Untitled Flashcards Set

Iconoclast – A person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs, institutions, or traditions.

Homily – A sermon or moral lecture, often tedious or long-winded.

Impunity – Exemption from punishment or harm.

Menagerie – A collection of wild animals kept in captivity for exhibition; a diverse or varied group.

Wanderlust – A strong desire or impulse to travel and explore the world.

Acrimony – Bitterness or harshness in speech, behavior, or disposition.

Malefactor – A person who commits a crime or does evil.

Microcosm – A small system or community that reflects a larger whole.

Magisterial – Authoritative, commanding, or dignified.

Meretricious – Attracting attention in a vulgar or deceitful way; superficially appealing but lacking real value.

Droll – Amusing in an odd or whimsical way.

Ebullient – Overflowing with enthusiasm or excitement.

Insidious – Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way but with harmful effects; treacherous.

Modish – Fashionable or stylish, especially in a superficial or faddish way.

Punctilious – Extremely attentive to detail or correct behavior.

Effete – Overrefined, exhausted, or lacking in vitality, often due to self-indulgence.

Altruistic – Unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others.

Palpable – So intense or evident that it can almost be touched or felt; obvious.

Canon (n.)

1. Religious Definition: A traditional collection of writings considered authentic and authoritative, such as the Hebrew Bible or its translations. Opposed to apocrypha, which refers to writings of doubtful or anonymous origin.

2. Literary Anthologies: Works included in anthologies or textbooks, evaluated within specific genres. Represents literature suitable for academic and aesthetic appreciation.

3. Authorial Works: The collection of literary writings attributed to a specific author, generally accepted by scholars as authentic and representative of the author's style and genre.

Epistolary (adj./n.)

• A literary genre that uses letters, diaries, journals, or other personal documents (e.g., emails, blogs, newspaper clippings) to tell a story or communicate a narrative.

• Example: Dracula by Bram Stoker is an epistolary novel.

Epiphany (n.)

• A moment of sudden realization or insight experienced by a character, which changes their understanding of events or circumstances in the story.

• Derived from the Greek word epiphaneia, meaning "appearance" or "manifestation."

Foil (n.)

• A character who contrasts with another character—usually the protagonist—in order to highlight particular traits of the main character.

• Example: Tom Buchanan serves as a foil to Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.

  Denouement (n.)

• The resolution or conclusion of the conflict in a story, occurring after the climax. It "unties" the narrative's complications.

• From the French dénouer, meaning “to untie.”

• Example: In Romeo and Juliet, the families end their feud after the lovers’ tragic deaths—this is the denouement.