| Term | Definition |
|---|
| allegory | a story in which people, things, and actions represent an idea or generalization about life; often have a strong moral lesson |
| allusion | a reference in literature to a familiar person, place, thing, or event |
| analogy | a comparison of two or more similar objects, suggesting that if they are alike in certain respects, they will probably be alike in other ways as well |
| anecdote | a short summary of a funny or humorous event |
| antagonist | the person or thing working against the protagonist |
| archetype | a basic model from which copies are made, a prototype |
| comic relief | the use of a comic scene to interrupt a succession of intensely tragic dramatic moments |
| conflict | the problem or struggle in a story that triggers the action |
| connotation | the layers of meaning or associations suggested by a word |
| denotation | the basic or dictionary definition of a word |
| diction | an author's choice of words |
| euphemism | the substitution of a mild and pleasant expression for a harsh and blunt |
| fable | a short, simple story that teaches a lesson; often includes animals that talk and act like people |
| figurative language | language used to create a special effect or feeling; language characterized by figures of speech that compare, exagerate, or mean something other than what they first appear to mean |
| antithesis | an opposition or contrast of ideas |
| hyperbole | an exaggeration or overstatement |
| metaphor | a comparison of two things in which no word of comparison is used |
| personification | the lending of human qualities to an animal, object, or idea |
| simile | a comparison of two things using like or as |
| understatement | the use of restraint when stating an idea; a way of downplaying or holding back to emphasize what is being discussed |
| flashback | returning to an earlier time (in a story) for the purpose of making something in the present more clear |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace
!