english finals Flashcards
allegory
story with two levels of meaning
ex. the lion, the witch and the wardrobe
Aslan-jesus Edmund-judas
archetype
reference to a concept a person of an object that has served as a prototype of its kind and is the original idea that has come to be used over and over again
ex. Romeo and Juliet is an archetype of eternal love and a star-crossed love story
allusion
figure of speech where the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event or literary work by way of passing a reference
ex. It’s no wonder everyone refers to Mary as another Mother Teresa in the making; she loves to help and care after people everywhere-from the streets to her own friends
connotation
associations people make with words that go being the literal definitions
ex. and once again the fall leaves were falling.
denotation
dictionary definition
ex. house instead of home
diction
tone of an author’s writings
ex.thy, thee, wherefore
epic
extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language celebrating the feats of a legendary hero
ex. homer’s iliad and odyssey
foreshadowing
hint of what is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense
myth
traditional story that explains a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon
syntax
actual way in which words and sentences are placed together in the writing
irony
Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words.
ex.I posted a video on YouTube about how boring and useless YouTube is
figurative language
: Language that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary meanings of the words.
ex.metaphors,similes, and personification.
assonance
repetition of sounds produced by vowels within a sentence or phrase
ex.A long song
consonance
Repetition of consonant sounds to create a pattern
ex.rider, reader, raider, ruder.
antithesis
two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another
alliteration
literary device where words are used in quick succession and begin with letters belonging to the same sound group
ex.The Wicked Witch of the West went her own way
anaphora
deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic effect.
ex.My life is my purpose. My life is my goal. My life is my inspiration
parallelism
use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning or meter.
ex.• Like father, like son.
• The escaped prisoner was wanted dead or alive.
• Easy come, easy go.
• Whether in class, at work or at home, Shasta was always busy.
• Flying is fast, comfortable, and safe.
memoir
account of one’s personal life and experiences; autobiography; the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
anecdote
funny or amusing story
imagery
uses words and phrases to create “mental images”
ex.The gushing brook stole its way down the lush green mountains, dotted with tiny flowers in a riot of colors and trees coming alive with gaily chirping birds.
metaphor
refers to a meaning or identity ascribed to one subject by way of another
ex. unlit cigarette-you put the thing that does the killing between your teeth but don’t give it the power to do its killing
simile
comparing two things by using like or as
ex. she was as slow as a turtle
hyperbole
exaggerating
ex I am so tired I cant walk another inch
understatement
drawing attention to something that already has been noticed
ex.Oh! I wonder if he could get any later; I am free all day long said sarcastically
personification
giving nonliving things human characteristics
ex. the raging winds
oxymoron
contradictory, contrasting concepts placed together in a manner that actually ends up making sense in a strange, and slightly complex manner.
ex.He possessed a cold fire in his eyes.
theme
base topic or focus that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece
ex.The main theme in the play Romeo and Juliet was love with smaller themes of sacrifice, tragedy, struggle, hardship, devotion and so on.
tone
perspective or attitude that the author adopts with regards to a specific character, place or development
ex.In her Harry Potter series, author J.K. Rowling has taken an extremely positive, inspiring and uplifting tone towards the idea of love and devotion.
motif
element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present through the entire body of literature
ex.In many famed fairytales, the motif of a ‘handsome prince’ falling in love with a ‘damsel in distress’ and the two being bothered by a wicked step mother, evil witch or beast and finally conquering all to live ‘happily ever after’ is a common motif.
