Literary Terms

Question 1

Idiom

Answer 1

Word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning
ex: it’s raining cats and dogs

Question 2

Blank verse

Answer 2

Is written in iambic pentameter without rhyme. Shakespeares writing.
Ex put DOWN your SWORDS you KNOW not WHAT you DO

Question 3

Free verse

Answer 3

Is an open form of poetry.

Doesn’t use rhyme patterns or any musical patterns.

Question 3

Allegory

Answer 3

A story, poem or picture that contains hidden symbolic meaning.
Ex people stuck on island, island represents something

Question 4

Fable

Answer 4

A short tale to teach a moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate objects as characters.
Ex tortoise and hare

Question 5

Catharsis

Answer 5

Is an emotional release through which a character can achiever a state of moral or spiritual renewal
Ex mercutio gets stabbed and blames it on family feud

Question 6

Epiphany

Answer 6

Is the point in a work of literature where a character has a sudden insight or realization that changes his or her understanding

Question 7

Archetype

Answer 7

Is an ideal example or model after which other things are patterned.
Example: a setting archetype would be an island to represent isolation

Question 8

Motif

Answer 8

Is any element, subject or idea that is constantly present through the entire body of literature. Repetition of specific theme
Ex happy ending or happily ever after

Question 9

Infer

Answer 9

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.
Ex if a character has red eyes and watery knows we assume they were crying

Question 10

Imply

Answer 10

To imply about something in literature is to have a speaker or a character commit an action that conveys a message for the reader to pick up out of the text without it being directly stated