terms Flashcards
allegory
the device of using a character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction (an idea, not a physical object) in addition to the literal meaning. Animal farm
alliteration
the repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (i.e “she sells seashells)
allusion
a direct or indirect reference to something commonly known. Can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. “To my dog, our neighborhood park is the Garden of Eden.”
ambiguity
Multiple meanings (intentional or unintentional) of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. “Flying planes can be dangerous”
anaphora
the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences (i.e MLK I Have a Dream)
antecedent
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun (I.e the car is fast, it can go 2000 mph; antecedent: it)
antithesis
the opposition or contrast of ideas expressed in grammatically balanced statements (I.e “fair is foul, foul is fair”)
aphorism
a short statement or catchphrase containing a well-known or general truth or opinion expressed in a concise way. Can be a memorable summation of the author’s point. “actions speak louder than words”
apostrophe
directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstracting, such as liberty or love. An address to someone or something that cannot answer.
ethos, logos, pathos
emotional appeals
- appeal to credability
- appeal to logic
- appeal to emotions
cacophony
Combining words and they sound unpleasant and harsh. “Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! The frumious Bandersnatch!”
caricature
a verbal description with the purpose to exaggerate or distort
catharsis
a purging of pity and/or terror in the audience when watching or reading a tragic event
clause
includes both a subject and a verb.
independent or main clause: can stand alone as a sentence
Dependent or subordinate clause: cannot stand alone, must be accompanied by an independent clause.
colloquial/colloquialism
the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing
connotation
the non-literal, associative meaning of a word. The implied, suggested meaning. “Childlike vs. childish” “vintage vs decrepit” “rich vs loaded”
diction
a writers word choice, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
digression
the use of material unrelated to the subject of the work. Departing from the main subject in speech or writing to discuss a seemingly unrelated topic
euphemism
Greek for “Good Speech”, a more agreeable, less offensive, substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept. (i.e earthly remains rather than corpse)
foil
a character that provides a sharp contrast to another character in the same work
foreshadowing
hints or clues that suggest events yet to occur
genre
the major category in which literary works fit
hyperbole
an exaggeration or overstatement
imagery
the sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions
invective
an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language (I.e this sanguine coward, this bedpresser, this horseback breaker, this huge hill of flesh)
irony/ironic
the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true
- verbal: when words state the opposite of the authors meaning
- situational: when events turn out the opposite of what was expected
- dramatic: when facts or events are unknown to the character, but known to the reader
“The child of a formula one driver not being able to drive.”
“A gifted artist having no interest in visiting art galleries.”
“An astronomer being afraid of the dark.”
metaphor
a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity “He’s a couch potato”
metonymy
when the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. The phrase “a bunch of suits” for a group of businesspeople is an example
mood
the atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. setting tone, and events can affect the mood
motif
an image that occurs throughout a work that is in and of itself, but also may have symbolic meaning (I.e the reoccurrence of blood in Shakespeare’s Macbeth)
narrative
The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events
onomatopoiea
when natural sounds are imitated in the sound of words (I.e buzz, crack, hum, hiss)
oxymoron
the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox (I.e jumbo shrimp, cruel kindness)
parable
a story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a moral, or answer a question. many are very religious.
paradox
a statement that appears to be self contradictory but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity. “youth is wasted on the young”, “less is more”
parody
a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the aim of comic effect and/or ridicule
pastoral
a rural or natural setting
personification
when the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate object by endowing them with human attributes or emotions
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told
- first person: tells the story with the first person pronoun “I”
- Third person: uses pronouns like “he”, “she”, and “it”
>omniscient: godlike voice
>limited omniscient: godlike voice only talks about feelings of one character
rhetoric
describes the principles governing the are of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively
rhetorical question
a question asked for effect, not for an actual answer
satire
used to ridicule various aspects of popular culture in order to reform human behavior. Satirists use irony, with, parody, caricature, hyperbole, understatement, and sarcasm. can also be shown by animal farm
setting
the background of a story, involves time and place
simile
comparing two unlike object with like, as, or than
symbol/symbolism
anything that represents itself and stands for something else. usually something concrete (I.e object, action, character, or scene) that represents something more abstract
- natural symbols: occurrences from nature to symbolize ideas
- conventional symbols: invest with meaning by a group (I.e religious symbols like a cross, star of David, etc.)
- literary symbols: found in a variety of world and are generally more recognized
theme
the central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life
thesis
the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the authors opinion, purpose, meaning, or position
tone
similar to mood, tone describes the author’s attitude toward his material, the audience, or both
