APLITERARYTERMS

1. ALLITERATION
repetitionofthesameorsimilarconsonantsoundsinwordsthatare
closetogether.
a. EXAMPLE:Whenthetwoyouthsturnedwiththeflagtheysawthatmuchofthe
regimenthadcrumbledaway,andthedejectedremnantwascomingslowly
back.StephenCrane(Notehowregimentandremnantarebeingusedthe
regimentisgone,aremnantremains)
2. ALLUSION
referencetosomeoneorsomethingthatisknownfromhistory,literature,
religion,politics,sports,science,oranotherbranchofculture.Anindirectreferenceto
something(usuallyfromliterature,etc.).
3. AMBIGUITY
deliberatelysuggestingtwoormoredifferent,andsometimesconflicting,
meaningsinawork.Aneventorsituationthatmaybeinterpretedinmorethanoneway
thisisdoneonpurposebytheauthor,whenitisnotdoneonpurpose,itisvagueness,
anddetractsfromthework.
4. ANALOGY
Comparisonmadebetweentwothingstoshowhowtheyarealike
5. ANASTROPHE
Inversionoftheusual,normal,orlogicalorderofthepartsofa
sentence.Purposeisrhythmoremphasisoreuphony.Itisafancywordforinversion.
6. ANECDOTE
Briefstory,toldtoillustrateapointorserveasanexampleofsomething,
oftenshowscharacterofanindividual
7. ANTITHESIS
Balancingwords,phrases,orideasthatarestronglycontrasted,oftenby
meansofgrammaticalstructure.
8. ANTHROPOMORPHISM
attributinghumancharacteristicstoananimalorinanimate
object(Personification)
9. APHORISM
brief,cleverlywordedstatementthatmakesawiseobservationaboutlife,or
ofaprincipleoracceptedgeneraltruth.Alsocalledmaxim,epigram.
10. APOSTROPHE
callingouttoanimaginary,dead,orabsentperson,ortoaplaceor
thing,orapersonifiedabstractidea.Ifthecharacterisaskingagodorgoddessfor
inspirationitiscalledaninvocation.JosiahHollandLoacon!Thougreat
embodiment/Ofhumanlifeandhumanhistory!
11. APPOSITION
Placinginimmediatelysucceedingorderoftwoormorecoordinate
elements,thelatterofwhichisanexplanation,qualification,ormodificationofthefirst
(oftensetoffbyacolon).
a. Paine:Thesearethetimesthattrymenssouls:Thesummersoldierandthe
sunshinepatriotwillinthiscrisis,shrinkfromtheserviceofhiscountrybuthe
thatstandsitNow,deservestheloveandthanksofmanandwoman.
12.
ASSONANCE
therepetitionofsimilarvowelsoundsfollowedbydifferentconsonant
soundsespeciallyinwordsthataretogether.
13. CHARACTERIZATION
theprocessbywhichthewriterrevealsthepersonalityofa
character.
a. INDIRECTCHARACTERIZATION
theauthorrevealstothereaderwhatthe
characterislikebydescribinghowthecharacterlooksanddresses,bylettingthe
readerhearwhatthecharactersays,byrevealingthecharactersprivate

