Terms : Hide Images
| 2806663841 | Antagonist | A person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary. | 0 | |
| 2806663842 | Aphorism | A terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation. | 1 | |
| 2806663844 | Aside | A temporary departure from a main theme or topic, especially a parenthetical comment or remark; short digression. | 2 | |
| 2806663846 | Bildungsroman | A type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist. | 3 | |
| 2806663848 | Caricature | A picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things | 4 | |
| 2806663849 | Catharsis | purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music. | 5 | |
| 2806663851 | Comic Relief | An amusing scene, incident, or speech introduced into serious or tragic elements, as in a play, in order to provide temporary relief from tension, or to intensify the dramatic action. | 6 | |
| 2806663852 | Conceit | An elaborate, fanciful metaphor, especially of a strained or far-fetched nature. | 7 | |
| 2806663853 | Denouement | The final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel. | 8 | |
| 2806663855 | Dialect | A variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially. | 9 | |
| 2806663856 | Doppleganger | A ghostly double or counterpart of a living person. | 10 | |
| 2806663857 | Dystopia | A society characterized by human misery, a squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding. | 11 | |
| 2806663860 | Epigraph | An apposite quotation at the beginning of a book, chapter, etc. | 12 | |
| 2806663861 | Epilogue | A concluding part added to a literary work, as a novel. | 13 | |
| 2806663862 | Epiphany | A literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight. | 14 | |
| 2806663863 | Epistolary | (of a novel or other work) constructed in the form of a series of letters. | 15 | |
| 2806663864 | Epithet | Any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality. | 16 | |
| 2806663865 | Flashback | A device in the narrative of a motion picture, novel, etc., by which an event or scene taking place before the present time in the narrative is inserted into the chronological structure of the work. | 17 | |
| 2806663866 | Flat & Round Characters | A flat character is a minor character in a work of fiction who does not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. A round character is a character in fiction whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated by the author. | 18 | |
| 2806663867 | Foil | A person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast. | 19 | |
| 2806663868 | Foreshadowing | To show or indicate beforehand | 20 | |
| 2806663869 | Frame Story | A narrative providing the framework for connecting a series of otherwise unrelated stories. | 21 | |
| 2806663870 | Hubris | Excessive pride toward or defiance of the gods, leading to nemesis. | 22 | |
| 2806663871 | Hyperbole | An extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally. | 23 | |
| 2806663872 | In Media Res | The classical tradition of opening an epic not in the chronological point at which the sequence of events would start, but rather at the midway point of the story. | 24 | |
| 2806663873 | Interior Monologue | A form of stream-of-consciousness writing that represents the inner thoughts of a character. | 25 | |
| 2806663874 | Invocation of the Muse | An opening to a story in which the teller of the story prays to one of the 9 muses to help them tell/sing the story. | 26 | |
| 2806663876 | Local Color | Distinctive, sometimes picturesque characteristics or peculiarities of a place or period as represented in literature or drama, or as observed in reality. | 27 | |
| 2806663877 | Malapropism | An act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound. | 28 | |
| 2806663879 | Metaphor | with the tenor referring to the concept, object, or person meant, and the vehicle being the image that carries the weight of the comparison. | 29 | |
| 2806663881 | Monologue | a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker | 30 | |
| 2806663882 | Motif | A reoccurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work. | 31 | |
| 2806663883 | Paradox | A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. | 32 | |
| 2806663885 | Satire | The use of irony sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc. | 33 | |
| 2806663886 | Soliloquy | An utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as a device in drama to disclose a character's innermost thoughts). | 34 | |
| 2806663887 | Stock Character | A character in literature, theater, or film of a type quickly recognized and accepted by the reader or viewer and requiring no development by the writer. | 35 | |
| 2806663888 | Stream of Consciousness | A literary style in which one's thoughts and feelings are depicted in a continuous and uninterrupted flow. | 36 | |
| 2806663889 | Symbolism | The practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. | 37 | |
| 2806663890 | Synethesia | The subjective sensation of a sense other than the one being stimulated. For example, a sound may evoke sensations of color. | 38 | |
