English Literary Terms

Question 1

epistolary form

Answer 1

written in the style of a letter

Question 2

tone

Answer 2

the way the author or character speaks to show attitude

Question 3

atmosphere

Answer 3

the way the setting makes the reader feel

Question 4

mood

Answer 4

the way the text makes the readers feel

Question 5

characterization

Answer 5

the creation or construction of a fictional character

Question 6

imagery

Answer 6

visually descriptive, appealing to the 5 senses

Question 7

motif

Answer 7

A recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story

Question 8

pathetic fallacy

Answer 8

personification for nature

Question 9

theme

Answer 9

the subject/topic

Question 10

alliteration

Answer 10

repeating sounds in the beginning of a word

Question 11

allusion

Answer 11

refers to another literary work

Question 12

analogy

Answer 12

comparing something to explain something else

Question 13

onomatopoeia

Answer 13

words imitating sounds

Question 14

figurative language

Answer 14

describes and compares things that aren’t meant to be taken literally

Question 15

metaphor

Answer 15

comparing one thing as if it IS another, type of analogy

Question 16

anaphora

Answer 16

A figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of sentences

Question 17

allegory

Answer 17

a story that can reveal a hidden meaning

Question 18

hyperbole

Answer 18

exaggeration not meant to be taken literally

Question 19

irony

Answer 19

A contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs

Question 20

oxymoron

Answer 20

two words with opposite meanings put together (always a short phrase)

Question 21

idiom

Answer 21

an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be learned as a whole “feeling under the weather”

Question 22

juxtaposition

Answer 22

two thing placed together to show differences (longer version of oxymoron, can exist throughout an entire novel)

Question 23

trope

Answer 23

stories/characters dynamics we see commonly

Question 24

syntax

Answer 24

structure of a sentence for effect, position of words

Question 25

semantic field

Answer 25

words from the same topic

Question 26

dramatic irony

Answer 26

the full significance of a character's words or actions is clear to the audience or reader but unknown to the character

Question 27

syntax

Answer 27

structure of a sentence for effect, position of words

Question 28

diction

Answer 28

choice of words for effect

Question 29

In media res

Answer 29

Starting a story in the middle of the action rather than at the beginning

Question 30

Magical Realism

Answer 30

Blending magical elements with realistic settings and situations

Question 31

Antagonist

Answer 31

The character or force that opposes the protagonist in a story

Question 32

Protagonist

Answer 32

The main character or hero of a story

Question 33

Deus ex Machina

Answer 33

A plot device where a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly resolved by an unexpected intervention

Question 34

Red Herring

Answer 34

A misleading clue or distraction intended to divert attention from the real issue

Question 35

Soliloquy

Answer 35

A speech delivered by a character alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts and feelings

Question 36

Tragic Flaw

Answer 36

A character trait that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero

Question 37

Epiphany

Answer 37

A sudden realization or understanding that leads to a new perspective

Question 38

Anachronism

Answer 38

Placing something out of its proper historical time period

Question 39

Bildungsroman

Answer 39

A novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist

Question 40

Synecdoche

Answer 40

A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole

Question 41

Verisimilitude

Answer 41

The appearance of being true or real within a literary work

Question 42

Catharsis

Answer 42

The release of emotional tension experienced by the audience through a character's experiences

Question 43

Stream of Consciousness

Answer 43

A narrative mode that attempts to capture the flow of thoughts and feelings in a character's mind

Question 44

Foreshadowing

Answer 44

Hinting at events that will happen later in the story

Question 45

Paradox

Answer 45

A statement that appears self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth

Question 46

Assonance

Answer 46

Repetition of vowel sounds within words in close proximity

Question 47

Consonance

Answer 47

Repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity

Question 48

Anthropomorphism

Answer 48

Assigning animal traits to non-animal entities

Question 49

Euphemism

Answer 49

Substituting a mild or indirect expression for a harsh or blunt one

Question 50

Onomatopoeia

Answer 50

Words that imitate natural sounds

Question 51

Flashback

Answer 51

A scene that interrupts the chronological sequence to depict earlier events

Question 52

Point of View

Answer 52

The perspective from which a story is told

Question 53

Satire

Answer 53

Using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize and ridicule societal issues