Common Literary Terms 1. Abstract- a general term, referring to a broad concept 2. Absurdity- Writing that is silly or ridiculous and contrary to reason 3. Adjective- a word that qualifies, describes, defines, or limits a noun or a pronoun 4. Adventure story- a story that centers on exciting action and/or danger (Most Dangerous Game; Treasure Island) 5. Alliteration- the repetition of the same initial consonant sounds 6. Allusion- a reference to another work of literature, art, history, current event, famous person, or place 7. Analogy- a comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things. Usually used to introduce something unfamiliar 8. Anaphora- repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines to add emphasis 9. Anecdote- a brief story used to illustrate a point or claim 10. Annotation- the act of noting observations directly on a text, especially anything striking or confusing, in order to record ideas and impressions for later 11. Antagonist- the person or force that works against the hero 12. Antithesis- opposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction (We shall support any friend, oppose any foe ) 13. Aside- In drama, where actors speak briefly to the audience, supposedly without being heard by the other actors on stage 14. Assonance- the repletion of vowel sounds in a sequence of words (That church so lone, the logbuilt one,/that echoed to many a parting groan/and natural prayer/of dying foeman mingled there.) 15. Atmosphere- The feeling created for the reader by a work of literature. Atmosphere can be created by many things, but especially style, tone, and setting. Synonymous with mood. 16. Audience- the listener, viewer, or reader of a text. 17. Autobiography- an account of a person s life or event in their life written by that person 18. Ballad- a sung poem, usually recounting a dramatic story 19. Biography- an account of a person s life written by someone else 20. Blank verse- unrhymed iambic pentameter (u/u/u/u/u/), most commonly used verse form in English because it is the verse form that comes closest to natural patterns of speaking in English. (This is my son, mine own Telemachus,/To whom I leave the scepter and the isle--/ Wellloved of me, discerning to fulfill) 21. Blog- a portmanteau of the term web log, is a journal, discussion, or informational site published on the World Wide Web 22. Character- a person depicted in a narrative Main character- the most important character in the story, often the protagonist Minor character- Other characters who interact with the main character and help move the story along Dynamic character- a character who changes because of what happens to him/her
Static character- a character who stays the same throughout a story; does not grow; also called a flat character Round character- a character exhibiting a range of emotions and who evolves over the course of the story; also called a dynamic character Flat character- a character embodying only one or two traits and who lacks character development; also called a static character Stock character- a type of flat character who falls into an immediately recognizable category or type (absent-minded professor); often used for humor or satire Secondary character- a supporting character; while not prominent or central as the main character, he or she is important to the events of the story or play Tragic character- a character who possesses a flaw or commits an error in judgment that leads to his or her downfall and/or a reversal of fortune 23. Characterization- creation and development of a character; often the reader learns about the character through description, dialogue, actions, or reactions. Basically, there are three methods of characterization: Direct description- of physical appearance and explanation of character traits and attributes. This description may occur either in an introduction or in statements distributed throughout the work. Essentially, the author tells the reader what sort of person the character is. Presentation of the character- in action, without interpretive comment by the author. Essentially, the author shows the reader what sort of person the character is through what the character says and does and what is said and done by other characters. Representation of the character s inner self. The author describes the thoughts and emotions triggered in the character, usually a result of the author s choice of point of view. 24. Chronology- the use of time order to create change or make a point in prose or poetry 25. Cliché- an expression that has been used so often it has lost its freshness and precision 26. Climax - the turning point in the story; most intense or suspenseful part of the story 27. Comedy- a light-hearted drama; may involve a conflict, but its outcome will not be tragic; main purpose is to make the audience laugh 28. Comic relief- inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension 29. Complication- a situation or detail of a character complicating the main thread of a plot 30. Concrete poem a poem that forms a picture of the topic or follows the contours of a shape that is suggested by the topic 31. Conflict- the struggle the character must overcome. It produces tension and drives the action of the plot. There are four main types of conflict: Man vs Man- a character struggles with one or more other characters Man vs Nature- a character struggles with some force of nature Man vs Self- a character struggles with his or her own personal issue(s) Man vs Society- a character struggles with the law or some other aspects of society Internal conflict- a conflict or struggle within a character
