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The Language of Literary Analysis

TONE WORDS frivolous sardonic symbolic irritable
accusatory giddy satiric terse loquacious
admiring gloomy satisfied trite manipulative
afraid grudging scornful understated mendacious
ambivalent happy sentimental wry naive
amused harsh serene nervous
analytical haughty severe MOOD WORDS noble
angry hollow sharp bleak outgoing
annoyed hopeless silly dark patient
apathetic horrific sincere delirious picky
apologetic humorous solemn dismal scrupulous
approving impartial somber eerie self-involved
audacious impulsive spiteful elegiac sincere
bemused incisive straightforward haunting sloppy
benevolent indignant strident lonely spontaneous
bitter indulgent superficial ominous suspicious
bored informal suspicious peaceful talkative
callous informative sweet playful testy
calm insisting sympathetic quizzical uninvolved
candid instructive taunting reproachful unpredictable
cautious irate thoughtful satiric vindictive
childish ironic tired serene welcoming
cold irreverent tolerant soothing wise
comic joking troubled suspenseful worried
compassionate jovial unsympathetic tense
complimentary joyful upset threatening DICTION WORDS
conciliatory judgmental urgent uplifting abstract diction
condescending learned vexed whimsical concrete diction
confident lyrical vibrant connotation
confiding matter-of-fact wary CHARACTER WORDS denotation
confused melancholy whimsical absorbed elevated/formal

© 2007 by Jim Burke from 50 Essential Lessons (Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann). This page may be reproduced for classroom use only.
contemplative mocking wistful aggressive low/informal
contemptuous mordant witty aloof colloquial
contented mournful wry ambitious conversational
critical nostalgic zealous amorous jargon
curious objective anxious slang
cynical optimistic STYLE WORDS apathetic
derisive passionate abstract argumentative SYNTAX WORDS
detached patronizing argumentative arrogant balanced sentence
didactic peaceful colloquial bitter complex sentence
disappointed pensive complex bored compound sentence
disdainful persuasive concrete carefree compound-complex
disgusted pessimistic conversational careless sentence
dismayed pitiful descriptive cautious declarative
disparaging plaintive detached churlish exclamatory
dramatic playful disingenuous compassionate imperative
dreamy poignant disjointed conceited interrogative
earnest pretentious effusive conniving interruption
ecstatic proud expository curious inversion
effusive provocative figurative deceitful juxtaposition
elated puzzled homespun demure loose/cumulative
elegiac querulous informal detached sentence
energetic reflective instructive devious parallel structure
enthusiastic regretful metaphorical devoted periodic sentence
exaggerating remorseful moralistic dishonest repetition
facetious resentful objective easygoing rhetorical question
factual resigned pedantic envious simple sentence
fanciful respectful plain exacting
fascinated restrained poetic frantic
flippant reverent precise fretful
forgiving sad reasoned gregarious
forthright sarcastic scholarly intelligent

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