Kent R&J Literary Terms
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| allusion | a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize |
| aside | a line spoken by an actor to the audience but not intended for others on the stage |
| dynamic character | one whose character changes in the course of the play or story |
| static character | a character that does not change from the beginning of the story to the end |
| characterization | the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character |
| comic relief | A humorous scene or speech intended to lighten the mood |
| couplet | two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme |
| dialogue | the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction |
| dramatic monologue | a poem in which a speaker addresses a silent listener |
| metaphor | a figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using like or as |
| figurative language | writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally |
| foil | a character whose personality and attitude contrast sharply with those of another |
| foreshadowing | the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot |
| genre | a kind of literary or artistic work |
| hyperbole | a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor |
| imagery | Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste) |
| irony | the opposite of what is expected |
| literal meaning | When the words mean exactly what they say |
| mood | the feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage |
| oxymoron | a figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms |
| perspective | point of view |
| plot | the story that is told in a novel or play or movie etc. |
| pun | a humorous play on words |
| soliloquy | in drama, a character speaks alone on stage to allow his/her thoughts and ideas to be conveyed to the audience |
| stage directions | The specific instructions a playwright includes concerning sets, characterization, delivery, etc. |
| symbolism | A device in literature where an object represents an idea. |
| theme | The main idea or meaning of a text. Often, this is an insight about human life revealed in a literary work |
| tone | the writer's or speaker's attitude toward the subject of a story, toward a character, or toward the audience (the readers). |
| tragedy | a type of serious drama that usually ends in disaster for the main character |
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