AP English Literature & Composition Grade Improvement Flash Cards

genre

a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content Types of genre: -Poetry -Drama -Prose -Fiction -Non-Fiction Different genres have different roles.

persona

a character assumed by an author in a written work The Old Man and Sea (By Ernest Hemingway) "He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish. In the first forty days a boy had been with him. But after forty days without a fish the boy's parents had told him that the old man was now definitely and finally salao, which is the worst form of unlucky... "The sail was patched with flour sacks and, furled, it looked like the flag of permanent defeat." The speaker of a dramatic monologue is also known as a persona.

dynamic character

a character who changes significantly in the course of a narrative Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (By J. K. Rowling) Harry Potter The most important conflict in this novel is the inner conflict of Harry Potter, which makes him a dynamic character.

flat character

a character with a single defining characteristic Miss Maudie from To Kill a Mockingbird (By Harper Lee) Miss Maudie is a flat character because she maintains the same characteristics and outlook throughout the narrative. The role of a flat character is to help the main character in pursuing his ambitions and goals.

oxymoron

a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (such as "cruel kindness") There was a LOVE-HATE relationship between the two neighboring states. Oxymoron produces a dramatic effect in both prose and poetry.

chorus

a company of singers and dancers in Athenian drama participating in or commenting on the action Tichbourne's Elegy (By Charles Tichbourne) "and now my life is done." The Chorus of a song or poem is the part where you repeat a verse or a phrase.

drama

a composition in verse or prose intended to portray life or character or to tell a story usually involving conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and typically designed for theatrical performance Much Ado About Nothing (By William Shakespeare) Hero and Claudio's relationship lacks development and depth. They end up merely as caricatures, exemplifying what people face in life when their relationships are internally weak. Love between Benedick and Beatrice is amusing, as initially their communications are very sparky, and they hate each other. However, they all of sudden make up, and start loving each other. Popular types of drama are: Comedy, Tragedy, Farce, Melodrama, Musical Drama.

analysis

a detailed examination of anything complex in order to understand its nature or to determine its essential features Discussing the theme of freedom vs. "civilization" in "Huckleberry Finn," analyze the effectiveness of satirist Jonathan Swift's criticisms of government at the time, or criticize Ernest Hemmingway's lack of depth in his female characters. An analysis is a form of expository writing.

dialect

a distinct variety of language based on region or other factors such as class Huckleberry Finn (By Mark Twain) Jim: "We's safe, Huck, we's safe! Jump up and crack yo' heels. Dat's de good ole Cairo at las', I jis knows it." Huck: "I'll take the canoe and go see, Jim. It mightn't be, you know." Twain uses exaggerated dialect to distinguish between the characters.

mood

a distinctive atmosphere or context Pickwick Papers (By Charles Dickens) "The river, reflecting the clear blue of the sky, glistened and sparkled as it flowed noiselessly on." (Serene and non-violent mood) Mood evokes various emotional responses in readers, and thus ensures their emotional attachment to the literary piece they read.

metonymy

a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated (such as "crown" in "lands belonging to the crown") England decides to keep check on immigration." (England refers to the government.) Metonymy is used in developing literary symbolism, meaning it gives more profound meanings to otherwise common ideas and objects.

metaphor

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 or analogy between them (as in drowning in money) My brother was boiling mad. (This implies he was too angry.) Using appropriate metaphors appeals directly to the senses of listeners or readers, sharpening their imaginations to comprehend what is being communicated to them.

figure of speech

a form of expression (such as a simile or metaphor) used to convey meaning or heighten effect, often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener Types of figurative speech: -Personification -Understatement -Hyperbole -Pun Figure of speech is not only used to embellish the language, but also cause a moment of excitement when reading.

figurative language

a form of expression used to convey meaning or heighten effect often by comparing or identifying one thing with another that has a meaning or connotation familiar to the reader or listener, including metaphors, similes, and allusions Types of figurative language: -Simile -Metaphor -Onomatopoeia -Oxymoron Figurative language is not meant to convey literal meanings, and often it compares one concept with another in order to make the first concept easier to understand

farce

a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot The Importance of Being Earnest (By Oscar Wilde) is a great example of a verbal farce as it contains the basic elements, such as mockery of the upper class, disgraceful physical humor, absurdity, and mistaken identities. We usually find farces in theater and films, and sometimes in other literary works too.