| 2806663892 | Tragic Flaw | The character defect that causes the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy. | 39 | |
| 2806663893 | Unreliable Narrator | In fiction, as in life, the unreliable narrator is a narrator who can't be trusted. Either from ignorance or self-interest, this narrator speaks with a bias, makes mistakes, or even lies. | 40 | |
| 2806665787 | Alliteration | It is a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series. | 41 | |
| 2806667031 | Allusion | A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. | 42 | |
| 2806670630 | Ballad | A narrative poem written in four-line stanzas, characterized by swift action and narrated in a direct style. | 43 | |
| 2806672103 | Cacophony | A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds | 44 | |
| 2806672562 | Character | A fictional personality created by an author | 45 | |
| 2806672841 | Climax | That point in a plot that creates the greatest intensity, suspense, or interest; usually the point at which the conflict is resolved | 46 | |
| 2806674471 | Conflict | A struggle between two opposing forces | 47 | |
| 2806674472 | Connotation | An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning | 48 | |
| 2806675101 | Convention | A traditional aspect of a literary work such as a soliloquy in a Shakespearean play or a tragic hero in a Greek tragedy. | 49 | |
| 2806678239 | Denotation | The dictionary definition of a word | 50 | |
| 2806679248 | Deus ex Machina | An unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel | 51 | |
| 2806679831 | Diction | The author's choice of words. | 52 | |
| 2806681991 | 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 | 53 | |
| 2806682796 | Epigram | A brief witty poem, often satirical. | 54 | |
| 2806683346 | Exposition | A narrative device, often used at the beginning of a work that provides necessary background information about the characters and their circumstances. | 55 | |
| 2806684686 | Fable | A brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters | 56 | |
| 2806684985 | Figurative Language | Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid | 57 | |
| 2806686435 | Form | The shape or structure of a literary work. | 58 | |
| 2806690760 | Idyll | Presenting a positive, peaceful view of rural life (as poetry or prose); pleasant in a natural, simple way | 59 | |
| 2806691077 | Imagery | Descriptive or figurative language in a literary work; the use of language to create sensory impressions. | 60 | |
| 2806692002 | Impressionism | An artistic movement that sought to capture a momentary feel, or impression, of the piece they were drawinAn artistic movement that sought to capture a momentary feel, or impression, of the piece they were drawing. | 61 | |
| 2806692337 | Irony | A contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen. | 62 | |
| 2806693188 | Magical realism | A type of literature that explores narratives by and about characters who inhabit and experience their reality differently from what we term the objective world. Writers who are frequently placed in this category are Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gunter Grass, and Isabel Allende. | 63 | |
| 2806697911 | Narrator | Person telling the story | 64 | |
| 2806699519 | Onomatopoeia | A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. | 65 | |
| 2806699857 | Oxymoron | A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. | 66 | |
| 2806700272 | Parable | A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson | 67 | |
| 2806700273 | Parallel Plot | A secondary story line that mimics and reinforces the main plot. | 68 | |
| 2806701206 | Parody | A comic imitation of a work that ridicules the original. | 69 | |
| 2806701543 | Pathos | The aspects of a literary work that elicit pity from the audience. | 70 | |
| 2806683183 | Euphony | pleasant, harmonious sound | 71 | |
| 2808286328 | Plot | Sequence of events in a story | 72 | |
| 2808286419 | Point of view | In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. Same as narrative perspective. | 73 | |
| 2808286525 | Narrative Perspective | In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. Same as point of view. | 74 | |
| 2808287891 | Romanticism | 19th-century western European artistic and literary movement; held that emotion and impression, not reason, were the keys to the mysteries of human experience and nature; sought to portray passions, not calm reflection. | 75 | |
| 2808288235 | Setting | The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs. | 76 | |
| 2808288357 | Simile | A comparison using "like" or "as" | 77 | |
| 2808289079 | Stage directions | an instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor, or the sound effects and lighting. | 78 | |
| 2808289361 | 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. | 79 | |
| 2808289567 | subplot | a subordinate or minor collection of events in a novel or play, usually connected to the main plot | 80 | |
| 2808289764 | symbol | A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract. | 81 | |
