31. Character, Foil- A character that contrasts another character

32. Character, Flat- A character embodying only one or two traits and lacking character development. Often

such characters exist only to provide background or adequate motivation for a protagonist’s actions.

33. Character, Round- A character who exhibits a range of emotions and who evolves over the course of the

story

34. Character, Secondary/Minor-A supporting character; while not as prominent or central as the main

character, they are still important to the events of a story or play.

35. Character, Stock-A type of flat character based on a stereotype; one who falls into an immediately

recognizable category or type and thus resists unique characterization. Stock characters are often used for

humor or satire.

36. Characterization- The method by which the author builds or reveals a character.

37. Characterization, Direct- A narrator tells the reader who a character is by describing the background,

motivation, temperament, or appearance of that character

38. Characterization, Indirect- The author shows rather than tells what a character is like through what the

character says, does, thinks, or what others say about the character.

39. Chiasmus- Sentence strategy in which the arrangement of ideas in the second clause is a reversal of the

first.

40. Colloquial language/Colloquialism- An expression or language construction appropriate only for casual,

informal speaking or writing.

41. Comedy-Usually used to refer to a dramatic work that, in contrast to tragedy, has a light, amusing plot,

features a happy ending, centers on ordinary people, and is written and performed in the vernacular.

Structurally, comedies usually progress from chaos to order.

42. Comedy of Manners- A satiric dramatic form that lampoons social conventions

43. Comic relief- Something said or done that provides a break from the seriousness of the work.

44. Conceit- A literary device that sets up a striking analogy between two entities that would not usually invite

comparison.

45. Conceit, Metaphysical- A conceit that specifically draws connections between the physical and the spiritual

46. Confessional poetry- Poetry that uses intimate, painful, disturbing, or sad material from the poet’s life

47. Conflict- The tension, opposition, or struggle that drives a plot.

48. Conflict, Dilemma- A type of conflict in which both choices have negative consequences

49. Conflict, External- The opposition or tension between two characters or forces.

50. Conflict, Internal- Conflict occurring within a character

51. Consonance- An instance in which identical final consonant sounds in nearby words follow different vowel

sounds

52. Contrast- A literary technique in which the author examines two opposites to create an attitude, to

accomplish a purpose or effect, or to make an assertion.

53. Couplet- Two lines of poetry

54. Couplet, closed- Two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry that express a complete thought

55. Couplet, Heroic- Two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry written in iambic pentameter

56. Critical Lenses- different ways to approach interpreting a work of literature; also known as critical

perspectives. Specific types include Cultural, Formalist, Gendered/Feminist, Historical, Psychological

57. Deduction- Arriving at a conclusion by making an inference from the premise

58. Dialect- Dialogue or narration written to simulate regional or cultural speech patterns

59. Diction- A writer’s choice of words.

60. Didactic- A work in which the author’s primary purpose is to instruct, teach, or morality