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Literary Terms and Theory
For the '08-'09 final exam in Coull's English 9H class.
107
English
9th Grade
05/17/2009

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Term
Active voice
Definition
A verb form in which the subject performs the action expressed in the verb
Term
Acronym
Definition
a word formed or based on the initial letters or syllables of other words.
Term
Affix
Definition
a bound (non-word) morpheme that changes the meaning or function of a root or stem to which it is attached. (Prefixes and suffixes)
Term
Allegory
Definition
(Derived from the greek Allegoria, "speaking otherwise.) A story in verse or prose with a double meaning-- primary surface meaning and secondary under-the-surface meaning.
Term
Alliteration
Definition
the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of two or more words immediately succeeding each other or at short intervals.
Term
Allusion
Definition
a reference to a historical person or event or to a literary work or figure.
Term
Analogy
Definition
a comparison between two different things to highlight some similarity
Term
Anecdote
Definition
a short narrative usually consisting of a single incident or episode
Term
Annotation
Definition
textual comment in a book (reader's comment in the margin, or printed explanatory notes provided by an editor.)
Term
Antagonist
Definition
a character or force who directly opposes the main character in a story or play.
Term
Antecedent
Definition
A word, phrase, or clause to which a following pronoun refers.
Term
Antonym
Definition
A word of opposite meaning to another
Term
Aphorism
Definition
(Greek for 'marking off by boundaries'); A terse/short statement of a truth or dogma; generalization that may or may not be witty.(ie: "Fish and visitors both stink in three days.")
Term
Appeal to authority
Definition
To strengthen an argument by citing an expert
Term
Appeal to emotion
Definition
to make an argument that relies on expressive language and other devices calculated to incite enthusiasm, excitement, anger, or hatred.
Term
Appeal to pity
Definition
Pathos; to make an argument with emotional appeal that targets the audience's altruism and mercy
Term
Appeal to reason
Definition
Logos; to use rational thinking to persuade by means of an argument "suitable to the case in question."
Term
Appeal to character
Definition
Ethos; to make an argument that is a persuasive appeal to someone's moral and ethical nature
Term
Archetype/Archetypal Character
Definition
(Greek: 'original pattern') A basic model from which copies are made; a prototype.
Term
Aside
Definition
Used in drama; a few words/passage spoken in an undertone/to the audience. Inaudible to other characters on stage.
Term
Assessment
Definition
the act or process or gathering data in order to better understand something
Term
Assonance
Definition
The effect created when words with the same vowel are used in close proximity, but the consonants are different. (Ex: /i/ sound in "Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies.")
Term
Atmosphere
Definition
The mood and feeling, the intangible quality which appears to sensory perception, evoked by a work of art.
Term
Autobiography
Definition
An account of a person's life by him or herself.
Term
Bildungsroman
Definition
A study of the maturation of a youthful character
Term
Biography
Definition
An account of a person's life
Term
Blank verse
Definition
The most common meter of unrhymed poetry with five iambic feet per line.
Term
Body paragraph
Definition
one of many middle paragraphs in an essay; develops a point that supports the thesis
Term
Cadence
Definition
The melodic patter preceding the end of a sentence; the rhythm of accented units.
Term
Character development
Definition
the process by which the character is introduced, revealed, and changed in a story.
Term
Static (character)
Definition
A character in a story that undergoes very little change
Term
Dynamic (character)
Definition
A character in a story that changes meaningfully. (Ie: Sydney Carton)
Term
Chorus
Definition
(Greek: Dance) An essential and integral part of Greek tragic drama. Usually reduced to one person that comments on the action and helps provide mood and atmosphere. (Ie: Shakespeare.)
Term
Climax
Definition
The part of a story/play at which the crisis is reached and resolution achieved.
Term
Close reading
Definition
Detailed, balanced and rigorous critical examination of a text to discover its meanings and assess its effects.
Term
Colloquialism
Definition
A colloquial word, phrase or expression is one in everyday speech or writing. Style is plain and relaxed.
Term
Commentary
Definition
An opinion or comment about something; not concrete detail.
Term
Compound sentence
Definition
a sentence of two or more coordinated independent clauses
Term
Concluding sentence
Definition
the last sentence in a body paragraph; usually commentary; gives a finished feeling to paragraph
Term
Conclusion (concluding paragraph)
Definition
Last paragraph in an essay that sums up ideas and reflects on what is discussed.
Term
Concrete details
Definition
The specific details that form the basis for your body paragraphs.
Term
Conflict
Definition
The struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or significant characters that forms the basis of the plot or story in a play.
Term
External conflict
Definition
The struggle between a character and an outside force. (Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, Man vs Society.)
Term
Internal conflict
Definition
The struggle that occurs within the heart and mind of a character. (Man vs himself)
Term
Connotation
Definition
An association or additional meaning that a word, image, or phrase may carry, beyond its literal reference or dictionary definition.
Term
Contrast
Definition
To show how two things are different; include details and examples.
Term
Couplet
Definition
Two successive rhyming lines
Term
Criticism
Definition
The art or science of literary criticism is devoted to the comparison and analysis, to the interpretation and evaluation of works of literature.
Term
Critique
Definition
To point out both the good and the bad points [in a piece of text.]
Term
Declarative sentence
Definition
A sentence that makes a statement
Term
Denotation
Definition
The dictionary definition of a word
Term
Dialogue
Definition
A conversation between two or more characters. May be used to reveal character and character relationships, to show conflicts, to give background information, or to advance the story.
Term
Dialect
Definition
A language or manner of speaking peculiar to an individual or class or region. Using a region's appropriate dialect often contributes to realism and regionalism.
Term
Diction
Definition
Word choice or vocabulary
Term
Didactic
Definition
(Greek: 'that which teaches') Any work of literature which sets out to instruct.
Term
Dramatic Irony
Definition
Audience knows something that the characters don't. (Common in tragedies or comedies.)
Term
Elizabethan period
Definition
Second half of 16th century to early 17th century; Approximately during Elizabeth's reign. Shakespeare is a famous writer from this time.
Term
Ellipsis
Definition
(Greek: 'leaving out') A rhetorical figure in which one or more words are omitted. (. . .)
Term
Epic
Definition
A long narrative poem, on a grand scale, about the deeds of warriors and heroes. Encorporate myth, legend, folk tale and history. Often embody history/aspirations of a nation.
Term
Epic hero
Definition
Often marked as a human with the normal flaws of all people, but whom perseveres beyond his or her problems.
Term
Epilogue
Definition
The concluding section or paragraph of any literary work, sometimes added as summary, but more often as an afterthought.
Term
Epithet
Definition
A word or phrase preceding or following a name which serves to describe the character. (Ie: Riki the Dark)
Term
Etymology
Definition
The history of words; the study of the history of words
Term
Exclamatory sentence
Definition
A sentence that makes a vehement statement or conveys strong or sudden emotion
Term
Exposition
Definition
One of the four traditinoal forms of composition in speech and writing. Intended to set forth or explain.
Term
Expository essay
Definition
Essay of exposition; in this essay the writer sets out to explain their opinion on an issue.
Term
Fiction
Definition
A vague and general term for an imaginative work, usually in prose. Used in general of the novel, short story, novella, and related genres.
Term
Figurative Language
Definition
Any language which deviates from the literal language so as to furnish novel effects or fresh insights into the subject being discussed. (Ie: Similie, metaphor, personification, hyperbole)
Term
First person
Definition
a passage or story written from the point of view of the main character.
Term
Foil
Definition
A character whose physical or psychological qualities contrast strongly with, and therefore highlight, the corresponding qualities of another character.
Term
Foreshadowing
Definition
The arrangement of important clues in a play or story to prepare the reader for the events which will occur later in a narrative.
Term
Foreword
Definition
Usually a short introductory piece to a book. Similar to a preface or introduction, but generally composed by someone else (versus the author.)
Term
Frame story
Definition
Story that contains either another tale, a story within a story, or a series of stories. Narrator often tells main story in reflective manner about a time in his or her life that is memorable.