prose

a literary medium distinguished from poetry especially by its greater irregularity and variety of rhythm and its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech 1984 (By George Orwell) "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen." The reason for prose's adoption can be attributed to its loosely-defined structure, which most writers feel comfortable using when expressing or conveying their ideas and thoughts.

dramatic monologue

a literary work (such as a poem) in which a speaker's character is revealed in a monologue usually addressed to a second person The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (By T. S. Eliot) "And indeed there will be time To wonder, 'Do I dare?' and, 'Do I dare?' Time to turn back and descend the stair, With a bald spot in the middle of my hair ... In a minute there is time For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.'" The Love Song of J. ALfred Prufrock by T. S. Eliot is written in the form of Dramatic Monologue in which the poet is attempting to exxplore the causes of suffering and pain of an insecure young man who's confused about whether or not he should go to a party.

comedy

a literary work written in a comic style or treating a comic theme A Midsummer Night's Dream (By William Shakespeare) - Romantic Comedy William Shakespeare's play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, presents young lovers falling comically in and out of love for a brief period. Their real world problems get resolved magically, enemies reconcile, and true lovers unite in the end. There are five types of comedy in literature: Romantic, Humor, Manners, Sentimental, Tragicomedy.

ode

a lyric poem usually marked by exaltation of feeling and style, varying length of lines, and complexity of stanza forms Three types of ode: -Pindar -Horatian -Irregular Ode is a form of lyrical poetry, in which poets use a certain metrical pattern and rhyme scheme to express their noble and lofty sentiments in serious and sometimes satirical tone.

extended metaphor

a metaphor that continues through several lines or paragraphs, or appear repeatedly through a literary work Life is like EATING A GRAPEFRUIT. First, one breaks its skin; then one takes a few bites to get used to its taste, and finally one starts enjoying its flavor. Extended metaphor provides the writer with an opportunity to make a larger comparison between two things or notions.

iamb

a metrical foot consisting of one short syllable followed by one long syllable or of one unstressed syllable followed by one stressed syllable (as in the word above) Types of Iambs: -Iambic dimeter (two iambs per line) -Iambic trimester (three iambs per line) -Iambic tetrameter (four iambs per line) -Iambic pentameter (five iambs per line) -Iambic hexameter (alexandrine; six iambs per line) The basic function of iambic meter is to create a speech that should have a regular pattern.It functions to make a normal speech fit into heightened formality and dramatic form.

motivation

a motivating force, stimulus, or influence : incentive, drive Hamlet (By William Shakespeare) All actions that Hamlet commits in the play are the result of his motivation, such as revenge, justification, and integrity of his character. Motivation serves as the logical explanation for what a character does, which is necessary for the readers and audiences to understand the causes of a character's actions.

bildungsroman

a novel about the moral and psychological growth of the main character Never Let Me Go (By Kazuo Ishiguro) The novel is divided into three acts: childhood, adult and donor. It traces the life of Kathy, the protagonist and narrator of the novel. She is a "donor" who is harvested for organs to be donated to gravely ill patients. There are numerous examples of bildungsroman or coming-of-age novels in English literature.

Modernism

a period of literary and artistic innovation between about 1910-1950, marked by distinctive innovations in form, content, and style, including stream of consciousness and increased emphasis on the interior The Great Gatsby (By F. Scott Fitzgerald) In "The Great Gatsby", the green light symbolizes the corruption of the American Dream.

point of view

a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated Hamlet (By William Shakespeare) "I have of late, — but wherefore I know not, — lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory." (FIRST-PERSON POINT OF VIEW) Writers use a point of view to express effectively what they want to convey to their readers.

catharsis

a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension Macbeth (By William Shakespeare) "... a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." William Shakespeare wrote two famous examples of catharsis. One of these catharsis examples is his tragic drama Macbeth.

comic relief

a relief from the emotional tension especially of a drama that is provided by the interposition of a comic episode or element Romeo and Juliet (By William B. Shakespeare) Mercutio He teases Romeo continually and makes use of pun and bawdy jokes. A running joke during his presentations was his ugliness, which was exploited as a comic relief.

parallel structure

a repetition of a grammatical construction such as words or phrases of similar form or length to create a rhythm Presidential Inauguration Speech (By Barack Obama) "My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors." The use of parallel structures in speech or writing allows speakers and writers to maintain a consistency within their work, and create a balanced flow of ideas.

arrangement

a rhetorical term for how a written work is structured or organized Aristotle states that . . . the very nature of rhetoric requires at least four components: an exordium, or introduction (prooimion), an advanced thesis (prothesis), proofs (pisteis), and a conclusion (epilogos)." (Traditional arrangement) Arrangement (also called disposition) is one of the five traditional canons or subdivisions of classical rhetorical training.

heroic couplet

a rhyming couplet in iambic pentameter One Happy Moment (By John Dryden) "O, no, poor suff'ring Heart, no Change endeavour, Choose to sustain the smart, rather than leave her; My ravish'd eyes behold such charms about her, I can die with her, but not live without her: One tender Sigh of hers to see me languish, Will more than pay the price of my past anguish..." In literature, Chaucer, Dryden, Pope and Shakespeare have been famous for using rhyming heroic couplets.

canon

a sanctioned or accepted group or body of related works The Plowman's Tales (By Geoffrey Chaucer) "In a summer season when soft was the sun, I clothed myself in a cloak as I shepherd were, Habit like a hermit's unholy in works, And went wide in the world wonders to hear. But on a May morning on Malvern hills, A marvel befell me of fairy, me thought." Taken from The Plowman's Tale, these lines exemplify the third definition of canon.

ballad verse

a short story told in verse using common language, traditionally meant to be sung Vincent Van Gogh As I walked into the coffeehouse, I spotted her sipping tea. She looked up with her forlorn eyes, Her sadness clear to me. Two things important to ballad verse: meter and rhyme.

elegy

a song or poem expressing sorrow or lamentation especially for one who is dead In Memory of W. B. Yeats (By W. H. Auden) "With the farming of a verse Make a vineyard of the curse, Sing of human unsuccess In a rapture of distress; In the deserts of the heart Let the healing fountain start, In the prison of his days Teach the free man how to praise." Elegy is one of the richest literary forms because it has the capacity to express emotions that deeply influence people.

paradox

a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true Your enemy's friend is your enemy. The chief purpose of a paradox is to give pleasure.

allegory

a story in which the characters and events are symbols that stand for truths about human life "Axis of Evil" in referring to three countries considered a danger to the world. President George W. Bush, later used the term "allies" for those countries that would wage war against the "Axis." Animal Farm, written by George Orwell, is an allegory that uses animals on a farm to describe the overthrow of the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, and the Communist Revolution of Russia before WW I.

frame tale

a story told within a frame or a story constituting a frame for another story or a series of other stories Titanic (by James Cameron) In the movie, Titanic, an elderly woman Rose begins the movie by telling a story of her voyage in the Atlantic Ocean. When the reader gets into her narrative, he finds himself in the year 1912, where the story begins. Only a few times do readers return to the elderly Rose to get in touch with her experience; however, the movie ends as it begins. Frame tale uses embedded narratives, which provide readers with a context about the main narrative.

epigram

a terse, sage, or witty and often paradoxical saying' "Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put and end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy Epigrams are very common in poetry, but we also find it in prose, film, fiction writing, politics, and everyday speech.

motif

a usually recurring salient thematic element Hamlet (By William Shakespeare) "Frailty, thy name is woman" Writers include several motifs in their literary works as reinforcements.

caesura

a usually rhetorical break in the flow of sound in the middle of a line of verse The headphone explodes, || breaking the mold Caesural breaks, or caesura, are of two types in poetry: Feminine Caesura, Masculine Caesura.

novella

a work of fiction intermediate in length and complexity between a short story and a novel Heart of Darkness (By Joseph Conrad) Describing a story of late nineteenth century about imperialistic and colonialist process. This novella focuses on the search of the central character, Kurtz, who goes too far for exploitation of the natives for the sake of an ivory trade. Novellas are the richest and most rewarding forms of literary genres, because this genre allows an extended development of characters and themes than a short story does, without making detailed structural demands of a complete book.

aside

an actor's speech heard by the audience but supposedly not by other characters Crucible (By Arthur Miller) "He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him." - Elizabeth Arthur Miller, in his play Crucible, uses aside through the last words of Elizabeth towards the conclusion of the play.

conceit

an elaborate or strained metaphor; a fanciful idea Love is like an oil change. In everyday life, we can surprise and amuse others by using conceits.

convention

an established technique, practice, or device Use of chorus in a greek tragedy. A literary convention is a cliche, trope, or device, that acts as a defining feature of a genre.

epiphany

an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure Epiphany of a smoker: used to smoke a lot. Everyone let me know that it was bad for my health however, I didn't pay any notice. One day I saw my two-year-old baby trying to grab a stubbed-out cigarette from the ashtray. Seeing this, it suddenly dawned on me how terrible smoking was, and I stopped smoking. An epiphany may also be used to change the opinion of one character about other characters, events, and places after a sudden awareness of the situation.

allusion

an implied or indirect reference especially in literature "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her." - "Romeo" is a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet, in "Romeo and Juliet". Milton's "Paradise Lost" gives allusions a fair share.

foreshadowing

an indication of what is to come The final graveyard flower is blooming, and its smell drifts through their house, speaking gently the names of their dead. (Foreshadows death) The function of foreshadowing is to build anticipation in the minds of readers about what might happen next, thus adding dramatic tension to a story.

in media res

an interruption in the middle of a narrative without a warning; Latin for "in the middle of things" The Odyssey The narrative then goes directly forward, and exposition of earlier events is supplied by flashbacks. The principle of in medias res is based on the practice of Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad, for example, begins dramatically with the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon during the Trojan War. In medias res is a literary term that has its roots in Ancient Rome.

personification

attribution of personal qualities; especially representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form Look at my car. She is a beauty, isn't she? Personification is not merely a decorative device, but serves the purpose of giving deeper meanings to literary texts. It adds vividness to expressions, as we always look at the world from a human perspective.

antagonist

character who opposes the protagonist To Kill a Mocking Bird (By Harper Lee) "To my way of thinkin', Mr Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great favour an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me, that's a sin. It's a sin and I'm not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man, it'd be different. But not this man, Mr. Finch." - Heck Tate (In defense of Boo over the killing of Bob Ewell. Bob Ewell is a malicious antagonist in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mocking Bird.

diction

choice of words especially with regard to correctness, clearness, or effectiveness Ode on a Grecian Urn (By John Keats) "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter: therefore, ye soft pipes, play on ..." John Keats, in his Ode on a Grecian Urn, uses formal diction to achieve a certain effect.

comedy of manners

comedy that satirically portrays the manners and fashions of a particular class or set The Importance of Being Earnest Ironically describes the conduct of the Victorian upper class. It's a must see for anyone in the mood for a gentle comedy of manners with a hint of farce.

hubris

exaggerated pride or self-confidence Frankenstein (By Mary Shelley) "Victor" the protagonist of Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" exhibits hubris in his endeavor to become an unmatched scientist. He creates a "monster" named "Frankenstein" which ultimately becomes the cause of his disaster. In literature, portrayal of hubristic characters serves to achieve a moralistic end.

lyric poetry

expresses the personal feelings and thoughts of the poet, often in first person; traditionally poems that were sung accompanied by a lyre Sonnet Number 18: (By William B. Shakespeare) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed, And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed. Lyric poetry is one of three main genres of poetry.

hyperbole

extravagant exaggeration (such as "mile-high ice-cream cones") He saw his childhood friend after ages. By using hyperbole, a writer or a poet makes common human feelings remarkable and intense to such an extent that they do not remain ordinary.

dramatic irony

incongruity between a situation developed in a drama [or other narrative] and the accompanying words or actions that is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play Macbeth (By J William Shakespeare) "There's no art To find the mind's construction in the face: He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust." Duncan says that he trusts Macbeth, not knowing about the prophecy of witches that Macbeth is going to be the king, and that he would kill him. The audience, on the other hand, knows about the prophecy. This demonstrates dramatic irony.

flashback

interruption of chronological sequence (as in a film or literary work) by interjection of events of earlier occurrence The Cruel Mother (By Anonymous) A mother remembers her murdered child. The use of a flashback is to convey to the readers information regarding the character's background, and give them an idea of the character's motives for doing certain things later in the story.

imagery

language that appeals to the reader's physical senses, creating a mental image or other sensory impression, often by using literary devices like figurative language The old man took the handful of dust, and sifted it through his fingers. Imagery aids the reader's imagination to envision the characters and scenes in the literary piece clearly.

