| Term | Definition |
|---|
| alliteration | the repetition of consonant sounds |
| allusion | a reference to a person, event, ot thing that the writer assumes the reader will recognize |
| antagonist | the character or force that opposes the main character |
| aside | an actor's speech, directed at the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on stage |
| atmosphere | the emotional tone in a work |
| audience | the reader or spectators of a work of literature or dramatic performance |
| ballad | a short narrative poem, especially one that is sung or recited, often in stanzas of four lines |
| bias | partiality in a work of literature or non0fiction (favouring one side) |
| character | an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction |
| chronological order | the order in which events happen in time |
| cliché | an overused expression |
| colloquial | informal diction that reflects casual language and slang expressions |
| comedy | a literary works that is amusing and ends happily |
| compare | examine and note the similarities and differences |
| conflict | the struggle between opposing forces |
| connotation | the feelings and emotions associated with a word |
| contrast | highlighting a certain idea or value by comparing its differences to another idea or value |
| denotation | the dictionary meaning of a word |
| description | the careful detailing of a person, place, thing, or event |
| dialogue | two or more characters in conversation |
| direct presentation | when the writer tells the readers directly what kind of personality a character possesses |
| drama | a single play or group of plays |
| dynamic character | a character who changes by the end of a story |
| exposition | the background information of a story (the story before the story) |
| falling action | a series of events that take place after the climax of a story |
| figurative language | language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words, often used in poetry |
| flashback | an interruption in a narrative that presents an earlier event |
| flat character | a one-dimensional character who does not change during the story |
| foil | a character who makes a contrast with another character (usually a minor character helping to present a major character) |
| foreshadowing | a hint of what is to come |
| free verse | poetry with lines of irregular length that are usually unrhymed |
| genre | a kind or typ of literature (tragedy, romantic comedy, chick lit, etc.) |
| hyperbole | a deliberate and extreme exaggeration to emphasize a fact or feeling |
| imagery | a technique by which a writer appeals to the senses of the reader through sensory description |
| indirect presentation | the personality of a character is revealed by what he or she does or says |
| verbal irony | a difference between what is said and what is meant--sarcasm is an example |
| situational irony | a difference in what is expected to happen and what actually happens |
| dramatic irony | a difference in what a character knows and what the audience knows (Romeo does not know that Juliet is actually alive, the audience does) |
| jargon | words and phrases used by an occupation, trade, or field of study. Usually confusing to others. |
| lyric | a short poem that expresses a powerful emotion or sentiment |
| metaphor | describing one thing by comparing it to something else: "The moon is a harsh mistress" |
| mood | the atmosphere of a work of literature |
| narration | the recitation of events in chronological order or in an arrangement determined by the nature of the plot and the type of story intended |
| narrative | a collection of events that tells a story |
| onomatopoeia | a figure of speech in which a word used closely resembles the sound to which it refers: "buzz, snap, splash" |
| paradox | a statement that appears contradictory but upon closer examination reveals some truth |
| personification | a form of metaphor that attributes human characteristics to things that are not human |
| persuasion | a type of speaking or writing that is intended to make its audience adopt a certain opinion |
| plot | the episodes of a narrative or dramatic event |
| first person point of view | the protagonist telling his or her own story: "I" |
| third person point of view | using "he" or "she" to tell a story |
| limited omniscient | seeing into only one character's head in a story--usually used with the third person point of view |
| omniscient point of view | seeing into the minds of more than one character: a god-like perspective |
| protagonist | the main character of a story |
| refrain | a repeated phrase, line, or stanza in a poem, especially in a ballad |
| resolution | the denouement or untying of the complication of the plot (usually after the climax) |
| rhyme | a repetition of the end sounds of words |
| rhythm | a pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds that creates a beat |
| rising action | the events that lead up to the climax |
| round character | a multi-dimensional character who has depth and does not act predictably |
| sarcasm | crudely mocking or conteptuous language, a form of verbal irony |
| satire | a form of literature that ridicules some ridiculous aspect of human behaviour by presenting it in a serious manner |
| simile | describing one thing by comparing it to something else using "like" or "as": "He ran like the wind" |
| sonnet | a fourteen line lyric poem--Shakespearean or Italian in style |
| slang | a type of informal verbal communication generally unacceptable for formal writing |
| speaker | the "voice" used by an author to tell a story or speak a poem |
| static character | a character who does not change throughout the work and the reader's knowledge of the character does not grow |
| stanza | a "paragraph" in poetry |
| stereotyped character | a character who thinks or acts according to a certain pattern based on presuppositions about race, social group, or gender: a "nerd" or a "bimbo" are examples |
| style | the way an author writes a literary work |
| suspense | a growing excitement felt by the audience as they await the climax or min-climaxes of a story |
| symbolism | the use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea or emotion |
| theme | the central idea of a story; the reason an author writes a work of literature |
| tone | the attitude of the "voice" of a work of literature or non-fiction |
| tragedy | a work of literature in which the protagonist suffers a disastrous fate |
| understatement | when an author purposely says less than what is actually meant to reinforce an idea |
| oxymoron | two opposite words combined to create a new meaning: "jumbo shrimp," "student teacher" |
Combine with other sets
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