Term
Free Verse
Definition
Poetry whose lines have no consistent meter
Term
Genre
Definition
Different kinds of literary works: epic, novel, drama, etc.
Term
Hero and Heroine
Definition
The principal male and female characters in a work of literature. The terms carry no connotations of virtuousness or honor. (An evil man or wicked woman might be the central characters.)
Term
Homonym
Definition
(Greek: 'same name') A word having the same sound and spelling as another, but a different origin and meaning.
Term
Homophone
Definition
(Greek: 'same sound') A word which is pronounced the same as another but has a different spelling and meaning.
Term
Hyperbole
Definition
Overstatement or exaggeration used to emphasize a point; often a tool of irony
Term
Iamb
Definition
Denotes a metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.
Term
Idiom
Definition
Use of words peculiar to a particular language
Term
Imagery
Definition
concrete details that appeal to the senses in order to arouse emotion in the reader.
Term
In Medias Res
Definition
A latin term that refers to the narrative tactic of beginning a story midway in the events it depicts before explaining the context and preceding actions.
Term
Inference
Definition
A reasonable and intelligent conclusion drawn from hints provided by an author
Term
Interrogative Sentence
Definition
a sentence that asks a question or makes an inquiry
Term
Introduction
Definition
The first paragraph in an essay that must include a thesis statement.
Term
Irony
Definition
The contrast between what is expected or appears to be and what actually is.
Term
Verbal irony
Definition
The contrast of saying the opposite of what is actually meant (sarcasm)
Term
Situational irony
Definition
Based on the difference between the way events work out and what is expected to happen.
Term
Irony of tone
Definition
Extends verbal irony to include lengthy passages or work in which an author expresses an attitude opposite to what he feels.
Term
Levels of Diction
Definition
The level of formality in word choice. Least formal is colloquial English (slang) followed by general english, then formal English (speeches, professional jargon.)
Term
Literary analysis
Definition
the study of a literary work by a critic, student, or scholar and the careful, detailed reading and report thereof.
Term
Literary criticism
Definition
The analysis and judgement of works of literature.
Term
Lyrical style
Definition
Flowery language often used in prose that can easily be seen as poetic. Constant figurative language; often found in vivid setting descriptions.
Term
Melodrama
Definition
(Greek: 'song drama') In literature, makes use of sensationalism and extravagant emotional experiences. Characters may be excessively virtuous or exceptionally evil.
Term
Metaphor
Definition
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness between them. (Ex: He was drowning in money.)
Term
Meter
Definition
A generally regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
Term
Mnemonic
Definition
(Greek /mneme/, 'memory') A device in verse or prose. Mnemonic devices are those that aid one's memory. (Ie: Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492.)
Term
Monologue
Definition
an extended speech by one person directly addressing the audience or another character.
Term
Mood
Definition
A state of mind or feeling created by a literary work, such as a sentimental or whimsical mood.
Term
Motif
Definition
A recurring element, such as an image, theme, or type of incident.
Term
Motivation
Definition
the values, desires, or beliefs which cause a character to act as he does.
Term
Myth
Definition
(Greek /muthos/, 'anything uttered by word of mouth') Homer used it to mean narrative and conversation, but not a fiction. Later, it's now used to mean fiction. In general, it is a story which is not true and which involves supernatural beings. Often also includes the creation of something, how something came to exist, and embodies feeling and concept.
Term
Naturalistic Style
Definition
Sometimes used loosely as a synonym for realism, and also in reference to works that show an interest in sympathy with/love of natural beauty.
Term
Novella
Definition
A kind of short story, a narrative in prose of the genre developed by Boccaccio. More recently, it's a fictional narrative of intermediate length (a few pages to 200-300) restricted to a single event, situation or conflict, which produces an element of suspense and leads to an unexpected turning point.
Term
Octave/Octet
Definition
A group of eight lines (stanza form [ottava rima] or as the first eight lines of a sonnet. Usually aabbaabba.)
Term
Onomatopoeia
Definition
Term used to describe words whose pronunciations suggest their meaning (EX: Buzz, gurgle.)
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