| Term | Definition |
|---|
| exposition | The background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay or other work; setting forth the meaning or purpose of a piece of writing of discourse |
| explication | The interpretation or analysis of a text |
| extended metaphor | A series of comparisons between two unlike objects |
| fable | A short tale often with nonhuman characters from which a useful lesson may be drawn |
| fallacy, fallacious reasoning | An incorrect belief or supposition based on faulty data, defective evidence, or false information |
| fantasy | A story containing unreal, imaginary features |
| farce | A comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose |
| figure of speech, figurative language | In contrast to literal language, it implies meanings. It includes, among many others, metaphor, simile, and personification |
| frame | A structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discourse. Ex: a group of pilgrims exchanging stories while on the road is the frame for Chaucer's Canterbury Tales |
| genre | A term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play and essay |
| harangue | A forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade |
| homily | A lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior |
| hubris | Excessive pride that often affects tone |
| humanism | A belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity |
| hyperbole | Overstatement; gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect |
| idyll | A lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal place or place |
| image | A word or phrase representing that which can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, or felt; imagery is the use of images in speech and writing |
| indirect quotation | A rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased |
| inductive reasoning | A method of reasoning in which a number of specific facts or examples are used to make a generalization |
| inference | A conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data |
| invective | A direct verbal assault; a denunciation; casting blame on someone or something |
| irony | A mode of expression in which the intended meaning is the opposite of which is stated, often implying ridicule or light sarcasm; a state of affairs or event that is the reverse of what might have been expected |
| kenning | A device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities, as in "ring-giver" for king and "whale-road" for ocean |
| lampoon | A mocking satirical assault on a person or situation |
| litotes | A form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity |
| loose sentences | A sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences, i.e., subject-verb-object. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is then followed by one or more clauses |
| lyrical prose | Personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject |
| malapropism | A confused use of words in which the appropriate word is replaced by one with a similar sound but inappropriate meaning |
| metaphor | A figure of speech that compare unlike objects. |
| metaphysical | A term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits, expresses the complexities of love and life, and is highly intellectual. Also refers to ideas that neither analytical nor subject to empirical verification; that is, ideas that express an attitude about which rational argument is impossible |
| metonymy | A figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated. Ex: "The White House says..." |
| Middle English | The language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 a.d |
| mock epic | A parody of traditional epic form |
| mock solemnity | Feigned or deliberately artificial seriousness, often for satirical purposes |
| mode | The general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a piece of discourse |
| montage | A quick succession of images or impressions used to express an idea |
| mood | The emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature or other discourse |
| moral | A brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature |
| motif | A phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse |
| muse | (n) One of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts; the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer (v) to reflect deeply; to ponder |
| myth | An imaginary story that has become an accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or society |
| narrative | A form of verse or prose (both fiction and nonfiction) that tells a story. A storyteller may use any number of narrative devices, such as skipping back and forth in time, ordering events chronologically, and ordering events that lead up to a suspenseful climax |
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