English vocabulary Flashcards
situational Irony
DEF: when the opposite of what we think is going to happen ends up happening
EXP: The monsters in monster ink are afraid of the kids
Theme
DEF: A main idea or underlying meaning of litarty work, which may be stated directly or indirectly
EXP: “TYM” is about giving second chances
Personification
DEF: Describes a non-human thing as if they could what a human can do
EXP: The Toys Story movie the toys are moving and talking that way that humans do.
Dramatic Irony
DEF: When the audience knows what will happen before the charters do
EXP: We saw jaws before the people in the water did
Simile
DEF: Compares two different things using like or as
EXP: “He’s about as sharp as a bowling ball.” – Dumb and Dumber.
Metaphor
DEF: Compares two different things WITHOUT USING LIKE OR AS
EXP: “Life is a box of chocolates.” – Movie: “Forrest Gump”
Verbal Irony
DEF:when a person intentionally say the opposite of what they mean
EXP: Yes you can come over! really? NO
Mood
DEF: the way you (the reader) feel while reading a story
EXP: You cried when you read ACOTAR
Tone
DEF: the way the writer, narrator or character feels about what is happening in the story
EXP: Sailors have a curious dread of the place. (ominous tone) (MDG)
Atmosphere
DEF: the way you (the reader) feel about a place or setting in a story
EXP: You love the house that you think your book charters live in
Hyperbole
DEF: Comparing two different things by using EXTREME EXAGGERATION
EXP: Anything was better than facing the general’s dogs. (MDG)
Imagery
DEF: Imagery uses figurative language to describe people, places, or things in a way that appeals to the physical senses and helps readers to picture the scene more vividly.
EXP: Smell: The sweet aroma of the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies wafted from the kitchen to the living room, causing Greg’s stomach to rumble.
Symbol
DEF:an object represents itself and something else; when analyzing symbolism one must use the terms literal and figurative
EXP: the joker is acting like a clown
Round Character
DEF:A significant character who is well developed with at least 3-4 characteristics.
EXP: Mrs. Jones (large, confident woman, kind, stern, independent, caring, doesn’t have a lot of money, clean house)
Flat Character
DEF: A lesser known character not as well developed usually with only 1-2 character traits.
EXP: The people who walk by when Mrs. Jones and Roger are interacting (we don’t learn much about them)
Dynamic Character
DEF: A character that changes from the beginning of the story to the end.
EXP: Roger (from Thank You Ma’am)
Static Character
DEF: A character that doesn’t undergo any significant change during the story (they stay emotionally the same)
EXP: In The Lion King example, Scar would be a static character.
Antagonist
DEF: A character who is against the protagonist (attempting to block their success or goal)
EXP: The stairs are addis antagonist
Protagonist
DEF: The main bitch
EXP: Elena is the main charter of your book
Direct versus Indirect Characterization
DEF:With direct characterization, the author tells the reader exactly what the character is like (i.e. the seven-year-old boy with red hair was stubborn but kind) while indirect characterization offers clues to reveal the personality of the character
EXP: they give a description of the charter
Foreshadowing
DEF: Clues of what will eventually happen in the story
EXP: Elena never wants to get married
1st person narration:
DEF: The writer relates the story from their perspective (pronouns used are “I” and “my”)
EXP: If I was talking about my self
3rd person omniscient versus 3rd person limited narration
DEF: Omniscient narration is told by a narrator that is external to the story and that the narrator is “all knowing”; limited narration is when the story is told from the narrator or character’s perspective and they “share” information. Both types of narration use pronouns like “he”, “she”, “they”
EXP: when you read a touch of darkness
Alliteration
DEF: a literary device where two or more words in a phrase or line share the same beginning consonant sound
EXP: The sound, not the letter, is the most important element of alliteration meaning, as not all adjacent words sharing first consonants amount to alliteration. ‘Kitty cat’ and ‘fish phobia’ are considered alliteration examples, but not “thirty typists,” because ‘th’ and ‘ty’ don’t sound the same.
Onomatopoeia
DEF: a word which imitates the natural sounds of a thing; it creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described
EXP: a bird
Genre
DEF: a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style or subject matter (i.e. mystery, nonfiction)
EXP: romance
Synecdoche
DEF: when part of something is used to represent the whole or vice versa
EXP: Focuses on a part of something to describe the whole or names the whole thing when describing a part
Oxymoron
DEF: Words that are used together that seem to contradict each other but are true
EXP: they can help express complex feelings such as love and desire: love as a strange mixture of pain and pleasure
