Literary Terms #swifty Flashcards
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Anti-Hero
a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.
Antithesis
a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else. COMPLETE OPPOSITE
Keep your mouth closed and your eyes open
Aphorism
Short witty statements “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”.
Actions speak louder than words.”
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
“Do or do not, there is no try.” (Yoda from Star Wars).
Appositive
Noun phrase that describes a noun
The puppy, a golden retriever, is my newest pet.
ambiguity
the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness.
“Come see me after class”
Catharsis
a literary device used to simulate a release of emotions
“romeo and juliet”
Cliche
a scenario or expression that is used excessively, to the point that it is considered unoriginal
“Back in my day”
Conceit
figurative language in which the writer establishes a comparison between two very different concepts or objects. ELABORATE METAPHORS
“A broken heart is like a damaged clock.”
Dramatic Irony
a literary and theatrical device in which the reader or audience knows more than the characters they are following
Dichotomy
a literary tool that is used to highlight opposing ideas or things. MORE SPLIT
Dichotomy is a division between two entities, whereas antithesis pits two opposing entities against each other
Exempleum
a short story, narrative, anecdote, or tale that’s used in literature to explain moral reasoning
explication
a literary technique that’s used to create a close analysis.trying to draw out its meaning rilly scrutinizing and interpreting it.
Folklore
he traditional beliefs, stories, customs, and legends, transmitted orally, from generation to generation
“Dichotomy is a division between two entities, whereas antithesis pits two opposing entities against each other”
Genre
the classification and organization of literary works into the following categories: poetry, drama, prose, fiction, and nonfiction
