Writer's Inc (Simple Cards #5) Flashcards
denouement
also called resolution; the final resolution or outcome of a play or story
dialogue
the conversation carried on by the characters in a literary work
diction
word choice based on correctness, clearness, or effectiveness
didactic literature
literature that instructs or presents a moral or religious statement
drama
the form of literature known as plays; also refers to the type of serious play that is often concerned with the leading character’s relationship to society
dramatic monologue
a literary work (or part of a literary work) in which a character is speaking about him or herself as if another person were present; the words of the speaker reveal something important about his or her character
empathy
putting yourself in someone else’s place and imagining how that person must feel; the phrase “What would you do if you were in my shoes?” is a request for one person to empathize with another
epic
a long narrative poem that tells of the deeds and adventures of a hero
epigram
a brief, witty saying or poem often dealing with its subject in a satirical manner
epiphany
a sudden perception (moment of understanding) that causes a character to change or act in a certain way
epitaph
a short poem or verse written in memory of someone
epithet
a word or phrase used in place of a person’s name (e.g. Alexander the Great, as well as racial insults)
fable
a short fictional narrative that teaches a lesson, usually with talking animals
falling action
the part of a play or story that leads from the climax or turning point to the resolution
farce
literature based on a humorous and improbable plot
metonymy
the substituting of one word for another (e.g. The White House has decided to create more public service jobs. [White House is substituted for president])
foil
someone who serves as a contrast or challenge to another character
genre
a category or type of literature based on its style, form, and content (e.g. mystery)
Gothic novel
a type of fiction that is characterized by gloomy castles, ghosts, and supernatural happenings–thus creating a mysterious and sometimes frightening story (e.g. Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
hubris
excessive pride; in Greek tragedy, it is often viewed as the flaw that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero
imagery
the use of words to create a certain picture in the reader’s mind; it is usually based on sensory details
impressionism
the recording of events or situations as they have been impressed upon the mind
malapropism
the type of pun, or play on words, that results when two words become jumbled in the speaker’s mind (e.g. I’m as headstrong as an allegory [means alligator] on the banks of the Nile.)
melodrama
an exaggerated form of drama (as in TV soap operas) characterized by heavy use of romance, suspense, and emotion
memoir
writing based on the writer’s memory of a particular time, place, or incident
mood
the feeling a text arouses in the reader
moral
the particular value or lesson the author is trying to get across to the reader
motif
the term for an often-repeated idea or theme in literature