| 2808289568 | subtext | The implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature | 82 | |
| 2808290153 | syntax | The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language. | 83 | |
| 2808290407 | tone | A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels. | 84 | |
| 2808290223 | theme | A unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work. | 85 | |
| 2808290503 | Understatement | A statement that says less than what is meant | 86 | |
| 2808290408 | Tragic | A literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy | 87 | |
| 2808290942 | Allegory | A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. | 88 | |
| 2808291132 | Ambiguity | The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. | 89 | |
| 2808291304 | Anecdote | A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person | 90 | |
| 2808291500 | Anti-climax | A false climax in which expectations are aroused and let down | 91 | |
| 2808291632 | Assonance | Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity | 92 | |
| 2808291947 | Colloquial language | informal language; language that is "conversational" | 93 | |
| 2808292768 | Emotive language | Deliberate use of language by a writer to instill a feeling or visual. | 94 | |
| 2808293671 | Euphemism | An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant | 95 | |
| 2808296564 | Folklore | The traditional beliefs, myths, tales, and practices of a people, transmitted orally. | 96 | |
| 2808296828 | Genre | A category or type of literature (or of art, music, etc.) characterized by a particular form, style, or content. | 97 | |
| 2808297321 | Gothic novel | A novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action | 98 | |
| 2808297461 | Heroine | A woman noted for courage and daring action or the female protagonist. | 99 | |
| 2808300666 | Illocution | Language that avoids meaning of the words. When we speak, sometimes we conceal intentions or side step the true subject of a conversation. Writing illocution expresses two stories, one of which is not apparent to the characters, bujt is apparent ot 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 menaing or prallel meanings. | 100 | |
| 2808984966 | Memoir | A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources | 101 | |
| 2808984967 | Novella | a fiction work that is longer than a short story but shorter than a novel | 102 | |
| 2808986390 | Neutral Language | Language opposite from emotive language as it is literal or even objective in nature. | 103 | |
| 2808986875 | Personification | A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes | 104 | |
| 2808987776 | Poetic Justice | The idea that virtuous and evil actions are ultimately dealt with justly, with virtue rewarded and evil punished. | 105 | |
| 2808988220 | Prequel | A literary, dramatic, or cinematic work whose narrative takes place before that of a preexisting work or a sequel. | 106 | |
| 2808988226 | Prologue | A speech, passage, or event coming before the main speech or event | 107 | |
| 2808988806 | Protagonist | Main character in a story | 108 | |
| 2808989273 | Pun | A humorous play on words | 109 | |
| 2808989838 | Rising Action | A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax. | 110 | |
| 2808989839 | Rites of Passage | An incident which creates tremendous growth signifying a transition from adolescence to adulthood. | 111 | |
| 2808990124 | Resolution | End of the story where loose ends are tied up | 112 | |
| 2808990591 | Slang | A type of language that consists of words and phrases that are regarded as very informal, are more common in speech than writing, and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people | 113 | |
| 2808991064 | Tragedy | A dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction. | 114 | |
| 2808991874 | Tone | A writer's attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization on the sentence and global levels. | 115 | |
| 2809134854 | Analogy | A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way | 116 | |
| 2809135116 | Archetype | A detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response | 117 | |
| 2809135678 | Carpe Diem | Literally, "seize the day"; "enjoy life while you can," a common theme in life and literature. | 118 | |
| 2809136623 | Characterization | A method an author uses to let readers know more about the characters and their personal traits. | 119 | |
| 2809136624 | Details | The facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in a piece of poetry or prose. | 120 | |
| 2809138264 | Dialogue | Conversation between two or more characters | 121 | |
| 2809138265 | Dramatic Monologue | A type of poem in which a speaker addresses a silent listener. As readers, we overhear the speaker in a dramatic monologue. | 122 | |
| 2809138876 | Suspense | A feeling of uncertainty and curiosity about what will happen next in a story; key element in fiction and drama; "hook" writer uses to keep audience interested | 123 | |
| 5053644250 | Antithesis | (n.) the direct opposite, a sharp contrast | 124 |
