lit terms 3

Dénouement

the final outcome of the main complication in a play or story. 

Deus ex machina

An unrealistic or unexpected intervention to rescue the protagonists or resolve the conflict. 

• The term is a negative one, and often implies a lack of skill on the part of the writer

Diction

a writer’s choice of words, phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning. 

Dynamic Character

haracter that undergoes some kind of change because of the action in the plot

• a person who undergoes significant development or change

Epic

 A long narrative poem, told in a formal, elevated style, that focuses on a serious subject and chronicles heroic deeds and events important to a culture or nation.

Epigram

a short verse or motto appearing at the beginning of a literary work to establish mood or raise theme

Epitaph

an inscription carved on a gravestone. 

• In a more general sense, an epitaph is the final statement spoken by a character before his death - may be serious or humorous.

Epithet

A poetic nickname (typically a compound adjective) which makes the reader see the object described in a clearer or sharper light. 

• It is both exact and imaginative. 

Euphony

to group words together harmoniously, so that the consonants permit an easy and pleasing flow of sound when spoken

Exposition

a narrative device that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances.