Literary Terms Exam Flashcards
Allegory
Character, events, and settings represent abstract ideas and concepts often with a moral or political message. Ex) “animal farm” is an allegory where the farm animals represent different social classes
Alliteration
Consecutive words in a sentence or phrase begin with the same sound or letter. Ex) Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Allusion
A figure of speech that makes a brief and indirect reference to a person place or thing with the purpose of making a comparison. Ex) when someone says “Trojan horse” it alludes to Trojan war in Greek mythology
Ambiguity
Situation where word phrase sentence or piece of information has more than 1 meaning.
Analogy
Figure of speech that demonstrates similarity or correspondence between 2 different things or concepts to explain or clarify. Often consists of a comparison between 2 things that share similar attributes
Antagonist
The villain or one causing the conflict in the story. Opposite of protagonist
Archetype
A universal symbol that represents a fundamental concept. Example is an old wise man, who embodies wisdom, guidance, and moral authority. Ex) dumbledore in Harry Potter
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds occurs within a series of words that are close to eachother in a line of text. Ex) “need for speed” rhymes need and speed.
Ballad
Form of traditional narrative poetry that typically tells a story through song or verse
Blank verse
Does not rhyme but has a regular meter, specifically iambic pentameter
Catharsis
Refers to the emotional purging or cleansing of the audiences negative emotions
Character
Person, creature, or entity that is represented in a narrative. Comes in forms of protagonist, antagonist, major, and minor characters
Climax
Turning point or most intense moment in narrative. Highest point of tension, leading to resolution or denouement
Conflict
Central element that drives the plot and creates tension and suspense. Examples are man v man, man v self, man v society, man v nature, etc
Connotation
Refers to emotional or associative meanings and implications associated with a word beyond the literal or primary definition
Consonance
Characterized by repetition of same consonant sound in a series of words or syllables
Couplet
A pair of consecutive lines of verse that usually rhyme or written in same meter
Denotation
Refers to the literal definition of a word
Denouement
Resolution or outcome of a narrative. All loose ends are tied and all aspects are conclusively addressed
Determinism
Philosophical concept that states every event is inevitable and a necessary consequence of preceding events
Dramatic monologue
A single character delivers a speech or soliloquy to a silent audience, providing insight into their thoughts, emotions, or motivations.
Dynamic character
Character who undergoes significant changes and growth throughout the story
Elegy
Poetic form written to mourn the loss of a person or thing, following a formal structure
Epic
A lengthy narrative poem that typically recounts the exploits and adventures of a hero
Epigraph
A short quote often from a literary or historical text placed at the beginning of a book, chapter, or section
Epiphany
A sudden, often profound, insight, or realization that leads to understanding or enlightenment. In literature often serves as pivotal moments in character development
Exposition
Introductory section of literary work
Falling action
Takes place after climax and cases the story towards its conclusion
Figure of speech
Uses words or phrases to convey a more imaginative or expressive meaning than the original interpretation. Ex) simile, metaphor, hyperbole, etc
Flashback
Literary device used to depict events that occurred in the past
Flat character
Character who lacks complexity and is often one dimensional and relatively unchanging
Foil
Character that serves to highlight or emphasize the characteristics of another character
Foreshadowing
Literary device where writers hint at or suggest future events, conflicts, or outcomes in a narrative
Framework story
Where one story serves as a framework or container for the main narrative in multiple stories
Genre
Category or classification of literature based on shared characteristics, styles, or themes
Hyperbole
Figure of speech that involves a deliberate or exaggerated overstatement used to emphasize a point, create humour, or express strong emotions
Imagery
When author uses vivid descriptive language to help readers form vivid mental images
Irony
Figure of speech or occurrence where the meaning of a situation, event, or statement is different from, and often the opposite of, what was expected or what would be expected
Local colour
A style of writing that gained popularity in mid 19th century. Derived from the presentation and peculiarities of a particular locality and its inhabitants
Lyric
Type of personal rhythmic poetry that does not contain a narrative
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action where it isn’t literally applicable. A comparison between 2 things
Meter
The basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in vers. The repeating unit of one stressed syllable and one unstressed syllable
Mood
The overall atmosphere or feeling of a piece of writing
Motif
A repeated pattern such as an image, word, or symbol that comes back again and again in a story
Myth
Narratives that imaginatively explain a natural phenomenon
Narrator
Character that recounts the events of a story
Octave
A verse form consisting of 8 lines of iambic pentameter (english) or hendecasyllables (Italian)
Ode
A lyrical poem that addressed or celebrates something
Onomatopoeia
A term that describes sounds that something else makes. Ex) snap, crackle, pop
Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings. Ex) organized chaos
Paradigm
A standard, perspective, or set of ideas. A way of looking at something
Paradox
A statement or exploration of idea that seems contradictory upon first glance. Ex) less is more
Parody
A humorous or mocking imitation of something, using the same form as the original
Personification
Type of figurative language that applies human attributes to a non human entity. Ex) the sun was smiling
Plot
Way for the story to be told, stories are events that make up a narrative
Point of view
Writers way of deciding who is telling the story to whom. The perspective from which the story is told
Protagonist
Character who drives the story forward by pursuing a goal
Quatrain
4 lime stanza of poetry
Resolution
Part of the story where the main problem is resolved
Rhyme scheme
Pattern of rhymes at the end of each line
Rising action
Section of the plot leading to the climax in which the tension stemming from the story central conflict grows
Round character
Refers to a character with depth or a complex personality
Satire
Literary genera that uses a wide variety of techniques like exaggeration, humour, and irony. A means of inflating a flaw or failure in society to the point of absurdity
Simile
Comparison using like or as
Sonnet
14 line poem with a fixed rhyme scheme. Often using iambic pentameter
Stanza
A division of a poem consisting of 2 or more lines arranged together as a unit
Static character
Doesn’t change throughout the telling of a story
Stereotype
Cliched or predictable characters or situations
Symbol
An object, person, situation, or action that has literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other meanings
Syntax
Word order, tense, subject-verb agreement, and/or sentence length. Way words are put together in a sentence
Tension
Happens as the reader anticipates conflict
Theme
A central topic, subject, or message in a narrative
Tone
Overall mood or attitude conveyed by a narrators word choice in a story
Understatement
A particular thing is downplayed or presented as being less the what is true to the situation
Verisimilitude
The idea that literature should somehow be true to reality
Voice
The unique style, personality, or perspective of a piece of writing
Romanticism
Artistic movement at the end of 18th century. Emphasis on emotion and individualism, rejection of realism, and love for exotic or imaginative elements
Realism
Comes after romanticism, focuses on the ordinary, attention to detail, and character complexity
Naturalism
Similar to realism but emphasizes on the deterministic nature of human existence and the impact of natural and environmental forces on the characters
Modernism
Rejection of traditional ideas, critique of societal norms
Post modernism
Focuses on fragmentation and discontinuity, irony and parody. As well as consumer culture and globalization