External conflict- the character is pitted against an outside force, such as nature, obstacle, or another character 32. Connotation- the attitudes and feelings associated with a word or phrase versus its dictionary meaning 33. Consonance- a poetic device characterized by the repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession(pitter patter) 34. Couplet- a rhyming pair of lines 35. Denotation- the literal definition of a word, often referred to as the dictionary definition 36. Denouement- (pronounced day-noo-moh) in this part of a story s plot, the conflict has been resolved and balance is restored to the story (resolution) 37. Description- this is writing that helps a reader to picture scenes, events, and characters. To create descriptions writers use imagery and figurative language. The use of precise nouns, verbs, etc. and carefully selected details create a clear description 38. Dialect- dialogue or narration written to simulate regional or cultural speech patterns 39. Dialogue- the written depiction of conversation between characters 40. Diary (Journal/Blog)- a written record of a person s experiences and thoughts; usually not created for others to read 41. Diction- A writer s choice of words. In addition to choosing words with precise denotations and connotations, an author must choose whether to use words that are abstract or concrete, formal or informal, or literal or figurative 42. Drama- stories written to be performed 43. Edit- to prepare for publication or presentation, as correcting, revision, or adapting 44. Elegy- a poem on death and mortality, often written for someone who has died 45. Enjambment- a poetic technique in which one line ends without a pause and must continue on to the next line to complete its meaning; also referred to as a run-on line 46. Epic- long narrative poem, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero 47. Epigram- a short, witty statement designed to surprise an audience or a reader 48. Epigraph- a quotation preceding a work of literature that helps set the text s mood or suggests its themes 49. Epiphany- a character s transformative moment of realization 50. Essay- a composition that expresses an author s opinion or analyzes a subject; expository or persuasive 51. Ethos- Greek for character. Speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate that they are credible and trustworthy. Ethos is established by both who you are and what you say. 52. Exposition- gives the background information, tells where the story takes place, and usually introduces the characters 53. Expository essay (writing)- presents facts and explains them in detail (encyclopedia entries and books) 54. Fables- short stories that teach a moral lesson; mostly associated with a Greek slave named Aesop who lived around 600 B.C. 55. Falling action- explains the result of the climax, puts things in place
56. Fantasy stories- contain characters and events that could not exist in real life and have no real basis in science 57. Fiction- is written from an author s imagination and is usually intended to entertain; short story or novel 58. Figurative language (figure of speech)- nonliteral language, often evoking strong imagery, figures of speech often compare on thing to another either explicitly (simile) or implicitly (metaphor). Other forms of figurative language include personification, paradox, hyperbole, understatement, etc. 59. Flashback- a scene in a narrative that is set in an earlier time than the main action 60. Foil- a contrasting character who allows the protagonist to stand out more distinctly 61. Folklore- the traditional songs, legends, literature, beliefs, crafts, and customs of a people usually passed from one generation to the next by word of mouth and not written down until collected by a scholar 62. Folk tales- are stories from long ago, usually passed on by word of mouth 63. Form- the way a poem is laid out on the page, length, placement and grouping of lines 64. Foreshadowing- a plot device in which future events are hinted at 65. Free verse- a form of poetry that does not have a regular rhythm or rhyme scheme 66. Genre- a literary type or form. Drama is a genre of literature 67. Gothic- a form of literature characterized by mystery, horror, and the supernatural (Gothic novel, gothic short story, Southern gothic) 68. Haiku- a lyric poem originating in Japan, usually three lines long, containing exactly 17 syllables (line one- five syllables, line two- seven syllables, line three- five syllables) 69. Historical fiction- is based on actual people, events, or periods in history, but they may contain made-up characters 70. History- a written, factual record of the past 71. Hubris- the Greek word for pride or insolence. It usually leads to a hero s tragic downfall 72. Humor- anything that causes laughter or amusement 73. Hyperbole- exaggeration or overstatement; not intended to be taken literally 74. Iambic pentameter- a line of poetry consisting of five iambic feet ( u / u / u / u / u /) 75. Idiom- an expression peculiar to a language, it won t translate literally 76. Image- language referring to something that can be perceived through one or more of the five senses- sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch 77. Imagery- language that appeals to the senses, a mental picture 78. Incident- an event or episode in a work of fiction that moves the plot forward and reveals character 79. Inference- a general conclusion drawn from particulars/events 80. Innuendo- an insinuation; hint of something derogatory; satire 81. Irony-a contrast between appearances and reality- usually one in which reality is the opposite of what is expected; a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected Dramatic irony- tension created by the contrast between what a character says or thinks and what the audience or readers know to be true, as a result of this technique,
some words and actions in a story or play take on a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters Situational irony- a pointed discrepancy between what seems fitting or expected in a story and what actually happens Verbal irony- a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected, creating a noticeable incongruity. Sarcasm involves verbal irony. 82. Juxtaposition- placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences 83. Limerick- a five lined poem, usually humorous. Consisting of the first, second, and fifth lines rhyming, while the third and fourth lines rhyme 84. Line- one single unit of poetry 85. Logos- Greek for embodied thought. Speakers appeal to logos, or reason, by offering clear, rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back them up 86. Lyric poetry- a poem that expresses emotions or thought 87. Metaphor-a figure of speech that compares two or more things without using like or as 88. Meter- the reoccurrence of a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables Anapestic- a metrical foot consisting of three syllables, two unaccented followed by on accented syllable (uu/) Dactylic-foot of three syllables, accented on the first (/ u u) Iambic- a metrical foot consisting of two syllables, an unaccented syllable followed by an accented syllable (u /) Trochaic- foot of two syllables, accented on the first (/ u) 89. Metonymy- figure of speech in which something is represented by another thing that is related or emblematic of it (the pen is mightier than the sword) 90. Monologue (soliloquy)-in a play, a speech given by one person 91. Mood- the feeling the reader gets from the story. It is created by the author s use of specific words. Does not necessarily have to do with the feelings of the characters 92. Motif- a recurring pattern of images, words, or symbols that reveals a theme in a work of literature 93. Motivation- the instance or reason to act in a particular manner 94. Mysteries- stories based on puzzling crimes; must use common sense and intelligence to solve the crime 95. Myths- stories from long ago used to explain natural occurrences that were puzzling to people long ago; involves gods, goddesses, heroes, and fierce creatures 96. Narrative- a story, can be written in prose or verse 97. Narrative poetry- a poem that tells a story. Can be plot mapped (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, characters, setting, conflict, etc) 98. Narrator- the character or persona that the author uses to tell a narrative or story. Narrators may tell stories from several points of view
Objective narrator- a narrator/character who recounts only what characters say and do, offering no insight to their thinking or analysis of events. All interpretation is left to the reader (The Lottery by Shirley Jackson) Unreliable narrator- a narrator who is biased and doesn t give a full or accurate picture of the events in a narrative. A character can be unreliable because of youth, inexperience, madness, intention or unintentional bias, or even a lack of morals. Authors often use this technique to distinguish the character s point of view from their own. Sometimes an author will use an unreliable narrator to make a point. 99. Non-fiction- is factual writing which provides information about a particular topic 100. Novel- a long (book length) fictional story; plot and characters are usually more complicated 101. Novella- a short novel, from the Italian word meaning story 102. Ode-a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion. 2. (originally) a poem intended to be sung 103. Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent 104. Oxymoron- a figure of speech in which a paradox is made of two seemingly contradictory words (jumbo shrimp, peaceful revolution) 105. Paradox- a statement that seem contradictory but actually is not 106. Parallel structure (parallelism)-this term refers to the repeated use of similar grammatical structure (words, phrases, or clauses) for the purpose of emphasis 107. Parody- a comic or satiric imitation of a particular literary work or style 108. Passive voice- a sentence uses passive voice when the subject doesn t act but is acted on 109. Pastoral- literature that employs a romanticized description of leisurely farm or rural life 110. Pathos- Greek for suffering or experience. Speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally motivate their audience. More specific appeals to pathos might play on the audience s values, desires, and hopes, on one hand, or fears and prejudices, on the other. 111. Pattern poem (concrete)- verse that is arranged in an unusual shape on the page so as to suggest some object or movement matching the ideas or mood 112. Persuasive essay (writing)- an attempt to convince readers to agree with the author s opinion or point of view (editorials and reviews) 113. Personification-a figure of speech in which an animal or an inanimate object is imbued with human qualities 114. Plot- events that occur in a story 115. Poem- a composition in usually in verse, especially one that is characterized by a highly developed artistic form and by the use of heightened language and rhythm to express feelings or emotions; compact writing containing one or more poetic elements 116. Poetic elements- devices used to create a poem (metaphor, simile, personification, imagery, alliteration, etc. )
117. Poetry-literary works usually written in verse, in particular verse writing of high quality, great beauty, emotional sincerity or intensity, or profound insight Dramatic poetry-a form of writing that expresses emotional feelings, usually meant to be spoken or sung aloud Lyrical poetry- a poem that expresses personal or emotional feelings, usually in the present tense Narrative poetry- a poem that tells a story; it can be plot mapped Prose poetry- a blending of prose and poetry, usually resembling prose in its use of sentences without line breaks, and poetry in its use of poetic devices 118. Point-of-view- the perspective from which a story, work, is told 1 st person- Told by a narrator who is a character in the story and who refers to him or herself as I 1 st person unreliable- a narrator who is biased and doesn t give a full or accurate picture of the events in a narrative. A character can be unreliable because of youth, inexperience, madness, intention or unintentional bias, or even a lack of morals. Authors often use this technique to distinguish the character s point of view from their own. Sometimes an author will use an unreliable narrator to make a point 2 nd person- Though rare, some stories are told using second-person pronouns (you). This casts the reader as a character in the story. 