Literary Terms

activism

any activity intended to bring about social change

change

change

indirect characterization

The character is revealed through their personality, appearance, words, actions, and effect on others

direct characterization

tells the audience what the personality of the character is

tone

Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

motif

a principal idea, feature, theme, or element; a repeated or dominant figure in a design

point of view

the perspective from which a story is told

connotation

All the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests

denotation

the literal meaning of a word

mood

Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader

cause

the reason something happens

effect

a result or consequence

antagonist

a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

protagonist

Main character in a story

deutragonist

second character

tritagonist

a third character which allowed more complex interactions of dialogue

conflcit

A struggle between opposing forces

internal v. external conflict

The problems or issues that arise during a story. Can be internal where a character is fighting with themselves or can be external: character v. another character, character v. society, character v. technology, character v. group, character v. authority, character v. supernatural, character v. nature, etc.

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 a response

parallel

grammatical and literary applications; put opposite ideas into parallel positions within something, bringing attention to their comparing and contrasting character/stories. can be seen in devices like anaphora.

juxtaposition

two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

resolution

End of the story where loose ends are tied up

moral

A practical lesson about right and wrong

theme

the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a central idea

irony

the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

metonymy

A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it. "The pen is mightier than the sword." Edward Bulwer-Lytton

synecdoche

A figure of speech where the part signifies the whole or the whole a part

allegory

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

frame device

a story within a story. eg. Frankenstein

symbolism

A person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well

round / dynamic

usually the protagonist; goes through change

flat / static

the character does not change much or at all

allusion

an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference.

literal

taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory

bathos

insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity

ad hontineni argument

an argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue

figurative

using figures of speech; symbolic, not literal

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

explicit

clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

foreshadow

a narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader

implicit

implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in

cacophonous

harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant

anecdote

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

analogy

A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

stream of consciousness

A literary technique that presents the thoughts and feelings of a character as they occur.

suspense / tension

A feeling of uncertainty and curiosity about what will happen next in a story; key element in fiction and drama; "hook" writer uses to keep audience interested

plot shift

When plot accelerates, regresses, or digresses

proverb

a short pithy saying in general use, stating a general truth or piece of advice.

objective

not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts

subjective

Existing in the mind or relating to one's own thoughts, opinions, emotions, etc.; personal, individual, based on feelings

rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

absolute

complete; totally unlimited; certain

epanalepsis

device of repetition in which the same expression (single word or phrase) is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line, clause, or sentence. "Common sense is not so common." Voltaire

logos

an appeal based on logic or reason

pathos

emotional appeal

ethos

Ethical appeal; credibility

anadiplosis

Figure of repetition that occurs when the last word or terms in one sentence, clause, or phrase is/are repeated at or very near the beginning of the next sentence, clause, or phrase. "Turn the lights out now. Now, I'll take you by the hand. Hand you another drink. Drink it if you can. Can you spend a little time. Time is slipping away. Away from us, so stay. Stay with me I can make. Make you glad you came." The Wanted

chiasmus

repetition of similar concepts with a repeated grammatical structure, but doesn't necessarily involve the repetition of the same words. "Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet soundly loves." Othello

Antanaclasis

repetition of a word or phrase whose meaning changes in the second instance. "Your argument is sound... all sound." Benjamin Franklin

antimetabole

literal repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair." Macbeth

catalyst

something that brings about a change in something else

consonance

Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.

assonance

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity

asyndeton

omission of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words. "I came, I saw, I conquered." Julius Caesar

polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions

kairos

a person's ability to adapt to any occasion and deliver a message fit for that moment; builds sense of urgency

paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.

syncope

omitting a sound or syllable from a word, most commonly in the middle. "T'is" shortened form of "it is."

apostrophe

addressing an absent, dead or imaginary person as if they were present/existed/absent. similar to personification, normally used when talking to nonhumans. "Oh Death, be not proud" John Donne

invocation

special case of apostrophe, to call upon a higher power for help. "Sing in me, Muse" Homer

epistrophe

Repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive clauses. "the government of the people, by the people, and for the people." Gettysburg Address

imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

anaphora

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

Aphorism (Proverb, adage, maxim, axiom, dictum, apothegm)

A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.

syntax

the rules for combining words into grammatically sensible sentences in a given language

satire

A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.

diction

the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

style

A basic and distinctive mode of expression.

pedantic

describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

foil

A character who acts as a contrast to another character

anti-hero

a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.

scapegoat

a person or group that bears the blame for another

mother of all monsters

Echidna, Loki

synesthesia

describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")

tautology

needless repetition of an idea by using different but equivalent words; a redundancy

turning point

the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs

rising action

A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.

climax

the most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex.

personification

the giving of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea

bias

A particular preference or point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.

anastrophe

Inversion of the usual, normal, or logical order of the parts of a sentence. "Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is." Yoda

euphony

pleasant, harmonious sound

cosmic irony

the idea that fate, destiny, or a god controls and toys with human hopes and expectations

dramatic irony

Irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.

situation irony

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

metaphor

a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

implication

the act of suggesting or hinting

verbal irony

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

exposition

a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.