Literary Terms

Form of discourse that explains, defines, and interprets. Also plot in which background information is set forth

Follows exposition and leads up to climax
purpose usually build suspense all the way up to climax

Problem in any piece of literature and often classified according to nature of protagonist/ antagonist

Intuitive and sudden insight into reality and basic meaning of event

Point of greatest tension in work of literature and turning point in action
occurs after rising action and before falling action

events following climax of drama/ novel where resolution/ clarification takes place

scene inserted into play, novel, short story representing earlier event

"into the middle of things" describes narrative that begins in middle usually at crucial point in action

Person/ thing that appears/ introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provies contrived solution to apparently insoluble difficulty

statement that has 2 or more meanings or whose meanings are unclear

emotions, values, images associated with word

literal meaning of word, no emotions, values, or images associated with meaning

author's choice of words, taking into account correctness, clearness, and effectiveness

ordering of words into meaningful verbal patterns such as phrases, clauses, and sentences

inoffensive word/ phrase substituted for one considered offensive/ hurtful

short pithy saying expressing general truth

Brief, pointed, witty remark/ poem usually making satiric/ humorous point

Time, place, physical details in which situation occurs
includes background and atmosphere for characters in story

variety of language that distinguish other varieties of same language by features like vocab/ grammar

local lifestyle, way of life in certain areas
include slang, fig. of speech, and everyday activities

attitude the writer takes toward subject/ character

Irony

term used to ridicule/ make fun of human vice or weakness

view about life/ how people behave
unifying/ dominant idea

recurrent thematic element in artistic/ literary work
dominant theme/ central idea

"Seize the day" only enjoy present and don't worry about future

Figure of speech where term/ phrase is applied to something which is not literally applicable in order to suggest resemblance

fig. of speech in which two things that are different are compared using like or as

fig of speech where abstractions are given human characteristics

fig of speech where person not present/ personified nonhuman object is addressed

fig of speech that makes reference to place, event, literary work, myth, work of art

communicates message by means of symbolic figures, action, symbolic representation

fig. language that refers to whole thing by part of it

refer to whole thing when you mean specific thing associated with it

statement whose two parts seem contradictory yet make sense with more thought

two contradicting words put together

something that represents or stands for something else

use of vivid/ figurative language to represent objects, actions, ideas

descriptive expression, word, phrase expressing quality/ attribute

repitition of consonants at beginning of two or more words in line of poetry

repitition of vowel sound with neighboring words

use of words to imitate sounds

placing of sentence or a part against another to form balanced contrast of ideas

repitition of syntactic construction in successive sentences

class/ category of artistic endeavor

narrative composed of loosely connected incidents

novel written as series of documents

genre characterized by distortion of appearance/ manner where atmosphere and characters are described as fantastic, bizarre, or monstrous

style of fiction that emphasizes grotesque

genre where main character is rogue and depicts realistic corrupt society

imaginary place/ state where condition of life is extremely bad

perfect place, esp. social, political, moral aspects

main character

character in conflict with the protagonist

character lead to realization of flaw which leads to downfall and has to suffer for his consequences

the flaw which leads to a tragic hero's downfall

a character who doesn't want to be hero but eventually is forced to become the hero

3rd person story where reader knows things characters don't

narrator who has severely compromised credibility

narrator of story

unrhymed iambic pantameter

no meter

taking apart work of literature and analyzing

counting meter of rhythm

2 rhymed iambic pantameter

commonly used metrical line in traditional vrse

14 line poem in iambic pantameter where every line rhymes with another

regular rhythm of poem

division of poems/ speeches

character who author speaks through, other side

ghostly double of another character, counterpart