context, often used to convey a particular idea.

Ambiguity

The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; in writing, it can be intentional or unintentional.

Analogy

A comparison made to show how two things are similar in certain aspects, often to clarify an idea.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, often in a humorous context.

Imagery

Language that evokes sensory experiences through descriptions that appeal to the senses.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unrelated things by stating one is the other.

Metonymy

A figure of speech where the name of one thing is used to refer to something closely associated with it.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities in literature.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa.

Concession

Acknowledging a point made by the opposing side in an argument to enhance credibility.

Appeal to Authority

Citing a credible source or authority in support of an argument.

Facts

Statements that can be proven true or false, often used to support arguments.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect, where the answer is implied and not actually required.

Irony

A literary device where the intended meaning is different from the actual meaning or outcome.

Testimonial

Using the opinion or experience of a person, often an expert, to support an argument.

Bandwagon

A persuasive technique that suggests that something is true or good because it is popular.

Name Calling

A tactic that involves attacking an opponent's character instead of addressing their argument.

Card Stacking

Presenting only facts supporting one side of an argument while ignoring the other side.

Hypophora

A rhetorical device where the speaker poses a question and immediately answers it.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which successive phrases or clauses are reversed in structure.

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.

Asyndeton

A writing style that omits conjunctions between phrases in a series.

Polysyndeton

The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession for rhetorical effect.

Juxtaposition

The placement of two contrasting elements near each other to highlight differences.

Tricolon

A rhetorical term for a series of three parallel words, phrases, or clauses.

Allegory

A narrative in which characters and events represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in a series of words.

Antagonist

A character or force in conflict with the main character in a story.

Aside

A remark by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

Assonance

The repetition of similar vowel sounds within a sentence or phrase.

Catastrophe

The final action in a tragedy that leads to the resolution or denouement.

Catharsis

The emotional release experienced by the audience at the end of a tragic drama.

Character

An individual in a literary work, who may be major or minor, static or dynamic.

Characterization

The methods used by a writer to create and develop a character.

Chorus

A group that comments on the action in a play, often without participating in it.

Climax

The point of greatest intensity in a story or play, where the main conflict reaches its peak.

Comedy

A type of drama that is humorous and often has a happy ending.

Comic relief

A humorous scene or passage in a serious work to provide a break from the tension.

Complication

An intensifying of the conflict in a story or play.

Conflict

A struggle between opposing forces, which drives the plot of a story.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word, without any emotional association.

Denouement

The resolution or conclusion of a literary work after the climax.

Deus ex machina

A plot device where a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved by an unexpected intervention.

Dialogue

The conversation between characters in a literary work.

Diction

The choice of words and style of expression in a literary piece.

Dramatic monologue

A poem in which a single character speaks to an implied listener.

Dramatis personae

The characters or persons in a play.

Exposition

The introduction of background information in a story, including setting, characters, and basic conflict.

Fable

A short story that conveys a moral lesson, often featuring animals.

Falling action

The part of a story after the climax leading to the resolution.

Fiction

Literature that describes imaginary events and characters.

Figurative language

Language that uses words or expressions with a meaning different from the literal interpretation.

Flashback

A narrative device that interrupts the chronological flow to recount an event from the past.

Foil

A character who contrasts with another character to highlight particular qualities.

Foot

A basic unit of meter in poetry, composed of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about what will happen later in a narrative.

Fourth wall

The imaginary barrier between the audience and the performers in a play.

Gesture

Physical movement by a character, often conveying emotion or intention.

Iamb

A metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

Imagery

Descriptive language used to evoke sensory experiences in the reader.

Irony

A discrepancy between expectation and reality, sometimes used for humorous or emphatic effect.

Literal language

Language that means exactly what it says, without interpretation or exaggeration.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of lines in poetry, determined by the pattern of stresses.

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated.

Monologue

A speech delivered by a single character, often revealing their inner thoughts.

Narrator

The voice or character that tells the story in a literary work.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate the sounds they represent.

Parody

A humorous or satirical imitation of a literary work.

Pathos

The quality in a work that evokes pity or sadness.

Personification

Giving human traits or characteristics to non-human entities.

Plot

The sequence of events that make up a story.

Point of view

The perspective from which a story is narrated.

Props

Objects used in a play or film to enhance the setting or action.

Protagonist

The main character in a story, often facing conflict or change.

Quatrain

A stanza of four lines, often with alternating rhymes.

Recognition

A moment in a narrative where a character comes to an understanding of their situation.