Terms : Hide Images
| 10439221884 | allegory | story or poem that can be used to reveal a hidden meaning The representation of abstract ideas or principals by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form. |  | 0 |
| 10439221885 | alliteration | beginning of same letter or sound in closely connected words The repitition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of several words in a line of poetry |  | 1 |
| 10439221886 | allusion | indirect of passing reference Reference to someone or something that is known from history literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something (usually in literature) |  | 2 |
| 10439221887 | anaphora | repetition in first part of a sentence , to have an artistic meaning Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines in a poem. |  | 3 |
| 10439221888 | antagonist | a hostile person who is opposed to another character The protagonist's adversary |  | 4 |
| 10439221889 | apostrophe | the figure of speech used to address an imaginary character When a character speaks to a character or object that is not present or is unable to respond |  | 5 |
| 10439221890 | approximate rhyme | words in rhyming pattern that sound alike |  | 6 |
| 10439221891 | aside | when a character's dialogue is spoken but not heard by other actors on the stage |  | 7 |
| 10439221892 | assonance | repetition of vowel sounds |  | 8 |
| 10439221893 | blank verse | poetry written in meter without an ending rhyme Name for unrhymed iambic pentameter. An iamb is a metrical foot in which an unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. In iambic pentameter there are five iambs per line making ten syllables. |  | 9 |
| 10439221894 | cacophony | blend of unharmonious sounds |  | 10 |
| 10439221895 | caesura | pause in the middle of a line |  | 11 |
| 10439221896 | catharsis | the release of emotions through art (emotional cleanse) |  | 12 |
| 10439221897 | flat character | story character who have no depth, usually has one personality or characteristic |  | 13 |
| 10439221898 | round character | character who has complex personality: contradicted person |  | 14 |
| 10439221899 | dynamic character | changes throughout the story, through major conflict |  | 15 |
| 10439221900 | static character | person who doesn't change throughout story keeps same personality |  | 16 |
| 10439221901 | characterization | process of revealing characters personality |  | 17 |
| 10439221902 | climax | point where conflict hits its highest point |  | 18 |
| 10439221903 | comedy | drama that is amusing or funny |  | 19 |
| 10439221904 | conflict | struggle between opposing forces |  | 20 |
| 10439221905 | connotation | secondary meaning to a word |  | 21 |
| 10439221906 | consonance | repetition of same consonant in words close together |  | 22 |
| 10439221907 | couplet | two rhyming lines in a verse |  | 23 |
| 10439221908 | denotation | the literal meaning of a word |  | 24 |
| 10439221909 | denouement | final outcome of the story |  | 25 |
| 10439221910 | deus ex machina | resolution of a plot by chance or coincidence |  | 26 |
| 10439221911 | didactic writing | writing with a primary purpose to teach or preach |  | 27 |
| 10439221912 | direct presentation of character | author telling the reader how a character is and what actions it will do further in the story |  | 28 |
| 10439221913 | double rhyme | rhyme where the repeated vowel is in the second last syllable of words involved (ex; born scorn) | 29 | |
| 10439221914 | dramatic exposition | prose commentaries, to provide background information about the characters and their world |  | 30 |
| 10439221915 | end rhyme | rhymes occurring at the end of line |  | 31 |
| 10439221916 | end stopped line | line ending in regular punctuation |  | 32 |
| 10439221917 | English sonnet | a sonnet rhyming ababcdcdededgg |  | 33 |
| 10439221918 | epiphany | when a character receives a spiritual insight into they life |  | 34 |
| 10439221919 | euphony | smooth choice and arrangement of sounds |  | 35 |
| 10439221920 | extended figure | A figure of speech sustained or developed through a considerable number of lines or through a whole poem. |  | 36 |
| 10439221921 | falling action | Events after the climax, leading to the resolution |  | 37 |
| 10439221922 | feminine rhyme | lines rhymed by their final two syllables Term that refers to an unstressed extra syllable at the end of a line of iambic pentameter |  | 38 |
| 10439221923 | figurative language | Language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling. |  | 39 |
| 10439221924 | figure of speech | a way of saying something other than the ordinary way |  | 40 |
| 10439221925 | foot | basic unit in the scansion or measurement of verse , stressed and un stressed syllables |  | 41 |
| 10439221926 | form | external pattern or shape of a poem |  | 42 |
| 10439221927 | free verse | Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme |  | 43 |
| 10439221928 | hamartia | tragic flaw which causes a character's downfall |  | 44 |
| 10439221929 | imagery | Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) |  | 45 |
| 10439221930 | indirect presentation of character | the personality of a character is revealed by what he or she does or says |  | 46 |
| 10439221931 | internal rhyme | A word inside a line rhymes with another word on the same line |  | 47 |
| 10439221932 | irony | A contrast between expectation and reality |  | 48 |
| 10439221933 | verbal irony | A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant |  | 49 |
| 10439221934 | dramatic irony | Irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play. |  | 50 |
| 10439221935 | irony of situation | refers to an occurrence that is contrary to what is expected or intended |  | 51 |
| 10439221936 | italian sonnet | A sonnet consisting of an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd |  | 52 |
| 10439221937 | masculine rhyme | A rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable Stressed extra syllable at the end of a line |  | 53 |
| 10439221938 | melodrama | a play based upon a dramatic plot and developed sensationally |  | 54 |
| 10439221939 | metaphor | A comparison without using like or as |  | 55 |
| 10439221940 | meter | A regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry The measured arrangement of words in poetry, as by accentual rhythm, syllabic quantity, or the number of syllables in a line. |  | 56 |
| 10439221941 | metonymy | A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it |  | 57 |
| 10439221942 | motivation | A need or desire that energizes and directs behavior |  | 58 |
| 10439221943 | narrator | Person telling the story First Person - The narrator is a character in the story Third Person Objective: The narrator does not tell what anyone is thinking; the "fly on a wall" Third Person Limited: The narrator is able to tell the thoughts of one of the characters Third Person Omniscient: The narrator is able to tell the thoughs of any character |  | 59 |
| 10439221944 | octave | 8 line stanza |  | 60 |
| 10439221945 | onomatopoeia | A word that imitates the sound it represents. |  | 61 |
| 10439221946 | hyperbole | A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor |  | 62 |
| 10439221947 | oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. |  | 63 |
| 10439221948 | paradox | A contradiction or dilemma |  | 64 |
| 10439221949 | paraphrase | A restatement of a text or passage in your own words. |  | 65 |
| 10439221950 | personification | A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes |  | 66 |
| 10439221951 | plot | Sequence of events in a story | | 67 |
| 10439221952 | point of view | The perspective from which a story is told |  | 68 |
| 10439221953 | omniscient point of view | The point of view where the narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems - told in the 3rd person. |  | 69 |
| 10439221954 | third person limited point of view | narrator tells the story from only one character's pov |  | 70 |
| 10439221955 | first person point of view | a character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself |  | 71 |
| 10439221956 | objective point of view | a narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story, with no comment on any characters or events. |  | 72 |
| 10439221957 | protagonist | Main character |  | 73 |
| 10439221958 | quatrain | A four line stanza |  | 74 |
| 10439221959 | rhythm | A regularly recurring sequence of events or actions. |  | 75 |
| 10439221960 | rhyme scheme | A regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem |  | 76 |
| 10439221961 | rising action | Events leading up to the climax |  | 77 |
| 10439221962 | sarcasm | the use of irony to mock or convey contempt |  | 78 |
| 10439221963 | satire | A literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies. |  | 79 |
| 10439221964 | scansion | Analysis of verse into metrical patterns |  | 80 |
| 10439221965 | sestet | 6 line stanza |  | 81 |
| 10439221966 | setting | The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs. |  | 82 |
| 10439221967 | simile | A comparison using "like" or "as" |  | 83 |
| 10439221968 | soliloquy | A long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |  | 84 |
| 10439221969 | sonnet | 14 line poem |  | 85 |
| 10439221970 | stanza | A group of lines in a poem | | 86 |
| 10439221971 | stream of consciousness | private thoughts of a character without commentary |  | 87 |
| 10439221972 | syllabic verse | Verse measured by the number of syllables rather than the number of feet per line. |  | 88 |
| 10439221973 | symbol | A thing that represents or stands for something else |  | 89 |
| 10439221974 | synecdoche | a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa |  | 90 |
| 10439221975 | synesthesia | describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound") |  | 91 |
| 10439221976 | tercet | 3 line stanza | | 92 |
| 10439221977 | terza rima | a verse form with a rhyme scheme: aba bcb cdc, etc. |  | 93 |
| 10439221978 | theme | Central idea of a work of literature |  | 94 |
| 10439221979 | tone | Attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character |  | 95 |
| 10439221980 | tragedy | A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character |  | 96 |
| 10439221981 | truncation | Utilizing a melody with part of the end omitted. |  | 97 |
| 10439221982 | understandment | the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is; a deliberate under-emphasis |  | 98 |
| 10439221983 | verse | A single line of poetry writing arranged with a metrical rhythm, typically having a rhyme | | 99 |
| 10439221984 | vilanelle | a nineteen-line poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with the first and third lines of the opening tercet recurring alternately at the end of the other tercets and with both repeated at the close of the concluding quatrain. |  | 100 |
| 10439221985 | Ambiguity | When an author leaves out details or information or is unclear about an event so the reader will use his/her imagination to fill in the blanks. | 101 | |
| 10439221986 | Anecdote | A short story or joke told at the beginning of a speech to gain the audience's attention. | 102 | |
| 10439221987 | Anti-climatic | When the ending of the plot in poetry or prose is unfulfilling or lackluster | 103 | |
| 10439221988 | Antithesis | Balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure | 104 | |
| 10439221989 | Antihero | Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes. May lack courage, grace, intelligence, or moral scruples | 105 | |
| 10439221990 | Anthropomorphism | Attributing human characteristics to an animal or inanimate object | 106 | |
| 10439221991 | Climax | The turning point in the plot or the high point of action | 107 | |
| 10439221992 | Colloquial Language | Informal, conversational language. Typically phrases that are indicative of a specific region. | 108 | |
| 10439221993 | Conceit | An elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different. | 109 | |
| 10439221994 | Connotation | An idea or meaning suggested by or associated with a word or thing - Bat = evil | 110 | |
| 10439221995 | Convention | An understanding between a reader and a writer about certain details of a story that does not need to be explained | 111 | |
| 10439221996 | Couplet | A pair of rhymed lines that may or may not constitute a separate stanza in a poem. | 112 | |
| 10439221997 | Didactic | From the Greek, didactic literally means "teaching." Didactic words have the primary aim of teaching or instructing,especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles. | 113 | |
| 10439221998 | Dues Ex Machina | Term that refers to a character or force that appears at the end of a story or play to help resolve conflict. Word means "god from a machine". In ancient Greek drama, gods were lowered onto the stage by a mechanism to extricate characters from a seemingly hopeless situation. The phrase has come to mean any turn of events that solve the characters' problems through an unexpected and unlikely intervention. | 114 | |
| 10439221999 | Diction | The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing | 115 | |
| 10439222000 | Denouement | The final resolution or clarification of a dramatic or narrative plot. | 116 | |
| 10439222001 | Doppelganger | The alter ego of a character- the suppressed side of one's personality that is usually unaccepted by society. | 117 | |
| 10439222002 | Elegy | A poem or song composed especially as a lament for a deceased person. | 118 | |
| 10439222003 | Emotive Language | Deliberate use of language by a writer to instill a feeling or visual. | 119 | |
| 10439222004 | Enjambment | A line having no pause or end punctuation but having uninterrupted grammatical meaning continuing into the next line. | 120 | |
| 10439222005 | Epic | A long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society | 121 | |
| 10439222006 | Epilogue | A short poem or speech spoken directly to the audience following the conclusion of a play, or in a novel the epilogue is a short explanation at the end of the book which indicates what happens after the plot ends. | 122 | |
| 10439222007 | Epiphany | Sudden enlightenment or realization, a profound new outlook or understanding about the world usually attained while doing everyday mundane activities. | 123 | |
| 10439222008 | Epistolary | Used to describe a novel that tells its story through letters written from one character to another. | 124 | |
| 10439222009 | Epithet | A word or phrase preceding or following a name which serves to describe the character. Ex: Alexander the Great. | 125 | |
| 10439222010 | Euphemism | A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing The act of substituting a harsh, blunt, or offensive comment for a more politically accepted or positive one | 126 | |
| 10439222011 | Euphony | A succession of words which are pleasing to the ear. These words may be alliterative, utilize consonance, or assonance and are often used in poetry but also seen in prose | 127 | |
| 10439222012 | Expansion | Adds an unstressed syllable and a contraction or elision removes an unstressed syllable in order to maintain the rhythmic meter of a line. This practice explains some words frequently used in poetry such as th' in place of the, o'er in place of over, and 'tis or 'twas in place of it is or it was. | 128 | |
| 10439222013 | Fable | A usually short narrative making an edifying or cautionary point and often employing as characters animals that speak and act like humans | 129 | |
| 10439222014 | Farce | A type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in silly, far-fetched situations | 130 | |
| 10439222015 | Flashback | When a character remembers a past event that is relevant to the current action of the story. | 131 | |
| 10439222016 | Flat Character | A literary character whose personality can be defined by one or two traits and does not change over the course of the story. Flat characters are usually minor or insignificant characters | 132 | |
| 10439222017 | Foil | A character that by contrast underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another | 133 | |
| 10439222018 | Folklore | The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. | 134 | |
| 10439222019 | Foreshadowing | Clues in the text about incidents that will occur later in the plot, foreshadowing creates anticipation in the novel | 135 | |
| 10439222020 | Genre | A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content | 136 | |
| 10439222021 | Gothic Novel | A genre of fiction characterized by mystery and supernatural horror, often set in a dark castle or other medieval setting | 137 | |
| 10439222022 | Heroine | A woman noted for courage and daring action or the female protagonist | 138 | |
| 10439222023 | Hubris | used in Greek tragedies, refers to excessive pride that usually leads to a hero's downfall | 139 | |
| 10439222024 | Hyperbole | A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or comic/dramatic effect. | 140 | |
| 10439222025 | Illocution | Language that avoids meaning of the words. When we speak, sometimes we conceal intentions or sidestep the true subject of a conversation. Writing illocution expresses two stories, one of which is not apparent to the characters, but is apparent to the reader. For example, if two characters are discussing a storm on the surface it may seem like a simple discussion of the weather, however, the reader should interpret the underlying meaning that the relationship is in turmoil, chaos, is unpredictable, As demonstrated the story contains an underlying meaning or parallel meanings | 141 | |
| 10439222026 | Imagery | The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas | 142 | |
| 10439222027 | In medias res | A story that begins in the middle of things | 143 | |
| 10439222028 | Inversion | In poetry is an intentional digression from ordinary word order which is used to maintain regular meter. For example, rather than saying "the rain came" a poem my say "came the rain". Meter can be formed by the insertion or absence of a pause. | 144 | |
| 10439222029 | Irony | When one thing should occur, is apparent, or in logical sequence but the opposite actually occurs. Example: A man in the ocean might say, "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink." | 145 | |
| 10439222030 | Juxtaposition | Poetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, creating an effect of surprise and wit | 146 | |
| 10439222031 | Litotes | (pronounced almost like "little tee") - a form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite. Litote is the opposite of hyperbole. Examples: "Not a bad idea," "Not many," "It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain" (Salinger, Catcher in the Rye). | 147 | |
| 10439222032 | Local Color | a term applied to fiction or poetry which tends to place special emphasis on a particular setting, including its customs, clothing, dialect and landscape. | 148 | |
| 10439222033 | Memoir | an account based on the author's personal experiences | 149 | |
| 10439222034 | Metaphor | A comparison between two objects with the intent of giving clearer meaning to one of them. Often forms of the "to be" verb are used, such as "is" or "was", to make the comparison | 150 | |
| 10439222035 | Motif | A recurrent image word phrase represented object or action that tends to unify the literary work or that may be elaborated into a more general theme | 151 | |
| 10439222036 | First Person Point of View | a character in the story is actually telling the story himself/herself | 152 | |
| 10439222037 | Third Person Objective Point of View | The narrator is an outsider who can report only what he or she sees and hears. This narrator can tell us what is happening, but he can't tell us the thoughts of the characters. | 153 | |
| 10439222038 | Third Person Omniscient Point of View | Point of view in which an all-knowing narrator who is privy to the thoughts and actions of any or all characters. | 154 | |
| 10439222039 | Third Person Limited Point of View | This type of point of view presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all remaining characters | 155 | |
| 10439222040 | Novella | A shorter fictional prose narrative that ranges from 50-100 pages in length. | 156 | |
| 10439222041 | Neutral Language | Language opposite from emotive language as it is literal or even objective in nature. | 157 | |
| 10439222042 | Oblique Ryhme | Imperfect rhyme scheme | 158 | |
| 10439222043 | Ode | a lyric poem in the form of an address to a particular subject, often elevated in style or manner and written in varied or irregular meter | 159 | |
| 10439222044 | Onomatopoeia | A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. If you note examples of onomatopoeia in an essay passage, note the effect. | 160 | |
| 10439222045 | Parable | A simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson | 161 | |
| 10439222046 | Parody | A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. It exploits peculiarities of an author's expression (propensity to use too many parentheses, certain favorite words, etc.) Well-written parody offers enlightenment about the original, but poorly written parody offers only ineffectual imitation. nuances of the newer work. Occasionally, however, parodies take on a life of their own and don't require knowledge of the original. | 162 | |
| 10439222047 | Poetic Justice | Is a term that describes a character "getting what he deserves: in the end, especially if wat he deserves is punishment. The prest form of poetic justice results when one character pots against another but ends up being caught in his or her own trap. | 163 | |
| 10439222048 | Prologue | a separate introductory section of a literary or musical work | 164 | |
| 10439222049 | Pun | A play on words. In an argument, a pun usually calls humorous attention to particular point. He kept waving at the princess. He was a devoted fan. | 165 | |
| 10439222050 | Refrain | A line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem. | 166 | |
| 10439222051 | Rhetoric | From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively. | 167 | |
| 10439222052 | Rites of Passage | An incident which creates tremendous growth signifying a transition from adolescence to adulthood. | 168 | |
| 10439222053 | Round Character | A character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work | 169 | |
| 10439222054 | Resolution | End of the story where loose ends are tied up | 170 | |
| 10439222055 | Style | The consideration of style has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other We can analyze and describe an author's personal style and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author's purpose. Styles can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, laconic, etc. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparison, we can see how an author's style reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental, or realist movement. | 171 | |
| 10439222056 | Understatement | A statement that says less than what is meant | 172 |