thoughtsandfeelings,byrevealingthecharacter'seffectonotherpeople
(showinghowothercharactersfeelorbehavetowardthecharacter),orby
showingthecharacterinaction.Commoninmodernliterature
b. DIRECTCHARACTERIZATION
theauthortellsusdirectlywhatthecharacteris
like:sneaky,generous,meantopetsandsoon.Romanticstyleliteraturerelied
moreheavilyonthisform.
c. PROTAGONIST
thecentralcharacterinastory,theonewhoinitiatesordrives
theaction.Usuallytheheroorantiheroinatragichero,likeJohnProctorofThe
Crucible,thereisalwaysahamartia,ortragicflawinhischaracterwhichwilllead
tohisdownfall.
d. ANTAGONIST
Opponentwhostrugglesagainstorblocksthehero,or
protagonist,inastory.
e. ANTIHERO
Centralcharacterwholacksallthequalitiestraditionallyassociated
withheroes.maylackcourage,grace,intelligence,ormoralscruples.
f. FOIL
Acharacterwhoactsascontrasttoanothercharacter.Oftenafunny
sidekicktothedashinghero,oravillaincontrastingthehero.
g. STATICCHARACTER
isonewhodoesnotchangemuchinthecourseofa
story.
h. DYNAMICCHARACTER
isonewhochangesinsomeimportantwayasaresult
ofthestorysaction.
i. FLATCHARACTER
hasonlyoneortwopersonalitytraits.Theyareone
dimensional,likeapieceofcardboard.Theycanbesummedupinonephrase.
j. ROUNDCHARACTER
hasmoredimensionstotheirpersonalitiestheyare
complex,justarealpeopleare.
14. CLICHE
isawordorphrase,oftenafigureofspeech,thathasbecomelifelessbecause
ofoveruse.Avoidclichsliketheplague.(Thatclichisintended.)
15.
COLLOQUIALISM
awordorphraseineverydayuseinconversationandinformal
writingbutisinappropriateforformalsituations.
a. Example:HesoutofhisheadifhethinksImgonnagoforsuchastupididea.
16. CONCEIT
anelaboratemetaphorthatcomparestwothingsthatarestartlinglydifferent.
Oftenanextendedmetaphor.
17. CONFLICT
thestrugglebetweenopposingforcesorcharactersinastory.
a. EXTERNALCONFLICT
conflictscanexistbetweentwopeople,betweena
personandnatureoramachineorbetweenapersonawholesociety.
b. INTERNALCONFLICT
aconflictcanbeinternal,involvingopposingforces
withinapersonsmind.
18. CONNOTATION
theassociationsandemotionalovertonesthathavebecomeattached
toawordorphrase,inadditiontoitsstrictdictionarydefinition.
19. DIALECT
awayofspeakingthatischaracteristicofacertainsocialgrouporofthe
inhabitantsofacertaingeographicalarea.
20. DICTION
aspeakerorwriterschoiceofwords.
21. DIDACTIC
formoffictionornonfictionthatteachesaspecificlessonormoralorprovides
amodelofcorrectbehaviororthinking.

22. EPIGRAPH
aquotationoraphorismatthebeginningofaliteraryworksuggestiveofthe
theme.
23. ESSAY
ashortpieceofnonfictionproseinwhichthewriterdiscussessomeaspectofa
subject.
a. ESSAYTYPESTOKNOW:
i.
ARGUMENTATION
oneofthefourformsofdiscoursewhichuseslogic,
ethics,andemotionalappeals(logos,ethos,pathos)todevelopan
effectivemeanstoconvincethereadertothinkoractinacertainway.
1. PERSUASION
reliesmoreonemotionalappealsthanonfacts
2. ARGUMENT
formofpersuasionthatappealstoreasoninsteadof
emotiontoconvinceanaudiencetothinkoractinacertainway.
3. CAUSALRELATIONSHIP
Formofargumentationinwhichthe
writerclaimsthatonethingresultsfromanother,oftenusedas
partofalogicalargument.
ii.
DESCRIPTION
aformofdiscoursethatuseslanguagetocreateamood
oremotion.
iii.
EXPOSITION
oneofthefourmajorformsofdiscourse,inwhich
somethingisexplainedorsetforth.
iv.
NARRATIVE
theformofdiscoursethattellsaboutaseriesofevents.
24. EXPLICATION
actofinterpretingordiscoveringthemeaningofatext,usuallyinvolves
closereadingandspecialattentiontofigurativelanguage.
25. FARCE
atypeofcomedyinwhichridiculousandoftenstereotypedcharactersare
involvedinsilly,farfetchedsituations.
26.
FIGURATIVELANGUAGE
Wordswhichareinaccurateifinterpretedliterally,butare
usedtodescribe.Similesandmetaphorsarecommonforms.
27. FLASHBACK
ascenethatinterruptsthenormalchronologicalsequenceofeventsina
storytodepictsomethingthathappenedatanearliertime.
28. FORESHADOWING
theuseofhintsandcluestosuggestwhatwillhappenlaterina
plot.
29. GENRE
a. ALLEGORY
storyorpoeminwhichcharacters,settings,andeventsstandfor
otherpeopleoreventsorforabstractideasorqualities.
i.
EXAMPLE:AnimalFarmDantesInfernoLordoftheFlies
b. COMEDY
ingeneral,astorythatendswithahappyresolutionoftheconflicts
facedbythemaincharacterorcharacters.
c. PARABLE
arelativelyshortstorythatteachesamoral,orlessonabouthowto
leadagoodlife.
d. PARODY
aworkthatmakesfunofanotherworkbyimitatingsomeaspectofthe
writersstyle.
e. ROMANCE
ingeneral,astoryinwhichanidealizedheroorheroineundertakesa
questandissuccessful.
f. SATIRE
atypeofwritingthatridiculestheshortcomingsofpeopleorinstitutions
inanattempttobringaboutachange.

g. TALLTALE
anoutrageouslyexaggerated,humorousstorythatisobviously
unbelievable.
h. TRAGEDY
ingeneral,astoryinwhichaheroiccharactereitherdiesorcomesto
someotherunhappyend.
i. FABLE
averyshortstorytoldinproseorpoetrythatteachesapracticallesson
abouthowtosucceedinlife.
30. HYPERBOLE
afigureofspeechthatusesanincredibleexaggerationoroverstatement,
foreffect.IfItoldyouonce,Ivetoldyouamilliontimes.
31. IMAGERY
theuseoflanguagetoevokeapictureoraconcretesensationofaperson,a
thing,aplace,oranexperience.
32. INVERSION
thereversalofthenormalwordorderinasentenceorphrase.
33. IRONY
adiscrepancybetweenappearancesandreality.
a. VERBALIRONY
occurswhensomeonesaysonethingbutreallymeans
somethingelse.
b. SITUATIONALIRONY
takesplacewhenthereisadiscrepancybetweenwhatis
expectedtohappen,orwhatwouldbeappropriatetohappen,andwhatreally
doeshappen.
c. DRAMATICIRONY
issocalledbecauseitisoftenusedonstage.Acharacterin
theplayorstorythinksonethingistrue,buttheaudienceorreaderknowsbetter.
34. JUXTAPOSITION
poeticandrhetoricaldeviceinwhichnormallyunassociatedideas,
words,orphrasesareplacednexttooneanother,creatinganeffectofsurpriseandwit.
EzraPound:Theapparitionofthesefacesinthecrowd/Petalsonawet,blackbough.
a. Juxtapositionisalsoaformofcontrastbywhichwriterscallattentiontodissimilar
ideasorimagesormetaphors.MartinLutherKing:Injusticeanywhereisathreat
tojusticeeverywhere.
35. LOCALCOLOR
atermappliedtofictionorpoetrywhichtendstoplacespecial
emphasisonaparticularsetting,includingitscustoms,clothing,dialectandlandscape.
36.
METAPHOR
afigureofspeechthatmakesacomparisonbetweentwounlikethings
withouttheuseofsuchspecificwordsofcomparisonaslike,as,than,orresembles.
a. IMPLIEDMETAPHOR
doesnotstateexplicitlythetwotermsofthecomparison:
Iliketoseeitlapthemilesisanimpliedmetaphorinwhichtheverblapimplies
acomparisonbetweenitandsomeanimalthatlapsupwater.
b. EXTENDEDMETAPHOR
isametaphorthatisextendedordevelopedasfaras
thewriterwantstotakeit.(conceitifitisquiteelaborate).LiteraryTermspage7
c. DEADMETAPHOR
isametaphorthathasbeenusedsooftenthatthe
comparisonisnolongervivid:Theheadofthehouse,theseatofthe
government,aknottyproblemarealldeadmetaphors.
d. MIXEDMETAPHOR
isametaphorthathasgottenoutofcontrolandmixesits
termssothattheyarevisuallyorimaginativelyincompatible.ThePresidentisa
lameduckwhoisrunningoutofgas.
37. METONYMY
afigureofspeechinwhichaperson,place,orthing,isreferredtoby
somethingcloselyassociatedwithit.Werequestedfromthecrownsupportforour
petition.Thecrownisusedtorepresentthemonarch.

