Midterm Terms Flashcards
analogy
comparison made between two things to show how they are alike
metaphor
a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles
allegory
story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities; interpreted to reveal hidden story
**characters can stand in for abstract ideas
chiasmus
a type of rhetorical balance in which the second part is syntactically against the first, but with the parts reversed
antithesis
repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order
- opposites
alliteration
repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together
does not have to be directly to each other
ambiguity
deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work
aphorism/maxum
brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth
allusion
reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture
anecdote
brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something, often shows character of an individual
- ex: Sonny’s Blues
asyndeton
commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words, thus emphasizing the parts equally
antagonist
opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story
assonance
the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together
cliche
a word or phrase that has become lifeless because of overuse
epithets
an adjective or adjectives phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality
- “Father of out Country”
conceit
an elaborate metaphor that compares two things that are startlingly different
- extended metaphor
connotation
associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase, in addition to its strict dictionary definition
epigraph
a quotation or aphorism at the beginning of a literary work suggestive of the theme
colloquialism
a word or phrase in everyday use in conversation and informal writing but is inappropriate first formal situations
dialect
way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain social group or of the inhabitants of a certain geographical area
epanalepsis
device of repetition in which the same expression is repeated both at the beginning and at the end of the line, clause, or sentence
epistrophe
device of repetition in which the same expression is repeated at the end of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences
exposition
form of discourse in which something is explained or “set forth”
- introduces backstory
anaphora
repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row
polysyndeton
sentence which uses a conjunction with no commas to separate the items in a series
anathema
something or someone that one vehemently dislikes, a formal curse
angst
a feeling of deep anxiety or dread
rend
tear (something) into two or more pieces.
shallow
of little depth
flashback
a scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time
hyperbole
a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement
personification
a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Bildungsroman novel
story where someone ages through the whole story
frame tale
a narrative that frames or surrounds another story or set of stories
foreshadowing
use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
essay
nonfiction piece based on something you have read/done
