ad hominem

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attack on the person rather than the idea

allegory

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a work that functions on a symbolic level

Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith who he left behind.

alliteration

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the repetition of initial consonant sounds

allusion

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a reference within a work

historical

cultural

biblical

analogy

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a deviced used to explain one thing by comparing it to something different

Our teacher is a slave driver.  She never gives us free time.

anecdote

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a story or brief episode told by the writer

antithesis

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Two contrasting ideas presented in balanced phrases or clauses.

Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country

antecedent

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the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers

argument

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a claim that is then defended

attitude

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the relationship an author toward his or her subject or audience (tone)

balance

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where all the parts are equal

parts: words, phrases, clauses, sentences, ideas

cacophony

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harsh and discordant sound

character

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those who carry out the action of the plot in literature

major, minor, static, and dynamic

colloquial

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the use of slang or language that is only used in a particular region--used to provide an informal tone

comic relief

inclusion of a humorous character or scene to contrast with the tragic elements, thereby intensifying the next tragic event

conflict

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a clash between opposiing forces in a literary work

connotation

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the interpretive level of meaning of a word rather than the literal meaning

fired--did something wrong to not have job

laid off--forces outside the employee's control

The result is the same

deduction

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the process of moving from general rule to a specific example

Teens drive like maniacs

\              /

\            /

\          /

\        /

\___/

John is a teen.  He drives like a maniac.

dialect

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the re-creation of a spoken language from a specific region

Huck Finn

Their Eyes Were Watching God

diction

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the author's choice of words that create tone, attitude, and style

didactic

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a writing whose purpose is to instruct or teach.  usually formal and focuses on moral or ethical concerns

discourse

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a discussion on a specific topic

ellipsis

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three dots (periods) indicating something has been left out

epigraph

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the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme

euphemism

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a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable.

He was let go--to mean fired.

Friendly fire--to mean shot by your own people.

euphony

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the pleasant presentation of sounds

exposition

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background information presented in a literary work

The beginning information that tells the reader what is going on.

extended metaphor

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a sustained comparison, often referred to as a conceit.  The exetended metaphor is developed throughout a piece of writing.

figurative langauge

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the body of devices that enables the writer to operate on levels other than the literal one.  Examples: metaphor, simile, motif and hyperbole

flashback

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a device that enables a writer to refer to past thoughts, events, or episodes

form

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shape or structure of a literary work

hyperbole

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extreme exaggeration, often humorous, it can also be ironic; the opposite of understatement

image

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a verbal approximation of a sensory impression, concept, or emotion

can be visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory

induction

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the process that moves an idea from specific examples to a generalizations

John, a teen,  listens to music

/ \

 /   \

/     \

Most teens listen to music.

inference

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a conclustion one can draw from presented details

invective

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a verbally abusive attack

irony

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an unexpected twistor contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected to happen

logic

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the process of reasoning

logical fallacy

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a mistake in reasoning

metaphor

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direct comparrison of between dissimilar things

metonomy

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figure of speech in which a representative term is used for a larger idea

monologue

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a speech given by one character

motif

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a repetitin or variations of an image or idea in a work used to develop theme or characters

narrator

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the speaker of a literary work

onomatopoeia

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words that sound like the sound they represent

(hiss, gurgle, pop)

oxymoron

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an image of a contradictory term (bitter sweet, pretty ugly, jumbo shrimp)

pacing

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the movement of a literary piece from one point or one section to another

parable

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a story that operates on more than one level and usually teaches a lesson