ENGLISH 12 LITERARY TERMS A Active voice Allegory Alliteration Allusion Analogy Antagonist Anti-climax Antithesis Apostrophe Argumentative essay Indicates the subject is acting rather than being acted upon (e.g. Jack threw the ball. ). See also Passive voice. A text in which properties attributed to events, characters, or places really refer to the hidden subject they symbolize (e.g. a fable, The Crucible) The repetition of initial consonant sounds in words (e.g. rough and ready ). A reference in art to a familiar person, place, thing, or event. Allusions to Biblical figures and to figures from classical mythology are common in Western literature. Using an allusion allows the writer to easily convey a whole range of associated meanings. A means of conveying meaning by showing the correspondence or partial similarity between varying concepts or ideas. E.g. Bed is to sleep as desk is to schoolwork. In a story, the adversary, enemy, contender, or competitor to the protagonist. A decline viewed in disappointing contrast with a previous rise (e.g. Losing the election was the anticlimax of his brilliant political career. ) A direct contrast to an original proposition or idea (e.g. His theory is the exact opposite of mine. ). An address to an absent or imaginary person who cannot respond to the speaker. Writing intended to convince by establishing truth. Most argumentation begins with a statement of an idea or opinion, which is then supported with logical evidence. Another technique of argumentation is the anticipation and rebuttal of opposing views. See Persuasion, Persuasive writing. Anecdotal evidence Information passed along by word-of-mouth but not documented scientifically (a personal tale); a short account of an entertaining or interesting incident. It may be unreliable. Archaic language Aside Assonance Atmosphere Language no longer in use; old-fashioned language. Brief words spoken by an actor to the audience; he/she is not heard by the other characters. It is similar to a monologue or soliloquy, but it is shorter. Repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyming within phrases or sentences. With alliteration and consonance, assonance serves as one of the building blocks of verse. The emotional environment or surrounding influence of a setting (e.g. "There was an atmosphere of excitement in the room.").
Audience Autobiography The author s reading public; individuals to which one s work is being directed. A written account of a person s whole life authored by himself or herself B Ballad Ballad stanza Bias Biography Blank verse A poem in rhyming quatrains that tells a story. Ballads are a form of folk culture and often include refrains and dialogue. See Ballad stanza, Refrain. A quatrain with four stresses in the first and third lines and three stresses in the second and fourth; the rhyme scheme is abcb. Partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation. A written account of a person s life authored by another person. Unrhymed lines in the same meter; in English it is most commonly in iambic pentameter. C Cacophony Caricature Case study Catastrophe Cause and effect Character Characterization Character foil Chorus Loud, harsh, or strident noise; loud, confusing, disagreeable sounds. A representation of a person that is exaggerated for comic effect. Detailed analysis of a person or group from a social or psychological or medical point of view. An event resulting in great loss and misfortune (e.g. earthquake, bombing). A method of paragraph or essay development in which a writer analyzes the reasons for (and/or the consequences of) an action, event or decision. A cause is that upon which the existence of another thing depends. A person who takes part in the action of a story, novel, or a play. Sometimes characters are animals or imaginary creatures, such as beings from another planet. The method a writer uses to develop characters. There are four basic methods of revealing character: (a) through a character s physical appearance; (b) through his/her own speech, thoughts, feelings, or actions; (c) through the speech, thoughts, feelings, or actions of other characters; and (d) through direct comments by the narrator about the character.- A foil is a character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, and thus highlights various facets of the main character. Any utterance produced simultaneously by a group.
Chronological order Cliché Climactic order Climax Colloquialism Colloquial Language Comedy Comic relief Compare Conflict Connotation Consonance Contrast Couplet A sequence of events arranged in the order in which they occurred. Platitude: a trite or obvious remark; an overused statement. The organization of ideas from one extreme to another: for example, from least important to most important. The high point, or turning point, in a story usually the most intense point near the end of a story. A colloquial word or phrase; a common spoken expression, often regional and informal. See Colloquialism. Light and humorous drama with a happy ending. The inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Actively pointing out similarities between two things, texts, ideas, etcetera. In narration, the struggle between the opposing forces that moves the plot forward. Conflict can be internal (occurring within a character), or external (occurring between characters, or between a character and an abstraction such as nature or fate). The attitudes and feelings associated with a word. These associations can be negative or positive and have an important influence on style and meaning. 1) The repetition of consonant sounds at the ends of words (e.g. Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets... Macbeth 5.5. 24-5). 2) The repetition of consonant sounds before and after differing vowels, such as flip-flop. Actively pointing out differences. A pair of rhyming lines of verse, usually with the same meter. D Denotation Denouement Descriptive essay The literal or dictionary definition of a word. The final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work. An essay which describes a person, place, or thing in such vivid detail that the reader can easily form a precise mental picture of the subject.
Dialect Dialogue Diary Diction Didactic (adj) Dilemma A particular variety of language spoken in one place by a distinct group of people. A dialect reflects the colloquialisms, grammatical constructions, distinctive vocabulary, and pronunciations that are typical of a region. At times writers use dialect to establish or emphasize settings as well as to develop characters. Conversation between two or more people that advances the action, is consistent with the character of the speakers, and gives relief from passages essentially descriptive or expository. A daily written record of (usually personal) experiences and observations. An author s choice of words based on their correctness, clarity, or effectiveness. Didacticism an artistic philosophy that emphasizes instructional and informative qualities in literature and other types of art. Didactic art should not primarily "entertain" or pursue the subjective goals of the artist; rather, its main goal is to teach. State of uncertainty or perplexity, especially requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options. Direct Presentation A method of presentation in which the writer explicitly describes a character, situation, or event. Dissonance Drama Dramatic irony The deliberate avoidance of assonance; also, disagreement: a conflict of people's opinions or actions or characters. Play: a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage; an episode that is turbulent or highly emotional; the literary genre of works intended for the theater. Irony that occurs when the meaning of a situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in a play. Dramatic monologue A speech given addressed a single person to a silent auditor; it usually expresses the speaker s feelings, actions, and motives in a critical situation. Dramatic form Dynamic character A medium for the expression of dramatic meaning. Some dramatic forms are improvisation, tableau, story theatre, and dance drama. A character who undergoes an important, internal change because of the action in the plot. E Editorial Elegy An article stating opinions or giving perspectives, published in a periodical text such as a magazine or newspaper. A mournful poem; a lament for the dead.
Emotional appeal Epic Epilogue Epiphany Epigram Epitaph Euphemism Euphony Expert testimony Exposition Expository essay When a writer appeals to readers emotions (often through pathos) to excite and involve them in the argument. A long narrative that tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero or heroine. A short speech (often in verse) addressed directly to the audience by an actor at the end of a play, or a short passage added at the end of a literary work. An epilogue may tell what eventually happened to the main characters. A divine manifestation; a sudden realization of an important truth (e.g. I had an epiphany at the school play: I was meant to be an actor! A brief, clever, and usually memorable statement (e.g. I can resist anything except temptation. (Oscar Wilde)). A short text honouring a dead person, often inscribed upon his or her tombstone. An inoffensive or indirect expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive or too harsh. E.g. Your grandmother passed away, = Your grandmother died. Literally, pleasant sounds ; agreeable (pleasing and harmonious) sounds. A witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have knowledge in a particular subject. Also known as an argument from authority. Writing that is intended to make clear or to explain something using one or more of the following methods: identification, definition, classification, illustration, comparison, and analysis. In a play or a novel, exposition is that portion that helps the reader to understand the background or situation in which the work is set. See Exposition Extended metaphor A metaphor that is continued over multiple sentences or throughout a whole poem. External conflict Dispute between the protagonist and another character or nature. F Fable Falling action Fantasy A short, simple story that teaches a lesson. A fable usually includes animals that talk and act like people. In the plot of a story, the action that occurs after the climax. During the falling action, conflicts are resolved and mysteries are solved. Fiction with a large amount of imagination in it; it often involves magic and invented worlds or languages.
Farce Figurative language First Person Flashback Flat character Foil Foreshadowing Form Formal essay Formal language Frame story Free verse A comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations. Language that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary or literal meaning of the words. (Point of View) The narrator may be an observer or a participant, and tells the story by using "I". A scene in a story or novel that returns the reader to a time earlier than the main action. A one-dimensional character who has only a few, easily defined traits. Most minor characters are flat. N.b.: Flat is not the same as static. See Character Foil. A writer s use of hints or clues to indicate events that will occur in a story. Foreshadowing creates suspense, and at the same time prepares the reader for what is to come. A categorization of written structures such as poetry or prose, fiction or nonfiction, essay, or news article. A presentation or written piece that strictly adheres to rules, conventions, and ceremony, and is free of colloquial expressions. Language f-ree from colloquialism, contractions, and idioms; it strictly follows the rules and conventions of English. A structure of narrative wherein the main action occurs within the frame of a different story (e.g. Characters sitting around a fireplace tell a story, and most or all of the narrative concerns the stories told by the characters. The film Inception uses multiple frame stories). Poetry without rhyme or fixed metrical pattern. G Genre Graphic text A category of literature. The main literary genres are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. Visual representations that support understanding of text. H Hero A mythological or legendary figure, often of divine descent, who is endowed with great strength or ability. The word is often broadly applied to the principle male or female character in a literary or dramatic work.
Historical reference An allusion to historical beliefs, events, or legends. Hyperbole An intentional exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect. I Iambic Pentameter A metrical line of five feet or units, each made up of an unstressed then a stressed syllable (e.g. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Macbeth II.1.44) Idiom Image/Imagery A phrase or expression that means something different from what the words actually say. An idiom is usually understandable to a particular group of people (e.g. It was all over my head = I didn t understand it ). Words and phrases that create vivid sensory experiences for the reader. Most images are visual, but imagery may also appeal to the senses of smell, hearing, taste, or touch. Indeterminate ending Conclusion that does not tie up all the loose ends ; parts of the story or conflict remain unresolved; the reader is left with questions about motive, plot, character, etcetera. Indirect presentation The writer presents the character in action, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about the personality of that character. Informal essay Informal language A casual discussion, verbal exchange, note, or memorandum that may adhere less strictly to rules and conventions (e.g. a short note to a friend); also, nonfiction writing in narrative or non-narrative form that is intended to inform. Language which may include idioms, contractions, and colloquialisms; it does not have to follow the strict conventions of grammar. Interior monologue Internal monologue, also known as inner voice, internal speech, or stream of consciousness is thinking in words. It also refers to the semi-constant internal monologue one has with oneself at a conscious or semi-conscious level. Internal conflict Internal rhyme Irony Occurs when the protagonist struggles within himself or herself. The protagonist is pulled by two courses of action or by differing emotions, which frequently leads to a dynamic change in the character. In poetry, internal rhyme, or middle rhyme, is rhyme which occurs within a single line of verse. Implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant. There are three kinds: verbal (author says one thing and means something else); dramatic (audience perceives something that a character does not know); and situational (discrepancy between the expected result and actual results).
J Jargon Juxtaposition Language used in a certain profession or by a particular group of people. Jargon is usually technical or abbreviated and difficult for people not in the profession to understand. A placing in nearness or contiguity, or side by side, often done in order to compare/contrast two words, phrases, or ideas. L Legend Limited omniscient Literal language Lyric A traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated; a myth. Third-person point of view in which the narrator s insights are limited to the minds of only a few of the characters, or only one character. A fact or idea stated directly. When a writer intends something to be understood exactly as it is written, he or she is using literal language. A short poem with one speaker which expresses personal thoughts or feelings. M Melodrama Metaphor Metre Monologue Mood Mystery Prologue Myth An extravagant comedy in which action is more important than characterization; a melodrama often contains stock characters, cliché scenes, and overblown emotions. A figure of speech that states or suggests that one thing is the same as another (e.g. His heart was a stone. ). Unlike a simile, a metaphor does not contain the words like or as. In poetry, the regular recurrence of a rhythmic pattern. An extended, uninterrupted speech or poem by a single person. The person may be speaking his or her thoughts aloud or directly addressing other persons, e.g. an audience, a character, or a reader. A characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling; the emotional atmosphere of a work of literature. Something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained; a story about a crime (usually murder) presented as a novel or play or movie. An introduction to a play. Traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people.
N Narrative/narration Writing that relates an event or a series of events; a story. Narration can be imaginary, as in a short story or novel; or factual, as in a newspaper account or a work of history. Narrator The person or voice telling the story outside of the action; the narrator can be a character or an external voice. O Objective point of viewundistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena (if you write from an objective point of view you write from an unbiased perspective). Octave Ode Rhythmic group of eight lines of verse. Lyric poem addressed to a particular person, place, or thing with complex stanza forms. Omniscient point of view Literally all-knowing : infinitely wise. Omniscient point of view allows the reader to see the thoughts, feelings, and situations of any character. Onomatopoeia Oxymoron The use of a word whose sound suggests its meaning (e.g. bang, crash ). A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction. E.g. burning cold, hateful love. P Paradox Parallelism Parody Passive voice Pastoral Pathos A statement that seems self-contradictory but in reality expresses a possible truth (e.g. Sometimes, the more you study the less you learn. ). In grammar, parallelism is a balance of two or more similar words, phrases, or clauses. Using parallelism in sentence construction improves writing style and readability. Parallelism may also be known as parallel structure or parallel construction. Imitates or mocks another work or type of literature. Like caricature in art, parody in literature mimics a subject or a style. Its purpose may be to ridicule, to broaden understanding of, or to add insight to the original work. Indicates that the subject is being acted upon (e.g. The ball was thrown by Jack. ). See also Active voice. A literary work idealizing the rural life, especially the life of shepherds. A quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow; also, a rhetorical technique that aims to move the emotions of the audience.
Personal essay Personification Persuasive essay Plot Point of view Essay about some event in the writer's life, written in the first person. A form of metaphor in which language relating to human action, motivation, and emotion is used to refer to non-human agents or objects, or abstract concepts (e.g. The weather is smiling on us today. ; Love is blind. ). Writing intended to convince the reader that a position is valid or that the reader should take a specific action. Differs from exposition in that it does more than explain; it takes a stand and endeavors to persuade the reader to take the same position or to take action. The action or sequence of events in a story. Plot is usually a series of related incidents that builds and grows as the story develops. The vantage point from which a story is told. In the first person or narrative point of view, the story is told by one of the characters. In the third person or omniscient point of view, someone outside the story tells the story. Pro and con argument Gives reasons in favour (pro) and against (con)a viewpoint or position. Propaganda Protagonist Proverb Purpose Pun Methods of conveying information selectively to produce an opinion or action favorable to the source of the information. The main character or hero of a story. See Hero/Heroine. A condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people (e.g. A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. ). An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions (e.g. "His intent was to provide a new translation."). A pun is a phrase that deliberately exploits confusion between similarsounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect (e.g. Atheism is a nonprophet institution. prophet/profit). Q Quatrain Question and answer A stanza of four lines. A method of structuring an essay whereby ideas are presented through raising questions or concerns and then responding to them. R Refrain Repetition The line or lines that are repeated in music or in poetry. The repeated use of the same word or word pattern as a rhetorical device.
Research Resolution Scholarly or scientific investigation. Research involves finding different sources of information, extracting relevant information, and synthesizing and presenting one s findings to support a thesis or to inform. The part of the story's plot line in which the problem of the story is resolved or worked out. Rhetorical Question A figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply. Rhyme Correspondence of terminal sounds of words or of lines of verse. Rhyme Scheme Rhythm Rising action Round character In poetry, the pattern in which rhyme sounds occur in a stanza. Rhyme schemes, for the purpose of analysis, are usually presented by the assignment of the same letter of the alphabet to each similar sound in the stanza. The pattern of a Spenserian stanza is ababbcbcc. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. Poets use rhythm to bring out the musical quality of language, to emphasize ideas, to create mood, to unify a work, or to heighten emotional response The events in a story that move the plot forward. Rising action involves conflicts and complications, and builds toward the climax of the story. See Conflict, Climax, Exposition, Falling action A complex literary character with fully developed and dynamic traits; a character who is complex and multi-dimensional. S Sarcasm Satire Sestet Setting Simile Slang A kind of verbal irony intended to convey insults or scorn (e.g. calling a fat person Miss Slim ). A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit. Unlike sarcasm, satire aims at the improvement rather than the demolition of its subject. A stanza of six lines, usually occurring in the second part of a sonnet. The time, location and circumstances in which a story takes place. A comparison of two unlike things in which a word of comparison (often like or as) is used (e.g. She stood in front of the altar, shaking like a freshly caught trout. (Maya Angelou)). Informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; slang is often vulgar (crude).
Soliloquy Sonnet Speaker Stanza In a play, an extended, uninterrupted speech by a single person spoken alone on the stage. No other characters can hear the soliloquy, but by means of a soliloquy the audience gains insight into the speaker s true thoughts or feelings. A verse form consisting of 14 lines in iambic pentameter with a fixed rhyme scheme. Someone who expresses in language; not to be confused with the poet or author. A fixed number of lines of verse forming a unit of a poem. Stream of Consciousness Literary genre that reveals a character's thoughts and feeling as they develop by means of a long monologue. Statistical evidence Credible evidence which includes numbers, statistics, demographic analyses, etcetera, supporting a thesis. Static character Stereotype Stock character Story within a story Style Stylistic technique Subjective Surprise Ending Suspense Symbol Symbolism A character that remains unchanged throughout a work. A stereotype is a simplified and/or standardized conception or image with specific meaning, often held in common by people about another group. A stock character is one which relies heavily on cultural types or names for his or her personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. See frame story. A way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person, group of people, or period (e.g. "All the reporters were expected to adopt the style of the newspaper. ). A method used by a writer to create a particular style; stylistic technique can include habitual use of specific literary devices, words, sounds, or phrases. Subjective (language tone etc.): taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias. A piece of writing ending with an event that is both the climax and resolution of a story. An unexpected ending. Excited anticipation of an approaching climax (e.g. "The play kept the audience in suspense. ). Something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible. The use of symbols in a literary or artistic work. T Theme A central idea or abstract concept that is made concrete through representation in person, action, and image. Theme is not simply a subject or an activity, vice for instance, but a proposition, such as Vice seems more
interesting than virtue but turns out to be destructive. Sometimes the theme is directly stated in the work, and sometimes it is given indirectly. There may be more than one theme in a given work. Thesis Thesis Statement Third Person Tone Tragedy An attitude or position taken by a writer or speaker with the purpose of proving or supporting it. The sentence(s) in your text that contain(s) the focus of your essay and tells your reader what the essay is going to be about. (Point of View) In literature, a non-participating narrator who provides the reader with all the emotions and ideas of one central character. The attitude of an author towards his or her subject matter and office; not to be confused with mood, tone can be formal, informal, intimate, solemn, somber, playful, serious, ironic, condescending, etcetera. An event resulting in great loss and misfortune. In literature, tragedy is a genre in which a central character is brought to ruin or suffers extreme sorrow as a result of a character flaw. U Understatement A statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said (e.g. When it is pouring rain, someone says, It s just a little drizzle. ). V Voice The distinctive style or manner of expression of an author or of a character in a book. Voice is created through word choice, tone, style, and habitual literary practices of the writer. W Wit That quality of speech or writing which consists in the apt association of thought and expression, calculated to surprise and delight by its unexpectedness; the utterance of brilliant or sparkling things in an amusing way.