| Term | Definition |
|---|
| theme | a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work |
| motif | a recurring object, concept, or structure in a work of literature. may also be two contrasting elements in a work, such as good and evil. |
| foil | A foil is a secondary character who contrasts with a major character |
| tragic hero | A protagonist who comes to a bad end as a result of his own behavior, usually cased by a specific personality disorder or character flaw |
| symbol | must be something tangible or visible |
| dramatic irony | the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the character |
| situational irony | he contrast between what happens and what was expected |
| allegory | a narrative that serves as an extended metaphor. |
| transcendentalism | A literary and philosophical movement, associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, asserting the existence of an ideal spiritual reality that transcends the empirical and scientific and is knowable through intuition. |
| aphorism | a brief saying embodying a moral |
| dynamic | one that does undergo an important change in the course of the story |
| static | one that does not undergo important change in the course of the story |
| round | : A round character is a major character in a work of fiction who encounters conflict and is changed by it |
| flat | minor characters in a work of fiction who do not tend to undergo substantial emotional change or growth |
Combine with other sets
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