Definitions Flashcards
alliteration
the repetition of initial consonants - should be atleast two repetitions in a row
allusion
a reference to a famous person or event in life or literature
anagnorisis
a moment of epiphany; character discovers his true identity
anecdote
a brief story
antagonist
the character who opposes the protagonist; contrast to the protagonist
antonomasia
identification of a person by an appropriate subtitle
apostrophe
addressing an abstraction or thing, present or absent, or addressing an absent person or entity
archetype
original model for person appearing later in history or in literature
climax
the turning point of the action in the plot of a play or story - represents the point of greatest tension in the work
dialogue
the actual words that characters speak; conversation
diction
words authors use (word choice)
dramatic irony
failure of character to see/understand what is obvious to the audience
euphemism
word/phrase that soften the hard reality of truth
flashback
when events that took place before the current action of a story are explained in order to give background information; often reflected by characters thinking back to previous events
foil characters
a secondary character who contrasts with a major character
foreshadowing
hints of what is to come
gasconade
bragging
hamartia
character flaw; often pride (hubris)
hyberbole
exaggeration
imagery
descriptive language
in medias res
in the middle of things - story begins in the middle of the plot
irony
creates a contrast between what is said and what is meant
jargon
vocabulary understood by members of a profession/trade but usually not by others
juxtaposition
putting opposites beside each other in order to show the difference
