Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Senior Literature > Literary Terms > Flashcards

Literary Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Auschwitz

A

concentration camp created by the Nazis in Poland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Bastille

A

prison in Paris where political prisoners were held and tortured until the French Revolution. attacked by workers on July 14th 1789 the prisoners were released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Alamo

A

a fort in San Antonio Texas where Americans made a heroic stand against Mexican forces. during the war for Texan independence from mexico

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Abstract

A

language that describes concepts rather than concrete images

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Allegory

A

characters, events, and settings present abstract qualities in which the writer intends a second meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Anecdote

A

short narrative of an incident, used to make a point or humorous effect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Annotation

A

notes added to text to explain, cite sources, or give bibliographical data

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Antithesis

A

presentation of two contrasting images

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Aphorism

A

short witty statement of a principle or truth of life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Apostrophe

A

calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, place, or thing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Argumentation

A

writing that proves validity of point of view or idea by reasoned arguments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

cacophony

A

dissonance, harsh, awkward sounds used in poetry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

caricature

A

descriptive that exaggerates a specific feature of appearance or personality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

colloquialism

A

word or phrase used in everyday convos and informal writing, inappropriate for formal writing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

coherence

A

quality of a piece of writing, 3 parts contribute to central idea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

concrete language

A

describes specific observable things, people, or places rather than ideas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

connotation

A

suggested meaning of a word because of its association

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

consonance

A

repetition of identical sounds within two or more words

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

conundrum

A

riddle whose answer is or involves a pun , paradox or difficult problem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

deduction

A

the process of moving from one general rule to a specific

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

denotation

A

literal meaning of a word as defined

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

description

A

the picture in words of something or someone through observation of color, motion, sound, taste, smell, and touch

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

diction

A

word choice. creates tone, attitude, style, and meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

