Terms : Hide Images
| 9880181052 | Abstract | This style is complex, discusses intangible qualities (like good and evil), rarely without examples | 0 | |
| 9880186911 | Academic | Dry and theoretical writing (sucking all life out of the subject) | 1 | |
| 9880195398 | Accent | The stresses portion of the word ("To BE or NOT to be"). | 2 | |
| 9880201989 | Aesthetic | "Appealing to the senses" or a coherent sense of taste | 3 | |
| 9880210313 | Alleglory | Things or people that represent an idea or generalization | 4 | |
| 9880221223 | Alliteration | The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (Ex. ―Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before) | 5 | |
| 9880235067 | Allusion | A reference to a person, event, place, or literary work that the writer expects the reader to recognize | 6 | |
| 9880247372 | Anachronism | An effect that is "misplaced in time" | 7 | |
| 9880257184 | Analogy | A comparison, usually involving two or more symbolic parts to clarify an action or relationship | 8 | |
| 9880269929 | Anecdote | A short narrative | 9 | |
| 9880269931 | Antagonist | A character, group, characteristic, or entity that opposes the protagonist | 10 | |
| 9880277696 | Antecedent | Word, phrase, or clause that a pronoun refers to or replaces (they replaces children) | 11 | |
| 9880287287 | Anapest | As in "un-der-stand" | 12 | |
| 9880297367 | Anthropomorphism | When inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena are given human characteristics, behavior, or motivation | 13 | |
| 9880307688 | Anticlimax | Occurs when an action produces far smaller results that one had been led to expect (frequently comic) | 14 | |
| 9880314624 | Aphorism | A short and usually witty saying (usually some clever observation about life) | 15 | |
| 9880324629 | APOSTROPHE | An address to someone not present or to a personified object/idea (or an abstract quality or something that can not be seen or heard) | 16 | |
| 9880338042 | Approximate Rhyme | The words are similar, but do not exactly rhyme | 17 | |
| 9880349606 | Archaism | The use of deliberately old-fashioned language (Ye olde candle shoppe) | 18 | |
| 9880354269 | Archetypes | Standard or cliched character types (drunk, joker, etc) | 19 | |
| 9880359083 | Aside | A speech made by the actor to the audience (stepping outside of the action) | 20 | |
| 9880370506 | Aspect | A trait or characteristic of something | 21 | |
| 9880373190 | Assonance | The repeated use of vowel sounds (Old King Cole was a merry old soul) | 22 | |
| 9880379128 | Atmosphere | The emotional tone or background that surrounds a scene | 23 | |
| 9880383677 | Attitude | A speaker, author, or character's nature towards an opinion of a subject/person | 24 | |
| 9880390093 | Ballad | Long, narrative poem usually in a very regular meter and rhyme (usually meant to be sung) | 25 | |
| 9880405688 | Basic Situation | A character in a situation that leads to a problem or conflict | 26 | |
| 9880413900 | Bathos | When writing strains for grandeur it can't support and tries to elicit tears from every little hiccup | 27 | |
| 9880419083 | Black humor | The use of disturbing themes in comedy | 28 | |
| 9880422209 | Blank Verse | Iambic petrimeter unrhymed (Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams.) | 29 | |
| 9880433734 | Bombast | Pretentious, exaggeratedly learned language (eloquent) | 30 | |
| 9880441177 | Burlesque | A broad parody, which takes a style or form and exaggerates it into riduclousness | 31 | |
| 9884004683 | Cacophony | Using deliberately harsh, awkward sounds | 32 | |
| 9884007947 | Cadence | The beat or rhythm of poetry in a general sense | 33 | |
| 9884012002 | Caesura | A break or a pause in a line of poetry that contributes to the rhythm of the poem | 34 | |
| 9884024515 | Canto | The name for a section division in a long work of poetry (similar to how chapter divide a novel) | 35 | |
| 9884029182 | CARICATURE | A portrait that exagerates a side of personality | 36 | |
| 9884038751 | Catharsis | The "cleansing" of emotion an audience member experiences having lived through the experiences presented on stage | 37 | |
| 9884045909 | Characterization | The means by which a writer reveals a character's personality | 38 | |
| 9884054301 | Chorus | The group of citizens who stand outside the main action on stage and comment on it | 39 | |
| 9884060116 | Classic/Classical | Typical/The arts of Ancient Greece and Rome, with the quality of those arts | 40 | |
| 9884077592 | Climax | The most intense moment or moments | 41 | |
| 9884082937 | Coinage | A new word, usually one invented on the spot | 42 | |
| 9884087187 | Colloquialism | Word or phrase used in everyday conversational English that isn't a part of accepted "schoolwork" English | 43 | |
| 9884094340 | Complex/Dense | Suggesting that there is more than one possibility in the meaning of words (multiple layers of interpretation) | 44 | |
| 9884107816 | Complications | More problems arise to make a situation worse | 45 | |
| 9884119200 | Conceit | A startiling or unusual metaphor, or one developed and expanded upon several lines | 46 | |
| 9884129122 | Conflict | A struggle between two opposing forces or characters in a work of nature | 47 | |
| 9884156426 | Connotation | Everything that a word suggests or implies (not it's literal meaning - denotation) | 48 | |
| 9884164859 | Consonane | The repetition of consonant sounds within words (A flock of sick, black-checkered ducks) | 49 | |
| 9884171921 | COUPLET | A pair of lines that end in a rhyme (For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with Kings.) | 50 | |
| 9884176932 | Dactyl | "Des-per-ate" | 51 | |
| 9884182970 | Decorum | To observe, a character's speech must be styled according to her social station and in accordance with the occasion | 52 | |
| 9884193797 | Denouement | The outcome of the plot (when conflicts are resolved) | 53 | |
| 9884199763 | Details | The items or parts that make up a larger picture or story | 54 | |
| 9884208666 | Devices of Sound | Various techniques used by poets to create sound imagery through specific word choice (ex. rhyme, assonance, etc.) | 55 | |
| 9884216221 | Diction | Word Choice | 56 | |
| 9884223077 | Dimeter | Two feet | 57 | |
| 9884229554 | Direct Characteriation | Exactly what the character is like, as described by the writer | 58 | |
| 9884239400 | Direct Metaphor | Tells directly, "I am..." | 59 | |
| 9884241458 | Dirge | A song for the dead (slow and heavy tone) | 60 | |
| 9884247729 | Dissonance | The grating of incompatible sounds | 61 | |
| 9884249641 | Doggerel | Crude, simplistic verse, often in sing-song rhyme | 62 | |
| 9884252626 | DRAMATIC IRONY | What we know is going to happen, but the characters do not | 63 | |
| 9884257724 | Dramatic Monologue | When a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience | 64 | |
| 9884265771 | Dynamic Character | Someone who changes throughout the course of the story | 65 | |
| 9884267916 | Dystopia | A seemingly ideal world where the actual implementation of perfection is unsuccessful and destructive | 66 | |
| 9884279045 | Elegy | A type of poem that meditates on death or morality in a serious, thoughtful manner | 67 | |
| 9884287754 | Elements | The basic techniques of each genre of literature | 68 | |
| 9884295588 | End-Stopped Lines | Lines in a poem with punctuation at the end | 69 | |
| 9884298273 | End Rhyme | Ends of lines that rhyme | 70 | |
| 9884316035 | Enjambment | The continuation of a syntactic unit from one line or couplet of a poem to the next with no pause | 71 | |
| 9884326253 | Epic | A long narrative poem about a hero | 72 | |
| 9884329313 | Epigram | A short, witty, polished saying in prose or verse | 73 | |
| 9884378753 | Epitah | Lines that commemorate the dead at their burial place | 74 | |
| 9884385147 | Epithet | A descriptive name or phrase to characterize someone or something | 75 | |
| 9884389908 | Ethos | The appeal to credibility (establishing trust with the audience) | 76 | |
| 9884396974 | Euphemism | A word or phrase that takes the place of a harsh, unpleasant, or impolite reality | 77 | |
| 9884403003 | Euphony | When sounds blend harmoniously | 78 | |
| 9884406551 | Exact Rhyme | Always rhyme (yellow fellow) | 79 | |
| 9887250775 | Explicit | Something said or written directly and clearly | 80 | |
| 9887253382 | Farce | To refer to extremely broad humor (ex. a funny play) | 81 | |
| 9887261094 | Feminine Rhyme | Lines rhymed by their final two syllables (ex. running and gunning) | 82 | |
| 9887268015 | Figurative Language | Writing that uses words to mean something other than their literal meaning | 83 | |
| 9887272988 | Foil | Secondary character whose purpose is to highlight the characteristics of a main character (usually by contrast) | 84 | |
| 9887285607 | Foot | The basic rhythmic unit of a line of poetry (a combination of two/three syllables) | 85 | |
| 9887293066 | FORESHADOWING | An event or statement in a narrative that suggests a larger event that comes later | 86 | |
| 9887297472 | Free Verse | Poetry written without a regular rhyme scheme or metrical pattern | 87 | |
| 9887301922 | Genre | A subcategory of literature (ex. Science Fiction) | 88 | |
| 9887304347 | Gothic | Sensibility derived from dark novels | 89 | |
| 9887306825 | Hubris | Excessive pride or ambition that leads to the main character's downfall | 90 | |
| 9887312751 | HYPERBOLE | Exaggeration or deliberate overstatement | 91 | |
| 9887321346 | Imagery | An author's use of figurative language, images, or sensory details that appeal to the reader's senses | 92 | |
| 9887325411 | Implicit | Something said or written that suggests and implies but never says it directly or clearly | 93 | |
| 9887329783 | In Medias res | "In the midst of things" | 94 | |
| 9887332944 | Inversion | Switching the customary order of elements in a sentence or phrase | 95 | |
| 9887336630 | Irony | A contradiction, either situational, dramatic, or verbal | 96 | |
| 9887342987 | Juxtaposition | Placing two or more concepts, places, or characters together for the purpose of comparison or contrast | 97 | |
| 9887349142 | Lament | A poem of sadness or grief over the death of a loved one or over another intense loss | 98 | |
| 9887354400 | Logos | The appeal to logic | 99 | |
| 9887358624 | Loose/Periodic sentences | Complete before its end/not grammatically complete until it has reached its final phrase | 100 | |
| 9887365326 | Lyric | Type of poetry that explores the poet's personal interpretation of and feelings about the world | 101 | |
| 9887371869 | Masculine Rhyme | A rhyme ending on the final stressed syllable | 102 | |
| 9887393681 | Metonym | A word that is used to stand for something else that is has attributes of or is associated with | 103 | |
| 9887389317 | METAPHOR | A comparison between two relatively unlike ideas where you call one thing something it's not | 104 | |
| 9887398053 | Monologue | A speech given by one character alone on stage | 105 | |
| 9887400564 | Motif | A recurring symbol | 106 | |
| 9887402893 | Narrative Techniques | The methods employed in the telling of a story or an account | 107 | |
| 9887405698 | OBJECTIVITY | An impersonal or outside view of events | 108 | |
| 9887409963 | Onomatopeia | Words that imitate sounds (boom, pow, buzz) | 109 | |
| 9887433781 | OPPOSITION | Where you have a pair of elements that contrast sharply | 110 | |
| 9887438414 | Oxymoron | A phrase comprised of opposites (a contradiction - Bright Black) | 111 | |
| 9887442083 | Parable | A story that instructs | 112 | |
| 9887444102 | PARADOX | A situation or statement that seems to contradict itself, but really does not | 113 | |
| 9887449556 | Parallelism | Repeated syntactical similarities used for effect (I love swimming, fishing, and hiking, not: I love fishing, to swim, and a hike) | 114 | |
| 9887461248 | Paraphrase | To restate phrases and sentences in your own words (To rephrase) | 115 | |
| 9887374652 | Means | Discovering what makes sense, what's important | 116 | |
| 9887377362 | Melodrama | A form of cheesy theater in which the hero is very, very good, the villain mean and rotten, and the heroine oh-so-pure | 117 | |
| 9887468991 | Parenthetical Phrase | A phrase set off by commas that interrupts the flow of a sentence with some commentary or added detail | 118 | |
| 9887475557 | Parody | A work that makes fun of another work by exaggerating many of its qualities to ridiculousness | 119 | |
| 9887479982 | Pastoral | A poem set in tranquil nature | 120 | |
| 9887482492 | Pathos | The appeal to emotions | 121 | |
| 9887486195 | Persona | A created personality, reflective of the author (provides insight from a third person point of view) | 122 | |
| 9887491795 | PERSONIFICATION | Giving an inanimate object human qualities or form | 123 | |
| 9887497035 | Plaint | A poem or speech expressing sorrow | 124 | |
| 9887499065 | Point of View | Perspective from which the action of a novel is presented (Third person/First person/Stream of Consciousness) | 125 | |
| 9887510954 | Prelude | An introductory poem to a longer work of verse | 126 | |
| 9887512957 | PROTAGONIST | The main character of a novel or play | 127 | |
| 9887516248 | Pun | The usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings | 128 | |
| 9887520784 | Refrain | A line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem | 129 | |
| 9887523766 | Requiem | A song of prayer for the dead | 130 | |
| 9887525883 | Rhapsody | An intensely passionate verse or section of verse (usually of love or praise) | 131 | |
| 9887528225 | Rhetorical Question | A question that suggests an answer | 132 | |
| 9887530996 | Rhetorical Techniques | The devices used to create effective or persuasive language (contrast, repetition, paradox) | 133 | |
| 9887536358 | SATIRE | A form of humor that focuses on making fun of society through witty or dark social commentary | 134 | |
| 9887542042 | Setting | The physical location of the play/novel, which often includes info about the time and place | 135 | |
| 9887546974 | SIMILE | A comparison between two relatively unlike ideas, using like or as (Her hair is as bright as the sun) | 136 | |
| 9887556350 | Soliloquy | A speech given by one character alone on stage where he/she expresses his/her thoughts or feelings | 137 | |
| 9887560316 | STANZA | A group of lines in verse, roughly analogous in function to the paragraph in prose | 138 | |
| 9887568323 | Structure | The way in which a work is arranged or divided | 139 | |
| 9887570354 | Style | The manner in which an author writes which can distinguish him or her from another writer | 140 | |
| 9887574267 | SUBJECTIVE | Uses the interior or personal view of a single observer and is colored with his/her emotional responses | 141 | |
| 9887579279 | Subjunctive Mood | "If I were you, I'd learn this one!" | 142 | |
| 9887584351 | Suggest | To imply, entail, and/or indicate | 143 | |
| 9887586178 | Summary | A simple retelling of what you've just read | 144 | |
| 9887589244 | Suspension of disbelief | The demand made of a theater audience to accept the limitations of staging and supply the details with imagination | 145 | |
| 9887592558 | Symbol | Anything that stands for or represents something beyond itself | 146 | |
| 9887599876 | Syncope | Contracting/Shortening a word by removing internal sounds, syllables, or letters (heav'n or fail'd) | 147 | |
| 9887605255 | Synecdoche | Figure of speech in which a part represents the whole | 148 | |
| 9887609464 | Syntax | Sentence structure; the way in which words and phrases are structured to create meaning | 149 | |
| 9887613172 | Technique | The methods/tools/ways of the author | 150 | |
| 9887616001 | THEME | The main idea of central insight into life or human nature revealed through a literary work | 151 | |
| 9887620574 | Thesis | The main position of an argument | 152 | |
| 9887620576 | Tone | The manner in which an author expresses his or her attitude about a subject | 153 | |
| 9887626860 | Tragic flaw | The weakness of character in an otherwise good individual, that ultimately leads to his demise | 154 | |
| 9887632636 | Travesty | The distortion, corruption, or terribly false representation of something | 155 | |
| 9887636238 | Truism | A way-too-obvious truth | 156 | |
| 9887638999 | Utopia | An idealized place (where people can live in happiness and peace) | 157 | |
| 9887642943 | Verisimilitiude | The appearance of being real or true | 158 | |
| 9887644926 | Zeugma | The use of a word to modify two or more words but used for different meanings | 159 | |
| 9887668758 | Exposition | The kind of writing intended primarily to present information | 160 | |
| 9887675242 | Fable | A brief story that is told to present a moral or a practical lesson | 161 | |
| 9887678649 | Flat Character | Character that can be described in one sentence | 162 | |
| 9887682044 | Heptameter | Meter with seven feet | 163 | |
| 9887686127 | Litote | Form of understandment | 164 | |
| 9887690255 | Octave | Eight-line poem or stanza | 165 | |
| 9887696262 | Static Character | Stays the same at the end and the beginning of the story | 166 |
