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Literary Terms

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using pity to pursuay
character,situation, or symbol that is familiar to all people because it occurs frequently in literature,myths,folklure..etc
folk tale;moral. "Early bird gets the worm."
unclear
concept directly opposed to a previously presented idea
a protagonist who lacks the characteristics that would make him a hero (or her a heroine)
brief summary into writing
works aginst protagonist, the character who works against the protagonist in the story
a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage
rhetorical figure of direct adress to a person,object or abstract entity
something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
the elevation of a person (as to the status of a god)
a reference to another work of literature, person, or event
A metrical foot consisting of two unaccented syllables followed by one accented syllable.
The word, phrase, or clause that determines what a pronoun refers to.
poem or song about lovers parting at morning
a folk song or poem passed down orally that tells a story which may be derived from an actual incident or from legend or folklore.
unrhymed verse (usually in iambic pentameter)
unpleasant sound
"Seize the day"; a Latin phrase implying that one must live for the present moment, for tomorrow may be too late.
emotional release
inverted; "sharing is caring, caring is sharing"
conversational; used in informal speech or writing
comic scene or event that breaks up a serious play or narrative
an elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different. Often an extended metaphor.
All the meanings, associations or emotions that a word suggests
a character with traits that are expected or traditional
a foot of poetry consisting of a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables
The dictionary definition of a word
conclusion; resolution; the falling action of a story after its climax
a god introduced into a narrative to resolve the entanglements of the plot.
a writer's or speaker's choice of words
intended to teach; morally instructive
exaggeration or stretching the truth to achieve a desired affect
running over of a sentence from one verse or stanza to another
a short poem with a witty point; turn of thought
a quotation at the beginning of some piece of writing, refelctive of theme
a moment of sudden revelation or insight
A novel in letter form written by one or more of the characters. The novelist can use this technique to present varying first-person points of view and does not need a narrator.
an indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
pleasant, harmonious sound
a play filled with ridiculous or absurd happenings to amuse the audience
a character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story
A character who is opposite main character or nearly the same as the protagonist; purpose of foil character is to emphasize traits of main character by contrast only
affirmation of idea using negative understatement; opposite of hyperbole
radical change in character; physical or emotional
a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry
something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it
an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined
a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson
statement/situation seems impossible but solves itself and reveals meaning
repeated use of grammatical structure in a sentence or series of sentences
comical imitation of serious piece; intended to ridicule author
poem,story,play that celebrates the life of shepherds pr shepherdesses
work that appeals to emotions
play on words that have several meanings or words that sound the same but diff. meanings
repitition of line,stanza,or phrase
use of humor to ridicule and expose society,individuals, and institutions of their failures in hope of change
move from one thought or idea to another
character's speech to audience to reveal emotions or ideas
14 line love poem in iambic pentameter
character that audience expects to have certain characteristics
replictes the way the human mind works
way writer uses language;considering diction,tone .. etc.
object or scene that has deeper significance
substitution for what is actually being asked/stated
way words,phrases, and sentences are ordered and connected
refers to authors attitude toward subject
expressing thought in a way that seems sincere but is actually joking
a defect in a hero/heroine that leads to his/her downfall

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