3 rd person limited- told by the narrator who relates the action using third person pronouns (he, she, it). This narrator is usually privy to the thoughts and actions of only one character. 3 rd person omniscient- told by the narrator using third person pronouns. This narrator is privy to the thoughts and actions of all the characters in the story Objective narrator- a narrator/character who recounts only what characters say and do, offering no insight to their thinking or analysis of events. All interpretation is left to the reader (The Lottery by Shirley Jackson) 119. Prop (Theatrical Property)- any object used onstage by an actor 120. Propaganda- the spread of ideas and information to further a cause. In its negative sense, it is the use of rumors, lies, disinformation, and scare tactics in or to damage or promote a cause 121. Prose- the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse 122. Protagonist- the hero or main character of the story 123. Pun- a play on words 124. Qualifier- words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to make a claim less absolute 125. Quatrain- a type of stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four lines 126. Realism- literary technique that makes the work feel true, immediate, natural and/or realistic 127. Refrain- a line, lines, or stanza in a poem that repeat(s) at intervals
128. Repetition (anaphora)- repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines to add emphasis 129. Resolution (denouement)- where the problems or conflicts are solved 130. Reversal- when the protagonist s fortunes, luck, etc take an unforeseen turn 131. Rhetoric-the art of finding ways to persuade an audience 132. Rhetorical question- a question asked for stylistic effect and emphasis to make a point. The person asking the question is not really expecting an answer 133. Rhyme-the repetition of the same (or similar) sounds or constructions. End rhyme- a rhyme at the end of two or more lines Exact (perfect or true) rhyme- uses words with identical final sounds Eye (sight) rhyme- a rhyme that only works because the words look the same is Internal rhyme- a rhyme that occurs within the same line Near (Slant) rhyme- a rhyme that pairs sounds that are similar but not exactly the same 134. Rhyme scheme- A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyme between lines of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme 135. Rhythm (meter)- the general pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables 136. Rising action- reveals the problem or conflict in the story 137. Satire- a literary work that uses irony to critique society or an individual 138. Scansion- the process of marking the metrical pattern of a poem 139. Scene- a subdivision of a play 140. Science fiction- uses science and technology to create extraordinary plots in which the seemingly impossible becomes believable 141. Setting- where and/or when the story takes place 142. Short story- a short fictional narrative; plots are generally brief and uncomplicated 143. Simile- a comparison using like or as 144. SOAPS- a mnemonic device that stands for Subject, Object, Audience, Purpose, and Speaker. It is a handy way to remember the various elements that make up the rhetorical situation. 145. Soliloquy (monologue)- In a play, a speech given by one person 146. Sonnet- a fourteen-line poem usually written in iambic pentameter 147. Speaker-Most often used in drama and poetry. In poetry, the speaker is the person who is expressing a point of view in a poem. In drama, the speaker is the character who is currently delivering the lines 148. Stage Directions- any notes in the script of a play written by the author that set guidelines for the performance 149. Stanza-lines in a poem that the poet has chosen to group together, usually separated for other lines with a space (couplet-two; tercet-three; quatrain-four; sestet-six; oceteight) 150. Style-The way a literary work is written. Style is produced by an author s choices in diction, syntax, imagery, figurative language and other literary elements 151. Suspense- a literary device that uses tension to make the plot more exciting
152. Symbol/ Symbolism- - a character, an action, or an object representing something else ( a rose=love) 153. Synesthesia-the description of one sense by another 154. Syntax- the arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. This includes word order; length and structure of sentence; and such schemes as parallelism, juxtaposition, and antithesis 155. Tall tale- humorous story where the characters have exaggerated abilities 156. Theme- the central idea or lesson about life that an author conveys in a piece of literature; sometimes the theme is obvious, in most stories the theme is not directly stated. It is conveyed through the character s thoughts, actions, or sequence of events 157. Thesis Statement- the chief claim that a writer makes in any argumentative piece of writing, usually stated in one sentence; guiding statement in a research/persuasive paper 158. Tone-expresses the author s attitude toward his or her subject. Usually shown through the author s stylistic choices. (Tone is often confused with another element of style, mood, which describes the feeling created by the work) Along with mood, tone provides the emotional coloring of a work and is created by some combination of the other elements of style. 159. Tragedy- serious drama in which the hero struggles against some form of evil; the evil can be another character, something in society, or nature; the hero often loses the struggle because of a character flaw or error in judgment 160. Verse- a broad term that refers to a piece of writing that is metered and rhythmic (free verse being the exception) 161. Vignette- a short narrative scene or description, often one in a series. If a story or novel is composed of a series of vignettes, it often relies on a theme, rather than a plot driven structure