Creative Writing 2 - Final Exam Study Guide: Poetry, Prose, and Literary Techniques, and Meter
Literary Terms and Techniques
Imagery is defined as descriptive language that appeals to the physical senses, including sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Its primary function is to create vivid mental pictures in the reader's mind, enhancing the emotional and sensory impact of the prose or poetry.
A Paradox is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or logically impossible upon first read, but which actually reveals a deeper, underlying truth.
Anaphora involves the deliberate repetition of a specific word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or lines of poetry. This technique is often used for emphasis, rhythm, or to build emotional intensity.
Tension is a critical element in creative writing that builds conflict and maintains reader engagement. It is considered essential for establishing drama and controlling the pacing of a narrative or poem.
Poetic Forms and Devices
Iambic Pentameter describes a specific line structure in poetry consisting of syllables. These syllables follow a strict pattern of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
A Quatrain is a stanza consisting of exactly lines of poetry. These stanzas often utilize an alternating rhyme scheme to create a sense of balance.
A Ballad is a type of narrative poem, frequently arranged in quatrains, that is specifically designed to tell a story.
A Sonnet is a formal poem consisting of lines. Historically, sonnets are written in iambic pentameter and adhere to a specific, structured rhyme scheme.
A Limerick is a form of lighthearted or humorous poetry consisting of lines. It follows a distinctive AABBA rhyme scheme.
A Villanelle is a highly structured -line poem. It is characterized by having only two repeating rhymes and two specific refrains that appear throughout the poem.
Types of Poetic Meter
Iambic meter consists of a metrical foot where an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. An example of this is the line: "I WALK the LINE of SHADOWS DEEP and WIDE."
Trochaic meter is a metrical foot where a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. An example is the line: "TELL me NOT in MOURNful NUMbers, FRIEND."
Anapestic meter consists of a metrical foot with two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable. An example is found in the line: "'Twas the NIGHT before CHRISTmas, and ALL through the HOUSE."
Dactylic meter is a metrical foot comprising one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables. An example is: "MERri-ly DANcing and SINGing with GLEE."
Spondaic meter consists of a metrical foot where two stressed syllables occur in succession. Common examples of spondaic words include: "HEARTBREAK," "DOWNTIME," "STONECOLD," and "FOOTSTEP."
Creative Nonfiction and Plot Structure
Creative nonfiction is a genre that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Its major subcategories include Memoir, Personal Essay, Literary Journalism, and Lyric Essay.
The structure of a plot is typically divided into five distinct parts. The Exposition introduces the setting and characters. The Rising Action builds the conflict. The Climax serves as the turning point or highest point of tension. The Falling Action explores the consequences of the climax. The Resolution, also known as the Denouement, provides the final outcome or conclusion of the story.
Categories of Poetry and Prose Lengths
Poetry is generally divided into two basic categories. Lyric Poetry is used to express the personal thoughts and feelings of the speaker, while Narrative Poetry is used to tell a story.
In terms of prose length, a Novella is typically defined as a work of fiction that contains between and words.
Practice Poem: "Still Waters"
A glassy pond in morning light, Framed with trees of red and gold, Reflects the sky in painted white And secrets nature softly holds.
Beneath the surface, life flows on— A dart of fin, a shifting weed, While dragonflies above are drawn To flickers only they can read.
A heron lifts without a sound, Its shadow gliding over reeds, And though my feet stay on the ground, My thoughts drift where the water leads.
Questions and Discussion
Question 1: What is the overall tone of "Still Waters"? Answer: B—Reflective.
Question 2: Which line contains the best example of imagery? Answer: D—"Framed with trees of red and gold." This line is the best example because it uses vivid sensory imagery to describe the scene.
Question 3: What poetic device is used in the line "My thoughts drift where the water leads"? Answer: B—Personification. The thoughts are described as drifting as if they are alive or have the agency of a living thing.
Question 4: What does the phrase "life flows on" most likely symbolize? Answer: B—The steady routine of nature. This phrase symbolizes the continuity and the inherent calm of the natural world.
Question 5: Which poetic meter is most present in the line: "A glassy pond in morning light"? Answer: B—Iambic. The iambic meter (pattern) fits the natural stress of this specific line.