Glossary 2 Flashcards
Definition- Foreshadowing
When an author gives hints about what will occur later in a story
Example- Foreshadowing
In Little Red Riding Hood, her mom warns her to look out for the wolf in the woods foreshadowing his later appearance.
Impact- Foreshadowing
Increases suspense and tension in the story
Definition- Genre
The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. However, genres can be subdivided as well (poetry can be classified into lyric, dramatic, narrative, etc.).
Definition- Gothic
Writing characterized by gloom, mystery, fear, and/or death. Also refers to an architectural style of the Middle Ages, often seen in cathedrals of this period.
Example- Gothic
Edgar Allen Poe’s works such as The Cask of Amontillado
Definition- Imagery
Word or words that create a picture in the reader’s mind. Usually, this involves the five senses. Authors often use imagery in conjunction with metaphors, similes, or figures of speech.
Example- Imagery
“The bright blue sky and soft green grass blowing in the wind”
Impact- Imagery
Stimulate senses when reading and create a deeper connection with readers.
Definition- Invective
A long, emotionally violent, attack using strong, abusive language.
Example- Invective
“You dirt-eating piece of slime, you scum-sucking pig, you son of a motherless goat!”—Three Amigos.
“I’ll explain and I’ll use small words so that you’ll be sure to understand, you warthog faced buffoon.”—The Princess Bride.
Impact- Invective
Strong, charged language that can show anger and disapproval.
Definition- Irony
When the opposite of what you expect to happen does
Definition- Verbal irony
When you say something and mean the opposite/something different.
Example- Verbal irony
saying “This is such great weather we are having” when it is storming outside
Impact- Verbal irony
It provides humor and can provide emphasis on a situation.
Definition- Dramatic irony
When the audience of a drama, play, movie, etc. knows something that the character doesn’t and would be surprised to find out.
Example- Dramatic irony
In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not really dead but Romeo does not and it leads to him killing himself when he should not have.
Impact- Dramatic irony
It creates contrast, tension, and suspense in writing
Definition- Situational irony
Found in the plot (or story line) of a book, story, or movie. Sometimes it makes you laugh because it’s funny how things turn out.
Example- Situational irony
a police station being robbed
Impact- Situational irony
Creates unexpected twists, adds surprise, and keeps the audience entertained and engaged.
Definition- Juxtaposition
Placing things side by side for the purposes of comparison.
Example- Juxtaposition
You’re making a mountain out of a molehill”
Impact- Juxtaposition
Helps add meaning and strengthen an argument.
Definition- Mood
The atmosphere created by the literature and accomplished through word choice (diction). Syntax is often a creator of mood since word order, sentence length and strength and complexity also affect pacing and therefore mood. Setting, tone, and events can all affect the mood.
Definition- Motif
a recurring idea in a piece of literature.
Example- Motif
In To Kill a Mockingbird, the idea that “you never really understand another person until you consider things from his or her point of view” is a motif, because the idea is brought up several times over the course of the novel.
Impact- Motif
Reinforces the theme and can set the mood and highlight a detail.
Definition- Oxymoron
When apparently contradictory terms are grouped together and suggest a paradox
Example- Oxymoron
“The silence was loud”
Impact- Oxymoron
It can create irony, and suspense and add dramatic. effect
Definition- Pacing
The speed or tempo of an author’s writing. Writers can use a variety of devices (syntax, polysyndeton, anaphora, meter) to change the pacing of their words. An author’s pacing can be fast, sluggish, stabbing, vibrato, staccato, measured, etc.
Example- Pacing
The Hunger Games is a fast-paced book.
Impact- Pacing
It helps evoke certain emotions in readers based on the pacing
Definition- Paradox
A seemingly contradictory situation which is actually true.
Example- Paradox
“Less is more”, “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without getting a job.”
Impact- Paradox
Causes a reader to think deeper about the subject
Definition- Parallelism
Sentence construction which places equal grammatical constructions near each other, or repeats identical grammatical patterns.
Example- Parallelism
“I came, I saw, I conquered”, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
Impact- Parallelism
Makes your writing more forceful, clear and emphasized
Definition- Anaphora
Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences or clauses in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent.
Example- Anaphora
“Love is patient, Love is kind” “Go big or go home”
Impact- Anaphora
It evokes emotion and creates emphasis
Definition- Chiasmus
When the same words are used twice in succession, but the second time, the order of the words is reversed.
Example- Chiasmus
“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Impact- Chiasmus
Deepens the meaning and impact of the words
Definition- Antithesis
Two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses, or even ideas, with parallel structure.
Example- Antithesis
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”
Impact- Antithesis
Highlights the differences to make it more persuading
Definition- Zuegma
When a single word governs or modifies two or more other words, and the meaning of the first word must change for each of the other words it governs or modifies.
Example- Zuegma
“He lost his keys and temper”, “I quickly dressed myself and the salad.”
Impact- Zuegma
Adds emotion and makes readers think more
Definition- Parenthetical Idea
Parentheses are used to set off an idea from the rest of the sentence. It is almost considered an aside…a whisper, and should be used sparingly for effect, rather than repeatedly. Parentheses can also be used to set off dates and numbers.
Example- Parenthetical Idea
my mom (after seeing all my missing work) made me keep my phone in the kitchen while I do homework
Impact- Parenthetical Idea
Adds crucial information to a sentence without disrupting the flow
Definition- Parody
An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes. It borrows words or phrases from an original, and pokes fun at it. This is also a form of allusion, since it is referencing a previous text, event, etc.
Example- Parody
Saturday Night life skits such as the Domingo skit parodying Espressso by Sabrina Carpenter
Definition- Persona
The fictional mask or narrator that tells a story.
