| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Comedy | is a literary work, especially a play, which is light, often humorous or satirical, and ends happily |
| Characterization | is the device used by an author to develop a character through (1) what that character says and does, ( 2 ) what other people in the story say about him/her and how they react to him/her, and (3) what the author reveals directly or through a narrator. |
| Stereotype character | A flat character who possesses expected traits of a group rather than being an individual |
| Flat character | A character who is not well developed, not complex |
| Round character | A well-developed, complex character |
| Static character | A character who does not change throughout the story |
| Dynamic character | A character who undergoes a change during the story |
| Foil character | A character who is in direct contrast to another character |
| External conflict | the struggle of a character against an outside force, such as fate, nature, society, or another person |
| Internal conflict | a character's conflict with himself/herself |
| Verbal irony | when the speaker or writer says one thing but means something very different--often opposite of what is said (sarcasm) |
| Situational irony | what actually happens is opposite of what is expected or appropriate |
| Dramatic irony | occurs when the audience or the reader knows something important that the character does not know |
| Juxtaposition | placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast |
| Hyperbole | obvious and intentional exaggeration. |
| Understatement | The opposite of hyperbole, an understatement says less than is intended. Understatement usually has an ironic effect, and sometimes may be used for comic purposes |
| Oxymoron | Two contradictory words used together, as in "sweet sorrow," "original copy," or "jumbo shrimp" |
| Alliteration | the repetition of the same sounds, such as "Sally sells sea shells" |
| Onomatopoeia | words that sound like what they mean, such as "plop" |
| Diction | The writer's choice of words. Diction expresses tone. |
| Tone | a writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject |
| Theme | the underlying message of the story; the central idea behind the story; an expression of the author's attitude |
| Figurative Language | Words or phrases that mean something other than what they literally say. |
| Simile | Figurative language that makes a comparison between two things, usually using "like" or "as" |
| Metaphor | Figurative language that makes a comparison between two things without the use of such specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles |
| Personification | Figurative language in which an object or animal is given human qualities |
| Farce | a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations |
| Satire | a type of writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or instructions in an attempt to bring about a change |
| Foreshadowing | the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot |
| Drama | a play |
| Allusion | a reference to another literary work, a myth, a historical figure or event |
| Fiction | An made-up story, whether in prose, poetry, or drama (fake) |
| Non-fiction | prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people, places, objects, or events (not fake) |
| Prose | ordinary form of written language, opposite of poetry |
| Poetry | written in lines and stanzas, opposite of prose |
| Imagery | description that uses any of the 5 senses |
| Mood | the emotional feeling of a story, often created through imagery |
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