38. MOOD
Anatmospherecreatedbyawritersdictionandthedetailsselected.
39. MOTIF
arecurringimage,word,phrase,action,idea,object,orsituationused
throughoutawork(orinseveralworksbyoneauthor),unifyingtheworkbytyingthe
currentsituationtopreviousones,ornewideastothetheme.KurtVonnegutusesSoit
goesthroughoutSlaughterhouseFivetoremindthereaderofthesenselessnessof
death.
40. MOTIVATION
thereasonsforacharactersbehavior.
41. ONOMATOPOEIA
theuseofwordswhosesoundsechotheirsense.Pop.Zap.
42. OXYMORON
afigureofspeechthatcombinesoppositeorcontradictorytermsinabrief
phrase.Jumboshrimp.Prettyugly.Bittersweet
43. PARADOX
astatementthatappearsselfcontradictory,butthatrevealsakindoftruth.
KOANisaparadoxusedinZenBuddhismtogainintuitiveknowledge:Whatisthe
soundofonehandclapping?
44. PARALLELSTRUCTURE
(parallelism)therepetitionofwordsorphrasesthathave
similargrammaticalstructures.
45. PERSONIFICATION
afigureofspeechinwhichanobjectoranimalisgivenhuman
feelings,thoughts,orattitudes.
46. PLOT
theseriesofrelatedeventsinastoryorplay,sometimescalledthestoryline.
a. CharacteristicsofPLOT:
i.
EXPOSITION
introducescharacters,situation,andsetting
ii.
RISINGACTION
complicationsinconflictandsituations(mayintroduce
newonesaswell)
iii.
CLIMAX
thatpointinaplotthatcreatesthegreatestintensity,suspense,
orinterest.Alsocalledturningpoint
iv.
RESOLUTION
theconclusionofastory,whenallormostoftheconflicts
havebeensettledoftencalledthedenouement.
47. POINTOFVIEW
thevantagepointfromwhichthewritertellsthestory.
a. FIRSTPERSONPOINTOFVIEW
oneofthecharacterstellsthestory.
b. THIRDPERSONPOINTOFVIEW
anunknownnarrator,tellsthestory,butthis
narratorzoomsintofocusonthethoughtsandfeelingsofonlyonecharacter.
c. OMNISCIENTPOINTOFVIEW
anomniscientorallknowingnarratortellsthe
story,alsousingthethirdpersonpronouns.Thisnarrator,insteadoffocusingon
onecharacteronly,oftentellsuseverythingaboutmanycharacters.
d. OBJECTIVEPOINTOFVIEW
anarratorwhoistotallyimpersonalandobjective
tellsthestory,withnocommentonanycharactersorevents.
48. PUN
aplayonwordsbasedonthemultiplemeaningsofasinglewordoronwordsthat
soundalikebutmeandifferentthings.LiteraryTermspage9
49. RHYTHM
ariseandfallofthevoiceproducedbythealternationofstressedand
unstressedsyllablesinlanguage.
50. RHETORIC
Artofeffectivecommunication,especiallypersuasivediscourse.
51. RHETORICALQUESTION
aquestionaskedforaneffect,andnotactuallyrequiringan
answer.

52. SIMILE
afigureofspeechthatmakesanexplicitlycomparisonbetweentwounlike
things,usingwordssuchaslike,as,than,orresembles.
53. SOLILOQUY
alongspeechmadebyacharacterinaplaywhilenoothercharactersare
onstage.
54. STEREOTYPE
afixedideaorconceptionofacharacteroranideawhichdoesnotallow
foranyindividuality,oftenbasedonreligious,social,orracialprejudices.
55. STREAMOFCONSCIOUSNESS
astyleofwritingthatportraystheinner(oftenchaotic)
workingsofacharactersmind.
56. STYLE
thedistinctivewayinwhichawriteruseslanguage:awritersdistinctiveuseof
diction,tone,andsyntax.
57. SUSPENSE
afeelingofuncertaintyandcuriosityaboutwhatwillhappennextinastory.
58. SYMBOL
aperson,place,thing,oreventthathasmeaninginitselfandthatalsostands
forsomethingmorethanitself.
59. SYNECDOCHE
afigureofspeechinwhichapartrepresentsthewhole.Ifyoudont
driveproperly,youwillloseyourwheels.Thewheelsrepresenttheentirecar.
60.
THEME
theinsightabouthumanlifethatisrevealedinaliterarywork.
61. TONE
theattitudeawritertakestowardthesubjectofawork,thecharactersinit,orthe
audience,revealedthroughdiction,figurativelanguage,andorganization.
62. UNDERSTATEMENT
astatementthatsayslessthanwhatismeant.
a. Example:DuringthesecondwarwithIraq,Americantroopscomplainedofa
fiercesandstormthatmadeeventhenightvisionequipmentuseless.ABritish
commandocommentedaboutthestorm:Itsabitbreezy.
63. UNITY
Unifiedpartsofthewritingarerelatedtoonecentralideaororganizingprinciple.
Unityisdependentuponcoherence.
64.
VERNACULAR
thelanguagespokenbythepeoplewholiveinaparticularlocality.

