asp Flashcards
What is an allusion?
A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize.
What is an analogy?
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way.
What is anaphora?
The repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences.
What is an anecdote?
A brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event.
What is asyndeton?
A construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions.
What are concrete details?
Details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events.
What is connotation?
The implied or associative meaning of a word.
What is denotation?
The literal meaning of a word.
What is dialect?
A variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or pronunciation, often associated with a particular geographical region.
What is dialogue?
Conversation between two or more people.
What is diction?
The word choices made by a writer.
What is an epiphany?
A moment of sudden revelation or insight.
What is an epithet?
A term used to point out a characteristic of a person.
Homeric epithets are often compound adjectives (e.g., ‘swift-footed Achilles’) that almost become part of a name itself.
What is figurative language?
Language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.).
What is a flashback?
The insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a narrative.
What is foreshadowing?
The presentation of material in such a way that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work.
What is hyperbole?
Intentional exaggeration to create an effect.
What is imagery?
The use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to one or more of the senses.
What is irony?
The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; or, incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs.
What is juxtaposition?
Placing two dissimilar elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast.
What is a metaphor?
A direct comparison of two different things.
What is metonymy?
Substituting the name of one object for another object closely associated with it.
Example: ‘The pen [writing] is mightier than the sword [war/fighting].’
What is a motif?
A standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works.
What is motivation?
A character’s incentive or reason for behaving in a certain manner; that which compels a character to act.
What is a narrator?
The one who tells the story; may be first- or third-person, limited or omniscient.
What is a paradox?
An apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth.
What is personification?
Endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics.
What is polysyndeton?
The use, for rhetorical/rhythmic effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural.
Example: ‘I went to get bread, and milk, and eggs, and cheese, and pickles at the store.’
What is a simile?
A comparison of two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’ or other specifically comparative words.
What is a symbol?
An object which is used to represent something else (abstract).
What is synecdoche?
Using one part of an object to represent the entire object.
Example: Referring to a car as simply ‘wheels.’
What is a theme?
The central idea of a work.
What is tone?
The attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience.
