| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Hyperbole | extreme exaggeration |
| Allusion | reference to a mythical/historical figure |
| Metaphor | comparison saying one thing is another |
| Personification | use of human traits or qualities to describe unanimous objects |
| Motif | recurring theme, symbol, or concept |
| Imagery | figurative language that appeals to the 5 senses |
| Diction | word choice for a specific effect |
| Oxymoron | combining contradictory words |
| Analogy | making a point based on the acceptance of one thing, and comparing it to another |
| Irony | includes a contradiction of thought in what's expected and what is reality |
| Dramatic irony | the people in the audience know, but the characters don't (suspense, tension, ect) |
| Foreshadowing | Giving hints or clues within the text of what's going to occur later on |
| Simile | a comparison using "like" or "as" |
| Assonance | repetition of vowel sounds in a sequence of words with different endings |
| Theme | the main point or message of a piece of literature |
| Alliteration | repetition of consonant sounds in closely associated words |
| Stanza | section of poem separated by space between lines |
| Onomatopoeia | the use of words on which the pronunciation mimics the meaning |
| Symbol | something that is itself, but also represents something else |
| Tone | the attitude the speaker takes toward the topic, an elusive quality, which allows play on the gap between what is said and what is meant |
| Couplet | a pair of lines that are the same length and usually rhyme and form a complete thought |
| Paradox | a statement that appears to contradict itself; similar to an oxymoron, but usually found in a phrase |
| Pun | a play on words, either on different senses of the same word or on the similar sense of the sound of different words |
| Climax | the high point in the plot, after which there is falling action. May coincide with crisis |
| Antagonist | a character, institution, group or force that is in conflict with the protagonist |
| Dialogue | conversation between two or more characters |
| Foil | a character who, through contrast, reveals the characteristics of another character |
| Monologue | speech given by one person |
| Soliloquy | a long speech made by a character who is alone, who reveals private thoughts and feelings to the reader or audience |
| Iambic pentameter | a poetic meter wherein each line contains ten syllables, as five repetitions of a two-syllable pattern in which the pronunciation emphasis is on the second syllable |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace