Question | Answer |
absolute | a word free from limitations or qualifications ("best,""all,""unique,""perfect") |
adage | a familiar proverb or wise saying |
ad hominem argument | an argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue |
allegory | a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions |
alliteration | the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words |
allusion | a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize |
analogy | a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way |
anaphora | the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences |
anecdote | a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event |
antecedent | the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers |
antithesis | a statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced |
aphorism | a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance |
apostrophe | a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction |
archetype | a detail, image, or character type that occurs frequently in literature and myth and is thought to appeal in a universal way to the unconscious and to evoke a response |
argument | a statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work |
asyndeton | a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjuctions I came, I saw, I conquered |
balanced sentence | a sentence in which words, phrases, or clauses are set off against each other to emphasize a contrast |
bathos | insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity |
chiasmus | a statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("susan walked in, and out rushed Mary") |
cliche | an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off (as easy as pie) |
climax | point of highest interest |
colloquialism | informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing |
complex sentence | sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause |
compund sentence | sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjunctions |
conceit | fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor |
concrete details | details that relate to or describe actual, specific things or events |
connotation | implied or associative meaning of a word |
deductive reasoning | reasoning in which a conclusion is reached by stating general principle and the appying that principle to a specific case (sun rises every morning, therefore rise Tuesday |
denotation | literal meaning of a word |
dialect | variety of speech characterized by its own particular grammar or prounouciation |
didactic | having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing |
dilemma | situation that requires a person to decide between two equally attractive or equally unatrractive alternatives |
dissonance | harsh, inharmonious, or descordant sounds |
elegy | formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme |
ellipsis | omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context (some prefer cats; others, dogs |
epic | long narrative poem written in elevated style which presents the adventures of characters of high position and episodes that are important to the history of a race or nation |
epigram | brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying |
epigraph | saying or statement on the title page or a work, or uses as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work |
epiphany | moment of sudden revelation or insight |
epitaph | inscription on a tombstone or burial place |
epithet | term used to point out a characteristic of a person. (swift-footed Achilles) (the rocket) |
eulogy | formal speech praising a person who has died |
euphemism | indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant |
expletive | an interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes, a profanity |
fable | brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters |
fantasy | story that concerns an unreal world or contains unreal characters |
figurative language | language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery |
flashback | insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a narrative |
flat character | character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the coruse of a story |
foreshadowing | the presentation of material in such a way that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the work |
frame device | story within a story |
genre | major category or type of literature |
homily | sermon, or a moralistic lecture |
hubris | excessive pride or arragance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy |
hyperbole | intentional exaggeration to create an effect |
hypothetical question | question that raises a hypothesis, conjecture, or supposition |
idiom | expression in a given laguange that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression (fit as a fittle) |
imagery | the use of figures of speech to create vivid images that appeal to one of the senses |
implication | a suggestion an author or speaker makes (implies) without stating directly |
inductive reasoning | deriving general principles from particular facts or instances (every cat i have ever seen has four legs; cats or fourlegged animals) |
inference | conclusion one draws based on premises or evedence |
invective | an intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attact |
irony | use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; or incongruity between whatt is expected and what actually occurs |
jargon | specialized languange or vocabulary or a particular group or profession |
juxtaposition | placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast |
legend | narrative handed down from the past,containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements |
limerick | light verse consisting of five lines or regular rhythm in which the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, and 2nd third lines rhyme |
limited narrator | narrator who presents the story as it is seen and understood by a single cahracter and restricts info to what is seen, heard, thought, or felt by that one character |
literary license | deviating from normal rules or methods in order to achieved a certain effect |
litotes | type of understatment in which an idea is expressed by negating its opposite (not to bad) |
malapropism | the mistaken substitution of one word for another word that sound similar (the doctor wrote a subscripiton) |
maxim | concise statement, often offering advice; an adage |
metaphor | direct comparison of two different things |
metonymy | substituting the name of one object for another object closely associtated with it (the pen {writing} is mightier than the sword{war, fighting} |
mood | emotional atmosphere of a work |
motif | standard theme, element, or dramative situation that recurs in various works |
motivation | charceter incentive or reason for behaving in a certain manner; that which impels a charcter to act |
myth | traditional story presenting supernatural characters and episodes that help explain natural events |
narrative | story or narrated account |
narrator | one who tells the story |
non sequitur | an inference that does not follow logically from the premises (literally, "does not follow |
omniscient narrator | who is able to know, see, and tell all, including the inner thoughts and feeling of the characters |
onomatopoeia | a word formed from the limitation of natural sounds (ding dong, BAM, ruff) "figurative language" |
oxymoron | an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined (bittersweet, jumo shrimp, same difference |
parable | a simple "story" that illustrates a moral or religious lesson |
paradox | an apparently contractory statement that acutally contains some truth (I can resist everything except temptation) Nobody goes to taht restraunt, its too crowded) |
parallelism | the use of corresponding grammatically or syntactical forms (I like "to" swim, "to" hike, and "to" sleep) anaphora |
paraphrase | a restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity |
parody | a humorous imitation of a serious work (Epic Movie) |
parenthetical | comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain "The hatchet 'by Gary paulsen' is a good book" |
pathos | quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity |
pedantic | charecterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship "arrogant people" |
personification | endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics |
philippic | strong verbal dnunciation. the term comes from the orations of Demosthenes against Philip of Madedonia in the fourth century "smack talk" |
plot | action of a narrative or drama |
point of view | the vantage point from which a story is told (1st person, 3rd person) |
polysyndeton | the use, for rhetorical effect, or more conjunctions than is necessary or natural (He ran 'and' jumped 'and' laughed 'and' jumped for joy) |
pun | a play on words, often achieved through the use of words with siimilar sounds but different meanings (taking something literal, 'stealing home') amelia bedilia |
resolution | the falling action of a narrative; the events following the climax |
rhetoric | the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive way |
rhetorical question | question for effect and not requiring an answer |
rhetorical devices | literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression |
riddle | question requiring thought to answer or understnad; puzzle (how far can a deer run into a forest?) |
romantic | term describing a character or literary work that reflects the characteristics of Ramanticism, stressed emotion, imagination, indivualism |
round character | a character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work |
sarcasm | harsh, cutting language or tone intended to redicule |
satire | the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions |