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English Midterm Review

Terms in this set (36)

antithesis
a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect
oxymoron
two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. the common _________ phrase is a combination of an adjective followed by a noun with contrasting meanings
foil
a character that shows the qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to highlight the traits of the other character
Monologue
a long speech in the presence of other characters
analogy
a comparison in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it. It aims at explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something that is familiar. Similes and metaphors are often the tools of this
dramatic irony
a useful plot device for creating situations in which the audience known more about the situations, the causes of conflicts, and their resolutions before the leading characters or actors
soliloquy
a speech in which a character is alone on the stage, revealing his or her innermost thoughts
verbal irony
when a character intentionally uses statements with underlying meanings that contrast with literal meanings
pun
a play on words in which humorous effect is produced by using a word that suggests two or more meanings or by exploiting similar sounding words having different meanings
situational irony
incongruity when something happens that is not expected to happen
alliteration
the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words for effect
aubade
a poem about the coming of dawn and the reluctant parting of lovers
aside
a brief comment or speech that a character delivers to the audience or to himself, while the other actors on the stage cannot listen
allusion
the reference to well-known works of art, literature, history, or culture in a work of literature
ethos
The sense the author gives as being competent/ fair/authoritative (ethical appeal)
pathos
Appeal to beliefs and feelings (emotional appeal)
logos
Appeal to logical reasoning ability of readers (rational appeal)
facts, statistics, and experiment
example of logos
happiness, greed, and love
example of pathos
reliability, fairness, and credibility
example of ethos
Diction
the author's choice of words that contributes to the author's purpose and creates tone
code-switching
the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation
dialect
a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group
vulgarity
it involves the use of language that is typically thought of as objectionable
connotation
the feeling or mention behind a word
colloquialism
non-standard language; often regionally specific; informal
informal language
this type of language is much less complex and may contain slang, dialect, or vulgarity. This style language is closer to the type of language we might use when we are talking to close friends or family
slang
non-standard language; often regionally group specific vocabulary
formal language
language that is complex, elevated, and feels less personal
character
the distinctive qualities that describe how a person thinks, feels, and behaves
characterization
A method an author uses to let readers know more about the characters and their personal traits.
tone
how the author describes the characters, setting, and actors
character development
The ways in which a character changes and evolves throughout a story, often as a result of some conflict within the story.
mood
how the reader feels because of the tone
theme
the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic.
conflict
the struggle between the protagonist and the antagonist
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