ballad

A

a poem that tells a story that is meant to be sung or recited

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
biography
the story of a persons life, written by someone else
26
blank verse
unrymed iambic pentameter
27
caesura
a pause or sudden break in a line of poetry
28
cause and effect
when one event causes another, the event that happened first is the cause the one that happens second is the effect
29
character
person that is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem. important. helps form plot and create mood
30
antagonist
character in story who deceives, frustrates, or works against main character. don't have to be a person. death, devil etc.
31
caricature
picture or imitation of a persons habits, appearance, or mannerisms exaggerated in an absurd way
32
foil
a character who serves as a contrast or conflict to another character
33
hero/heroine
character whose actions are inspiring or noble, often main character in a story
34
connecting
readers process of relating the content of a literary work to his/her own knowledge and experience
35
Connotation
the idea and feeling associated with a word as opposed to its dictionary definition or denotation
36
Consonance
the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within a line of poetry. Alliteration is a specific type of consonance
37
context clues
hints or suggestions that may surround unfamiliar words or phrases and clarify their meaning
38
contrast
the process of pointing out differences between things
39
couplet
rhymed pair of lines in a poetry. William Shakespeare trademark was to end a sonnet with a couplet
40
denotation
is the opposite of connotation in that it is the exact or dictionary meaning of a word
41
denouement
see plot
42
dialect
a form of language that is a spoken in a particular place or by a specific group of people
43
dialogue
the conversation between characters in a drama or narrative. occurs in most work of literature
44
drama
form of literature meant to be performed by actors before an audience. characters dialogue and actions tell the story. written form is script
45
drawing conclusions
combining several pieces of info to make a inference
46
dramatic monologue
device used when character reveals his/her innermost thoughts and feelings
47
elegy
type of literature defined as a song or poem, expresses sorrow, usually for one that has died
48
enjambent
incomplete syntax at the end of a line, the meaning running over into the next line without punctuation
49
epigram
short poem or verse that seeks to ridicule a thought or event, usually sarcasm
50
epic
long narrative poem about the adventures of a hero whose actions reflect ideas, values of a group
51
epiphany
a sudden moment of understanding that causes a character to change or to act a certain way
52
epitaph
short poem or verse written in memory of someone
53
essay
short work of nonfiction that deals with a single subject
54
chronilogical order
the order in which events happen in time
55
clarifying
readers process of pausing while reading to review
56
cliche
figurative language containing overused expression or saying that is no longer original
57
climax
see plot
58
comedy
a dramatic work that is light and often humorous, usually ends with peaceful resolution
59
comparison
process of identifying similarities
60
concrete poetry
type of poetry that uses physical or visual form to present its message
61
conflict
tension or problem in a story, struggle between opposing forces
62
central conflict
the dominant or most important conflict of story
63
external conflict
problem or struggle existing between main character and outside force
64
internal conflict
problem or struggle that takes place in main characters mind
65
descriptive essay
describes particular subject
66
expository essay
purpose is to explain and give info about a subject
67
formal essay
highly organized and thoroughly researched
68
humorous essay
one whose purpose is to amuse or entertain the reader
69
informed essay
lighter in tone and usually reflects the writers feelings and personality
70
narrative essay
an essay that tells a story
71
persuasive essay
attempts to convince reader to adopt a particular option or course of action
72
evaluating
the process of judging the value of something or someone.
73
exaggeration
see hyperbole
74
expostion
see plot
75
extended metaphor
a figure of speech that compares two essentially unlike things
76
fable
a brief tale that teaches a lesson about human nature , often feature animals as characters
77
fact and opinion
fact states something that can be proved, opinion states that reflects the writers or speakers belief, cant be supported with evidence
78
fiction
prose writing that tells an imaginary story, includes short stories and novels
79
figurative language or figure of speech
expressions that are not literally true
80
first person point of view
see point of view
81
flashback
interruption of the chronological sequence or event of earlier occurrence, allows writers to bring up past events
82
foil
see character
83
folklore
traditions, customs, and stories that are passed down within a culture
84
folk tale
story passed from generation to generation by mouth, to entertain, teach a lesson
85
foot
unit of meter within a line of poetry
86
foreshadowing
when writer provides clues/hints that suggest or predict future events in a story
87
free verse
poetry without regular patterns of rhyme and rhythm of ordinary speech
88
generalization
a broad statement about an entire group
89
genre
type of literature, four main lit genres include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama
90
haiku
Japanese poetry usually dealing with nature. 3 lines, describes single moment, feeling, or thing.1st and 3rd lines contain 5 syllables 2nd contains 7 syllables
91
hero/heroine
see character
92
heroic couplet or closed couplet
couplet consisting of two successive rhyming lines that contain a complete thought
93
historical fiction
explores the past time and may contain references to actual people and events of the past
94
horror fiction
contains mysterious and supernatural events to create sense of horror
95
humor
the quality that provokes laughter or amusement, created through exaggeration, sarcasm, amusing description, irony, and witty dialogue
96
hyperbole
a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or humorous effect
97
iambic meter
see meter
98
idiom
phrase or suggestion that means something different from what the word actually says
99
imagery
use of words and phrases that appeal to the 5 senses
100
inference
logical guess based on evidence in text
101
internal conflict
see conflict
102
interview
meeting in which one person asks another about personal matters, professional matters or both.
103
irony
contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens
104
verbal irony
when the speaker means something totally different from what he/she is saying
105
dramatic irony
when facts are not know to characters in a work of lit but known by audience
106
cosmic irony
suggest that some unknown force brings about dire and dreadful events
107
irony of situation
the difference between what is expected to happen and how they actually workout
108
legend
story handed down from the past about a person, usually of heroic accomplishments
109
limerick
short humorous poem composed of 5 lines that has rhyme scheme aabba. 2 rhyming couplets, followed by fifth line that rhymes with the first couplet. sing-song
110
literal meaning
actual meaning of a word or phrase
111
lyric poetry
a song like poem written mainly to express the feelings or emotions of a single speaker
112
main character
see character
113
main idea
the most important point that a writer wishes to express

Senior Literature (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions