Literary Terms Flashcards

1
Q

Adverb

A

Word that describes a verb or quality, place, time, degree, cause, etc.

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2
Q

Allusion

A

A reference to something famous

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3
Q

Ambiguity

A

Statement that allows for several different interpretations

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4
Q

Analogy

A

A comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect (ex: No great man lives in vain. The history of the world is but the biography of great men.)

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5
Q

Analysis

A

A detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features

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6
Q

Antagonist

A

Adversary of a protagonist of a literary work

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7
Q

Antecedent

A

A word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun that typically follows the substantive (ex: “John” in “Mary saw John and called to him”)

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8
Q

Antithesis

A

Placing two opposite ideas together in the same sentence to achieve a contrasting effect (ex: speech is silver, but silence is gold)

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9
Q

Atmosphere

A

Overall mood of a story or poem; emerges through description and the setting rather than action and characters

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10
Q

Catharsis

A

Cleansing of or release of emotions as the reader sympathizes with a character (ex: Romeo & Juliet- at the end of the story, when the two characters commit suicide, and the audience cries; when the families make up with each other, it offers a feeling of closure)

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11
Q

Chronology

A

Arrangement of events by time

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12
Q

Claim/thesis

A

Statement that a writer intends to support and prove

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13
Q

Climax

A

The point in a narrative at which the conflict hits the highest point

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14
Q

Conceit

A

An extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things; often controls a large section of a poem

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15
Q

External Conflict

A

Struggle between a person and an outside force, which drives the dramatic action of the plot (ex: Macbeth v. Macduff)

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16
Q

Internal Conflict

A

Psychological struggle within the mind of a character (ex: Hamlet’s inaction is caused by internal conflict)

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17
Q

Diction

A

Selection of words to communicate a message or establish a particular voice/writing style; help create the tone, bring characters to life, etc. (formal, informal, slang, etc.)

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18
Q

Drama

A

Portrayal of fictional or non-frictional events through the performance of written dialog (prose, poetry), AKA plays; builds feelings of tension and anticipation as the story develops (comedy, tragedy [Romeo and Juliet], etc.)

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19
Q

Dramatic dialogue

A

A literary work in which a speaker’s character is revealed in a monologue usually addressed to a 2nd person (usually poetry; the person speaking is the character themselves talking to someone else)

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20
Q

Epiphany

A

The moment in the story where the character achieves realization, awareness, or a feeling of knowledge after events are seen in a different light

21
Q

Exposition

A

The part of the story that sets the stage; introduces theme, setting, characters, and circumstances (intro)

22
Q

Extended Metaphor

A

A comparison between two unlike things that continues through a series of sentences or lines (often more than one sentence)

23
Q

Foil

A

Character whose characteristics oppose another character; used to highlight a particular quality of the main character (ex: Hamlet and Laertes)

24
Q

In medias res

A

Beginning a narrative by plunging into a crucial situation that is part of a related chain of events (starting a story with a messy situation, and then the character is like “I’ll bet you’re wondering why I’m here” and then the beginning of the story is told)

25
Q

Irony

A

Contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true (verbal irony [telling a quiet group “don’t everyone speak at once”; situational irony [fire station burns down])

26
Q

Juxtaposition

A

Two things are placed side by side for comparison (yin-yang, two characters with different personalities)

27
Q

Literary Argument

A

An argument about a piece of literature (consisting of a thesis & supporting evidence)

28
Q

Motif

A

An object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work (ex: Hamlet- incest)

29
Q

Nuance

A

A subtle difference in meaning, opinion, attitude (ex: looking out the window to the same sight you see everyday, but really admiring how the sun hits the tree (or whatever))

30
Q

Paradox

A

A statement that appears at first to contradictory, but upon further reflection, actually makes sense (ex: “earn money by spending it”)

31
Q

Parallel Structure

A

Having two or more clauses, phrases, or words with similar form and length; keeps rhythm within the lines (ex: read not to contradict and confute; not to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weight and consider”)

32
Q

Poetry: Closed form

A

Poetry that follows a set number of lines, meters, rhymes, etc. (ex: sonnet, etc.)

33
Q

Poetry: Open Form

A

Poetry that does not follow a set template or lines, meters, rhymes, etc.

34
Q

Pronoun Reference

A

When a pronoun that refers to a word or word group (antecedent) that goes before (ex: The old man smiled as HE listened to the marching band); antecedent can also follow the pronoun

35
Q

Referent

A

A person, place, entity, etc. which is designated by a word or phrase (ex: “cat” refers to a feline domestic animal)

36
Q

Resolution

A

Conclusion of a story, loose ends are tied

37
Q

Shift

A

A change of the mood/tone within a literary work

38
Q

Soliloquy

A

A monologue in which a character talks to themselves or reveals their thoughts when alone

39
Q

Monologue

A

A long speech by one person (usually addressed to other people)

40
Q

Stanza

A

A division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together (paragraph of a poem)

41
Q

Stream of Consciousness

A

A narrative style that tries to capture a character’s thought process in a realistic way (mimics the non-linear way our brains think); meant to make the reader feel as though they are a fly on the wall of the character’s mind

42
Q

Syntax

A

Determines how chosen words are used to form a sentence (ex: “I cannot go out” vs. “Go out I cannot”); puts an emphasis on different parts of the sentence

43
Q

Tense

A

Time of a verb’s action or its state of being (past, present, future)

44
Q

Amplify

A

To expand something, such as a statement, by the use of detail or illustation by closer analysis

45
Q

Associate

A

To connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc. (ex: many people associate dark clouds with depression or gloom)

46
Q

Clarify

A

To make clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation

47
Q

Exemplify

A

To show or illustrate by example

48
Q

Qualify

A

To characterize by naming an attribute