Lit Terms

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stream-of-consciousness

a narrative mode that attempts to capture the flow of thoughts and feelings in a character's mind.

unreliable narrator

a narrator whose credibility is compromised, leading to a skewed or misleading account of the story.

frame narrative

a storytelling technique that involves a main narrative that sets the stage for one or more smaller stories within it.

evidentiary narrative technique

the use of storytelling methods to present and support claims or arguments through the narrative itself, rather than relying solely on explicit statements or external evidence.

third-person limited point of view

a narrative perspective where the narrator knows only the thoughts and feelings of one character, providing a limited insight into the story.

mood

the emotional atmosphere created by a literary work, influencing how readers feel about the story.

tone

the author's attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and style, which shapes the readers' perception.

authors pupose

the reason an author has for writing a particular text, often to inform, entertain, persuade, or express feelings.

syntax

the arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence, encompassing sentence structure, word order, and the rules governing how words are combined to create meaning.

diction

the choice of words and style of expression used by an author in their writing, which affects tone and clarity.

synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa, often used to create emphasis or evoke imagery. ex. “wheels” for a car or “society” for high society

metonymy

a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something closely associated with it. For example, "the crown" can refer to royalty.

epic poetry

a long narrative poem that typically recounts the deeds and adventures of heroic figures, often reflecting the values of a culture.

epic hero

a brave and noble character in an epic poem, often representing the ideals of a culture.

folk epic

a long narrative poem that originates from oral tradition, featuring a culture's heroes and significant events.

literary epic

a narrative poem that combines historical events with folklore, often featuring a hero's journey.

kenning

a compound expression in Old English and Old Norse poetry with metaphorical meaning, often used to describe people or things. Metaphor where two words are combined to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or thing. ex. “whale-road'“ for the sea in Beowulf.

litotes

a figure of speech that employs understatement by using double negatives or negating a positive statement, often for ironic or emphatic effect. ex. saying the “weather isn’t bad” for “the weather is good”.

epitaph

a phrase or statement in memory of a person who has died, often inscribed on a tombstone.

elegy

a mournful poem or song expressing sorrow for someone who has died, often reflecting on loss and mortality.

allegory

a narrative in which characters and events symbolically represent deeper meanings or moral lessons, often conveying a message about real-world issues.

allusion

an indirect reference to a person, place, event, or literary work, often enriching the meaning of the text.

caesura

a pause or break in a line of poetry, usually occurring in the middle, which can enhance the rhythm and flow.

satire

a genre of literature that uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock societal issues, individuals, or institutions.

Estates satire

a work that critiques social classes and the structure of society, often highlighting injustices and absurdities within the system.

irony

a literary technique where the intended meaning is different from the literal meaning, often highlighting contradictions or sarcasm.

verbal irony

a type of irony where a speaker's intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning of their words, often used for humorous or emphatic effect.

situational irony

a literary device in which the outcome is significantly different from what was expected, often creating a humorous or poignant effect.

dramatic irony

a literary device where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters do, creating tension or humor.

tragic irony

a form of dramatic irony where the audience knows more about a situation than the characters involved, often leading to a sense of foreboding or pathos.

cosmic irony

a literary device where fate or a higher power seems to play a cruel joke on the characters, highlighting the contrast between their expectations and reality.

socratic irony

a technique in which someone pretends to be ignorant to expose the ignorance or inconsistency of someone else.

narrative persona

the voice or character that narrates the story, influencing how the audience perceives events and characters.

speaker

the person or character who communicates the narrative, often shaping the perspective and tone of the story.

frame narrative

a story that contains another story or stories within it, providing context or additional layers to the main narrative.

narrative poem

a poem that tells a story, often with a structured verse form and characters, focusing on plot, emotion, and creative storytelling.

Iambic Pentameter

a metrical pattern in poetry consisting of five iambs per line, commonly used in English verse.

heroic couplets

rhyme scheme of two rhymed lines in iambic pentameter, often used in epic and narrative poetry.

charcterization

the literary device used to create and develop characters in a story, revealing their traits through dialogue, actions, and descriptions.

direct characterization

the process by which the personality of a character is revealed through direct statements by the author.

indirect characterization

the process of revealing a character's personality through their actions, speech, thoughts, and interactions with others, rather than explicitly stating their traits.

exemplum

a moral anecdote or example, often used in literature to illustrate a point or lesson.

medieval romance

a narrative genre originating in medieval literature that typically involves chivalric heroes, noble deeds, and courtly love.

mystery play

a form of medieval drama that depicts biblical stories, often performed by guilds during religious festivals.

morality play

a type of medieval drama that teaches moral lessons, often through allegorical characters representing virtues and vices.

miracle play

a type of medieval drama that portrays miraculous events in the lives of saints and Christ, often used to convey religious messages.

apologia

a reasoned defense or justification of a position, often in a formal written format.

polyphony

the simultaneous combination of multiple independent melodies or voices, creating complex harmonies in music and literature.

symbol

an object or element that represents a larger idea or concept, often used in literature to convey deeper meanings.

paradox

a statement that contradicts itself but may reveal a deeper truth.

paradoxical situation

a scenario that seems self-contradictory or illogical but may reveal a deeper truth.

verbal paradox

a statement that contradicts itself but may reveal a truth upon closer examination.

paradoxical statement

a statement that appears contradictory but may express an underlying truth.

overstatement (hyperbole)

an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, often used for emphasis or effect.

understatement

the expression of an idea by emphasizing its less significant aspects, often for ironic effect.

sarcasm

the use of irony to mock or convey contempt, often through exaggerated praise or statements that are opposite to what is meant.

Asyndeton

the omission of conjunctions between clauses, often used for rhetorical effect.

Anaphora

the deliberate repetition of the first part of consecutive phrases or sentences to create emphasis.

Assonance

the repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words to create rhythm or emphasize a feeling.

apostrophe

speaker directly addresses an absent person, a personified abstract quality, or an inanimate object, as if they are present and capable of understanding. ex. "O happy dagger! This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die" (Juliet from Romeo and Juliet).

ballad

a form of narrative verse that tells a story, often in a musical style.

blank verse

unrhymed iambic pentameter, commonly used in English dramatic and epic poetry.

blank verse

A type of poetry characterized by rhythmical patterns, specifically unrhymed lines composed in iambic pentameter.

chiasmus

a rhetorical device in which words or concepts are repeated in reverse order, often to create emphasis.

carpe diem

a literary concept urging to seize the day and make the most of present opportunities.

euphony

the quality of being pleasant to the ear, often achieved through smooth, harmonious sounds in speech or writing.

epistrophe

a rhetorical device in which a word or phrase is repeated at the end of successive clauses or sentences, creating emphasis.

en media res

a narrative technique where a story begins in the middle of the action, often leaving earlier events to be revealed through flashbacks.

polysyndeton

a literary device that uses multiple conjunctions in close succession, often to create a sense of rhythm or emphasis in a sentence.

parallelism

the repetition of similar grammatical structures in a series of phrases or sentences to create balance and clarity.

synesthesia

a literary device that describes a blending of the senses, where one type of sensory input is described in terms of another. z

Zeugma

a figure of speech in which a word applies to multiple parts of the sentence, creating a unique connection or relationship between them. using one word to modify two other words, in two different ways. An example of a zeugma is, “She broke his car and his heart.”

Villanelle

A 19-line poetic form consisting of five tercets followed by a quatrain, with a specific rhyme scheme and repeated lines.