Literary Terms

Diction ~ The choice of a particular word as opposed to others; the word choice the author uses determines the readers reaction to the object of description, and contributes to the authors style and tone Paradox ~ A statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or selfcontradictory Allegory ~ A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one Anachronism ~ A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, esp. a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned Anastrophe ~ The inversion of the usual order of words or clauses Anecdote ~ A brief narrative centered on an event or incident Anthropomorphism ~ The attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object Antihero(ine) ~ A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes Antithesis ~ A contrast or opposition between two things Apostrophe ~ A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes Assonance ~ The repetition of a sound or vowel in nonrhyming, stressed syllables Concrete Poetry ~ Poetry in which the meaning or effect is conveyed partly or wholly by visual means, using patterns of words or letters and other typographical devices Consonance ~ The recurrence of similar sounds, esp. consonants, in close proximity Denouement ~ The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved ; climax Elegy ~ a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead Exciting Force ~ conflict ; obstacles that are set into motion the rising action in the play when obstacles are placed as a conflict Exposition ~ introduction Farce ~ A comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations; ridiculous Foil ~ The author creates a character whose primary purpose is to create a contrast to another character by laying emphasis or drawing attention to the latters traits and characteristics through the formers obviously contradictory one Metonymy ~A closely associated name of an object is used in place of a word Monologue ~ When an actor delivers a speech in the presence of other characters who listen, but do not speak Ode ~ a complex, serious, long lyric poem Oxymoron ~ words, terms, or expression that appear to be self-contradicting Parable ~ A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson Pastoral ~ Literary works that include country life and rural settings

Literary Terms

Pathos ~ When a scene or passage captures the heart of the reader or audience with intense feelings of sorrow and pity Resolution ~ Conclusion; issues are resolved Satire ~ A narrative that makes a subject look ridiculous Soliloquy ~ When an actor delivers a speech when he or she is alone, expressing thoughts Sprung Rhythm ~ Producing a rhythm that sounds like natural speech rhythms Surrealism ~ Consisting of dream images and imaginary expressions Synecdoche ~ The name of a part that represents the whole or the name of the whole represents the part Syntax ~ The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language