| Term | Definition |
|---|
| allegory | The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning |
| alliteration | The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells") |
| allusion | A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known |
| ambiguity | The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage |
| analogy | A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them |
| antecedent | The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun |
| antithesis | he opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite |
| aphorism | A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. Can be a memorable summation of the author's point |
| apostrophe | A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity |
| atmosphere | The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently atmosphere foreshadows events |
| caricature | a verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics |
| clause | A grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb. An independent, or main, clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent, or subordinate clause, cannot stand alone as a sentence and must be accompanied by an independent clause. The point that you want to consider is the question of what or why the author subordinates one element |
| colloquialism | The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give a work a conversational, familiar tone |
| conceit | A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects |
| connotation | The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. May involve ideas, emotions, or attitudes |
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