english exam terms 🌷 Flashcards
origin myths
type of myth that explains the beginnings of a natural or social aspect of the world
tragedy (drama)
noble character who struggles against strong external challenges, suffer greatly and fail as a result of their own flaws.
gothic short stories
environment of fear, the threat of supernatural events, and the intrusion of the past upon the present
memoir
factual stories about someone’s life
poetry
uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, literal or surface-level meanings (haikus, limericks, and sonnets)
non-fiction
based on facts, actual events, or real people
anecdotes
a brief narrative involving presumably real people and events
reflection
act of including analysis or perspective on the text within the text itself
imagery
words that trigger the reader to recall images, or mental pictures, that engage one of the five senses: sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch
dialogue
stylized written or spoken exchange between two or more people
minesis
process by which the work reflects and reinterprets the world around it
hamartia
a fatal mistake (usually used in the context of Greek tragedies) or a fatal flaw
catharsis
the act or process of relieving a strong emotion (as pity or fear) especially by expressing it in art form
perpetia
a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation especially in a literary work
anagnorsis
the startling discovery that produces a change from ignorance to knowledge
paragraph structure
topic sentence, context, evidence, analysis, elaboration, wrap up
the crucible
a small community in Massachusetts, New England which is ripped apart by a series of accusations of witchcraft and is stirred into madness by superstition, paranoia and malice, trying to preserve one’s reputation can end up harming others. But, in keeping one’s honor and integrity, a person can stay true to themselves, and can put an end to fear that might cause hysteria
black boy
emphasis on racial inequality in america, many of the motifs refer to the lingering aspects of slave narratives in present day. these motifs include violence, religion, starvation, familial unity and lack thereof, literacy, and the north star as a guide towards freedom
edgar allan poe
initiating the modern detective story, developing the Gothic horror story, and being a significant early forerunner of the science fiction form
emily dickinson
remarkable influence in american literature, usage of original wordplay, unexpected rhymes, and abrupt line breaks, she bends literary conventions, demonstrating a deep and respectful understanding of formal poetic structure even as she seems to defy its restrictions
