Literary Terms (Part 1) Flashcards
a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions
allegory
the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words
alliteration
a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize
allusion
occurs when a word, phrase, situation, or event can be interpreted in more than one way; both interpretations must be supportable from the text
ambiguity
a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
analogy
a brief narrative (story) that focuses on a particular incident or event
anecdote
a main character of a plot who is in opposition to or conflict with the protagonist; this person usually complicates the conflict and plot
antagonist
a detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response
archetype
side comments by a character on stage, which the other characters appear not to hear or react to
aside
repetition of vowel sounds in the middle of words (not the same as rhyme)
assonance
a nonfiction story written by an author about himself/herself
autobiography
a nonfiction story about a person’s life written by someone else
biography
a cleansing of the spirit when feelings of pity and sorrow arise from tragedy
catharsis
the introduction and development of the personalities of the individuals in a piece of literature
characterization
an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off
cliché
