Literary Terms G-M Flashcards
Genre
The major category into which a literary work fits (e.g. prose, poetry, and drama)
Generic Conventions
Refers to traditions for each genre.
Homily
Literally “sermon,” or any serious talk, speech, or lecture providing moral or spiritual device
Hyperbole
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement
Imagery
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions
Infer ( Inference )
To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented
Invective
An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation, or acting using strong, abusive language
Irony
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant
Verbal Irony
Words literally state the opposite of the speaker’s true meaning
Situational Irony
Events turn out the opposite of what was expected
Dramatic Irony
Facts or events are unknown to a character but known to the reader or audience or other characters in work
Loose Sentence
A type of sentence in which the main idea comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units
Metaphor
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity
Metonymy
From the Greek “changed label,” the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it (e.g. “the White House” for the president)
Mood
Grammatically, the verb units and a speaker’s attitude (indicative, subjunctive, imperative); literally, the prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a word