POETRYTERMS

1. CONFESSIONALPOETRY
atwentiethcenturytermusedtodescribepoetrythatuses
intimatematerialfromthepoetslife.
2. COUPLET
twoconsecutiverhyminglinesofpoetry.
3. ELEGY
apoemofmourning,usuallyaboutsomeonewhohasdied.AEulogyisgreat
praiseorcommendation,alaudatoryspeech,oftenaboutsomeonewhohasdied.
4. EPIC
alongnarrativepoem,writteninheightenedlanguage,whichrecountsthedeeds
ofaheroiccharacterwhoembodiesthevaluesofaparticularsociety.
5. FREEVERSE
poetrythatdoesnotconformtoaregularmeterorrhymescheme.
6. LYRICPOEM
apoemthatdoesnottellastorybutexpressesthepersonalfeelingsor
thoughtsofthespeaker.A
ballad
tellsastory.
7. QUATRAIN
apoemconsistingoffourlines,orfourlinesofapoemthatcanbe
consideredasaunit.
8. REFRAIN
aword,phrase,line,orgroupoflinesthatisrepeated,foreffect,severaltimes
inapoem.

WRITINGMOVEMENTSANDSTYLESTOKNOW:
IMPRESSIONISM
anineteenthcenturymovementinliteratureandartwhichadvocated
arecordingoftheartistspersonalimpressionsoftheworld,ratherthanastrict
representationofreality.
MODERNISM
atermfortheboldnewexperimentalstylesandformsthatsweptthearts
duringthefirstthirdofthetwentiethcentury.
NATURALISM
anineteenthcenturyliterarymovementthatwasanextensionofrealism
andthatclaimedtoportraylifeexactlyasitwas.
PLAINSTYLE
Writingstylethatstressessimplicityandclarityofexpression(butwillstill
utilizeallusionsandmetaphors),andwasthemainformofthePuritanwriters.
PURITANISM
WritingstyleofAmericasearlyEnglishspeakingcolonists.emphasizes
obediencetoGodandconsistsmainlyofjournals,sermons,andpoems.
RATIONALISM
amovementthatbeganinEuropeintheseventeenthcentury,which
heldthatwecanarriveattruthbyusingourreasonratherthanrelyingontheauthorityof
thepast,ontheauthorityoftheChurch,oraninstitution.ALSOCALLED
NEOCLASSICISMANDAGEOFREASON
REALISM
astyleofwriting,developedinthenineteenthcentury,thatattemptstodepict
lifeaccuratelywithoutidealizingorromanticizingit.
REGIONALISM
literaturethatemphasizesaspecificgeographicsettingandthat
reproducesthespeech,behavior,andattitudesofthepeoplewholiveinthatregion.
ROMANTICISM
arevoltagainstRationalismthataffectedliteratureandtheotherarts,
beginninginthelateeighteenthcenturyandremainingstrongthroughoutmostofthe
nineteenthcentury.
SURREALISM
inmovementinartandliteraturethatstartedinEuropeduringthe1920s.
Surrealistswantedtoreplaceconventionalrealismwiththefullexpressionofthe
unconsciousmind,whichtheyconsideredtobemorerealthantherealworldof
appearances.
SYMBOLISM
aliterarymovementthatoriginatedinlatenineteenthcenturyFrance,in
whichwritersrearrangedtheworldofappearancesinordertorevealamoretruthful
versionofreality.
TRANSCENDENTALISM
anineteenthcenturymovementintheRomantictradition,
whichheldthateveryindividualcanreachultimatetruthsthroughspiritualintuition,which
transcendsreasonsandsensoryexperience.

TIMELINE:
Puritanism16201770s
Neoclassic1770searly1800s
Romanticismearly1800s1870s
Realism1850searly1900s
Regionalism1884early1900s
Naturalismlate1800smid1900s

Modernism1920s[1945]
[PostModernism1945]