| Term | Definition |
|---|
| conflict | struggle between opposing forces |
| theme | main idea in a work of literature; a perception about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader |
| irony | contrast between appearance and reality, usually one in which reality is the opposite from what it seems |
| foreshadow | writer's use of hints or clues to indicate what will happen later in a plot |
| imagery | descriptive words and phrases that re-create sensory experiences for the reader |
| symbol | a person, place, activity or object in a story that stands for something beyond itself |
| aside | A character's remark, either to the audience or to another character, that others on the stage are not supposed to hear. The purpose is to reveal the character's private thoughts. Asides are usually spoken to the audience. |
| soliloquy | A speech the character gives when he or she is alone on the stage. It is to let the audience know what the character is thinking. |
| poetry | a type of literature in which words are chosen and arranged to create a certain effect |
| iambic pentameter | metrical line of five feet or units, each of which is made up of two syllables, the first unstressed and second stressed |
| rhyme | the occurrence of a similar or identical sound at the ends of two or more words, such as heat, suite, and complete. End rhyme occurs at the ends of lines and internal rhyme occurs within a line. |
| rhyme scheme | a pattern of end rhyme in a poem |
| stanza | a grouping of two or more lines in a pattern that is repeated throughout a poem |
| couplet | a rhymed pair of lines |
| free verse | poetry that does not contain a regular pattern |
| pun | A joke that comes from a play on words. |
| foil | A character who provides a striking contrast to another character. |
| setting | The time and place of the action in a story |
| climax | When the reader's interest and emotional intensity reach the highest point |
| sonnet | a lyric poem of 14 lines, usually written in iambic pentameter |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace