Literary terms

Paradox - A statement that is seemingly contradictory/opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true. Ex. I’m lying right now… or am I?

Eulogy - Speech/short writing dedicated to a recently deceased

Aphorism - A short sentence that expresses a general truth about life. Ex. Actions speak louder than words

Imagery - Words used to trigger the readers to recall images that engage one or more of the five senses.

Anaphora - The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of each line. Ex. It was… It was… It was…

Chiasmus - A literary device in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order (criss-cross pattern). Ex. All for one, and one for all. One should eat to live, not live to eat.

Anecdote -  A short story that explains a topic at hand; usually a funny story that happened. Ex. telling someone that you fell asleep at a party and someone drew on your face.

Hyperbole - An extreme exaggeration specifically for literary or rhetorical effect. Ex. I nearly died laughing

Allusion - An implied/indirect reference to something/someone from an unrelated context. Ex. including references to history, other texts, famous people, etc.

Motif - A symbolic image or idea that appears frequently in a story.

Satire - Art of ridiculing or criticizing a person, situation, or social belief system through storytelling. 

Propaganda - A way of sharing information in order to influence public opinion.

Ethos - The character or emotions of a speaker or writer that are expressed in the attempt to persuade an audience. Ex. a doctor recommending a certain type of medication in an advertisement 

Connotation - The use of a word to suggest a different association than its literal meaning. 

Allegory - a form of narrative that uses plot, setting, or character to stand for a message that has a larger moral or lesson (or makes a far-reaching commentary on real-world issues) EXAMPLE: Avatar – an allegory for imperialist oppression; and how it destroys indigenous cultures and the environment.

Diction/syntax - Linguistic choices an author uses to convey an idea, POV, or to just tell a story.

Catharsis - The use of strong feelings in literature to engage the reader in a type of emotional purification. EXAMPLE: Hitting a punching bag, screaming, sobbing = all releasing previously pent-up emotions. 

Foil -  A character who contrasts with another. Ex. Elizabeth Proctor and Abigail Williams from The Crucible

Invective -  where a person or thing is attacked or insulted through the use of abusive language and tone Ex.“I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth” -Jonathan Swift

Juxtaposition - Placing two concepts side by side as a way of highlighting the differences. Ex. Rich and poor, good and evil, vice and virtue, etc.