Lit Terms #1

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Aesthetic
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Terms in this set (15)
Aesthetic
Philosophical investigation into the nature of beauty and the perception of beauty, especially in the arts; the theory of art or artistic taste
Allegory
A story or visual image with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its literal or visible meaning. In written narrative, allegory involves a continuous parallel between two (or more) levels of meaning in a story, so that its persons and events correspond to their equivalents in a system of ideas or a chain of events external to the tale
Allusion
An indirect or passing reference to some event, person, place, or artistic work, the nature and relevance of which is not explained by the writer but relies on the reader's familiarity with what is mentioned
Ambiguity
containing two or more meanings. For example, when the oracle at Delphi told Croesus that if he waged war on Cyrus he would destroy a great empire, Croesus thought the oracle meant his enemy's empire. In fact, the empire Croesus destroyed by going to war was his own
Analogy
A resemblance of relations; an agreement or likeness between things in some circumstances or effects, when the things are otherwise entirely different
Anaphora
repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. "In books, I find the dead as if they were alive; in books I foresee things to come; in books warlike affairs are set forth; from books come forth the laws of peace
Anecdote
A very short tale told by a character in a literary work. In Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales," "The Miller's Tale" and "The Carpenter's Tale" are examples.
Antagonist
The character, force, or collection of forces in fiction or drama that opposes the protagonist and gives rise to the conflict of the story
Anti-hero
A protagonist who has the opposite of most of the traditional attributes of a hero. [A character who] may be bewildered, ineffectual, deluded, or merely pathetic
Aphorism
A brief statement which expresses an observation on life, usually intended as a wise observation. Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac" contains numerous examples, one of which is Drive thy business; let it not drive thee
ApostropheA figure of speech wherein the speaker speaks directly to something nonhumanArchetypeA term used to describe universal symbols that evoke deep and sometimes unconscious responses in a reader. In literature, characters, images, and themes that symbolically embody universal meanings and basic human experiencesAsideA device in which a character in a drama makes a short speech which is heard by the audience but not by other characters in the playAsyndetonThe omission of a conjunction from a list; gives the impression that the list may not be complete. Compare: "She likes pickles, olives, dates, raisins, pretzels." to "She likes pickles, olives, dates, raisins, and pretzels."CanonA Greek word that implies rule or law, and is used in literature as the source which regulates which selection of authors or works, would be considered important pieces of literature