Test #1

allegory

the device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. Usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.

alliteration

the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants in two or more neighboring words. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage

allusion

a direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. They can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical

ambiguity

the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage

analogy

a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. It can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar. It can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging.

anaphora

one of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences

anecdote

a short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event. Most frequently refers to an incident in the life of a person

antedecent

the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun

antithesis

figure of balance in which two contrasting ideas are intentionally juxtaposed, usually through parallel structure; a contrasting of opposing ideas in adjacent phrases, clauses, or sentences. Creates a definite and systematic relationship between ideas.

aphorism

a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. It can be a memorable summation of the author’s point

apostrophe

a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect is to give vent to or display intense emotion, which can no longer be held back

asyndeton

consists of omitting conjunctions between words, phrases, or clauses. This can give the effect of unpremeditated multiplicity, of an extemporaneous rather than a labored account. They can be more emphatic than if a final conjunction were used.

atmosphere

the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author’s choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as description of the weather can contribute. Frequently, it foreshadows events. Perhaps it can create mood.

chiasmus

a figure of speech in which two successive phrases or clauses are parallel in syntax, but reverse the order of the analogous words

clause

a grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, one expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate, one cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent one. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the author subordinates on element to the other

colloquial/colloquialism

the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, they give work a conversational, familiar tone. These expressions in writing include local or regional dialects.

coherence

a principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible. Words, phrases, clauses within the sentence; and sentences, paragraphs, and chapters in larger pieces of writing are the unit by their progressive logical arrangement

conceit

a fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects. It displays intellectual cleverness as a result of the unusual comparison being made

connotation

the nonliteral, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. They may involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes.