Midterm - Exam #1 Flashcards
Terms for chapters 1-5
Canon
The body of literature/literary works that are highly valued and often taught within a society (often achieved the status of classics).
Anagram
A word or a phrase that a writer can form using the same letters in another word or phrase by shuffling their order.
Theme
A central topic, subject, or message that a poet wishes to communicate through the piece.
Cliche
A trope that draws out stock responses and is often considered trite or overused.
Diction
The linguistic choice of a poet in order to convey an idea, point of view, or to share a story.
Denotation
Dictionary, literal meanings of a word.
Connotation
Associations and implications that go beyond the literal meaning of a word.
Persona
A speaker created by the poet.
Ambiguity
Allows for two or more simultaneous interpretations of a word, phrase, action, or situation.
Syntax
Ordering of words into meaningful patterns.
Tone
Writer’s attitude toward the subject - the mood created by all elements of the poem.
Dramatic monologue
A type of poem in which a character - the speaker - addresses a silent audience in such a way as to reveal unintentionally some aspect of his/her/their temperament or personality.
Carpe diem poem
A poem that encourages the reader to live life to the fullest and embrace it’s pleasures due to its fleeting nature.
Allusion
Brief cultural reference to a person, place, thing, event, or an idea in history or literature.
Image
Elements of a poem that invoke any of the five senses to create a mental visualization for the reader.