doublespeak

language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth "Reducing costs" instead of "cutting your salary" Doublespeak is the complete opposite of plain and simple truth.

end-stopped

marked by a logical or rhetorical pause at the end Bright Star (By John Keats) "Bright Star, would I were as stedfast as thou art — Not in lone splendor hung aloft the night, And watching, with eternal lids apart, Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite ..." The purpose of using end-stopped lines is to give poetic and rhythmic effect to the literary text.

contemporary

marked by characteristics of the present period Beloved (By Toni Morrison) The novel follows an ex-slave named Sethe on her journey to fight her traumatic past while raising her daughter Denver. The book serves as a powerful message about the trauma slaves face and cultural injustices slavery brought upon the citizens of the US. Contemporary literature is defined as literature written after World War II through the current day.

denotation

meaning; a direct specific meaning as distinct from an implied or associated idea She recognized the lovely AROMA of her mother's cooking. (Smell) Using the word aroma to mean smell is a denotation.

invective

of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse Gulliver's Travels (By Jonathan Swift) "I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth." The tool of invective can be used in a variety of ways, to highlight the depth of the writer's emotions for the cause at hand.

picaresque

of, relating to, suggesting, or being a type of fiction dealing with the episodic adventures of a usually roguish protagonist Examples of Picaresque: -The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow -Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding -The Adventures of Roderick Random by Tobias Smollett The picaresque novel has shape-shifted since its first known incarnation in Spain.

iambic pentameter

poetry written with five feet (pentameter) that are iambs (iambic) Macbeth (By William Shakespeare) "HenceFORTH be earls, the FIRST that Ever SCOTLAND In SUCH an HOnour NAMED. What's MORE to DO, Which WOULD be PLANted NEWly WITH the TIME," John Donne and William Shakespeare, used an iambic pentameter in their poems and poetic plays to keep up decorum and grandeur of the language.

perspective

point of view, the lens through which a person, speaker, narrator, or character experiences the world To Kill a Mockingbird (By Harper Lee) "It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived." (FIRST PERSON) Perspective is the most important literary tool for writers. Choosing an effective perspective helps them create the right voice for their narratives.

naturalism

realism in art or literature; specifically, a theory or practice in literature emphasizing scientific observation of life without idealization and often including elements of determinism The Open Boat (By Stephen Crane) "If I am going to be drowned-if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven gods, who rule the seven seas,?" The impact that naturalism has left on literary writers is colossal, leading to the evolution of the modern movement.

parallelism

repeated similarities in syntax or wording introduced for rhetorical effect Like father, like son. Parallelism is used in different ways to impress upon the readers certain messages or moral lessons.

repetition

repeating the same word or phrase to emphasize and idea or clarify it If you think you can do it, you can do it. Repetition is very noticable to the readers.

foil

someone or something that serves as a contrast to another Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (By Robert Louis Stevenson) "Man is not truly one, but truly two." (Every man's foil exists in himself) In fiction, a foil is important in the development of the story's characters.

meter

systematically arranged and measured rhythm in verse Types of meters: -Iambic meter (unstressed/stressed) ---Don't search faults. Find remedies. -Trochaic meter (stressed/unstressed) ---People become what they believe. -Spondaic meter, (stressed/stressed) ---Be happy, be positive, be you. -Anapestic meter (unstressed/unstressed/ stressed) ---And they found some mice alive still. -Dactylic meter (stressed/unstressed/unstressed) ---If you know why to live, then you can tolerate anything. Though meter is a poetic device, playwrights as well as prose writers often use it to heighten the dramatic quality of the work, adding enchantment, mystery and emotion to their language.

at rise

text that precedes the opening lines of dialogue and explains what the audience should see as the curtain rises (A kitchen/living room somewhere in California. Early evening. MARGE, thirty something mother, stops to scrutinize the carton before pouring milk into a bowl of flour. On the table are four place settings, one of which includes a martini.) At Rise refers to the raising of the curtain most theaters used to have.

juxtaposition

the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect A Tale of Two Cities (By Charles Dickens) "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way ..." Writers employ the literary technique of juxtaposition in order to surprise their readers and evoke their interest, by means of developing a comparison between two dissimilar things by placing them side by side.

apostrophe

the addressing of a usually absent person or a usually personified thing rhetorically The Star (By Jane Taylor) "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky." Jane Taylor uses apostrophe in the well-known poem, The Star.

rhetoric

the art of speaking or writing effectively as a means of communication or persuasion Here comes the Helen of our school. (Allusion) Rhetoric examples aim to make comparisons, to evoke tender emotions, to censure rivals, and all this is done to persuade listeners.

direct characterization

the artistic representation of human character or motives, as explicitly expressed in narration of a text The Most Dangerous Game (By Richard Connell) "The first thing Rainsford's eyes discerned was the largest man Rainsford had ever seen - a gigantic creature, solidly made and black bearded to the waist. ... " 'Ivan is an incredibly strong fellow,' remarked the general, 'but he has the misfortune to be deaf and dumb. A simple fellow, but, I'm afraid, like all his race, a bit of a savage.' " Direct characterization helps the readers understand the type of character they are going to read about.

indirect characterization

the artistic representation of human character or motives, as expressed through the character's words or actions or by the responses of other characters The Grapes of Wrath (By John Steinbeck) 'Joad took a quick drink from the flask. He dragged the last smoke from his raveling cigarette and then, with callused thumb and forefinger, crushed out the glowing end. He rubbed the butt to a pulp and put it out the window, letting the breeze suck it from his fingers.' Indirect Characterization shows things that reveal the personality of a character.

foot

the basic unit of verse meter consisting of any of various fixed combinations or groups of stressed and unstressed or long and short syllables Types of foots: -Iamb -Trochee -Spondee -Anapest -Dactyl The function of foot is to provide the basic structure for the meter in a verse.

dramatis personae

the characters or actors in a drama My Last Duchess (By Robert Browning) "That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Fra Pandolf's hands ... "Will't please you sit and look at her? I said 'Fra Pandolf' by design, for never read ... "At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!" Most of the time, the dramatis personae are identified with the writer, though sometimes a persona can be a character or an unknown narrator.

dialogue

the conversational element of literary or dramatic composition A Dialogue Between Caliban and Ariel (By John Fuller) Cal. "Have you no visions that you cannot name?" Ar. "A picture should extend beyond its frame, There being no limitation To bright reality: For all their declaration And complexity, Words cannot see." Fuller has written this poem in the dialogue form.

falling action

the events that follow the climax in a narrative Star Wars (by George Lucas) After the rebels and Luke Skywalker discover a vulnerable section in the Death Star. The falling action is the desire of the audiences to see the fruits of the labor of a hero or protagonist that satisfies them.

denouement

the final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work The Great Gatsby (By F. Scott Fitzgerald) "'They're a rotten crowd,' I shouted across the lawn. 'You're worth the whole damn bunch put together...'" The denouement in The Great Gatsby happens when Nick decides to go back to Minnesota, to get away from the rich people engaged in all those things Nick thinks are part of the moral worthlessness in Gatsby's life.

inciting incident

the initial event presenting the conflict in a narrative Hamlet (by William Shakespeare) "Let me not think on't! Frailty, thy name is woman — A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she follow'd my poor father's body Like Niobe, all tears - why she, even she — O God! a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourn'd longer —" An inciting incident jolts the protagonist out of his daily routine as it is an event that sparks the fuse of a plot.

exposition

the introduction of the characters, setting, and situation at the outset of a literary work Star Wars (By George Lucas) "A long time ago in a galaxy far away, far away..." Moreover, exposition is widely used for academic purposes in schools, colleges, and universities.

novel

the longest and most complex narrative form Examples of Novel: -Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte -Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë -Moby Dick by Herman Melville Novels exist throughout the world and have existed since it first became possible to print and distribute them.

archetype

the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies Archetypes in Characters -The Hero -The Mother Figure -The Innocent Youth -The Mentor -The Doppelganger An archetype is also known as "universal symbol," may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting.

context

the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning A Tale of Two Cities (by Charles Dickens) Dickens begins his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, in 1770, by describing the release of Doctor Manette from Bastille, before taking the story to 1793 and early 1794. In this time span, the narrative covers a broad story. In a larger view, this novel begins in 1757, while its final scene looks forward to the situation of the post-revolutionary Paris. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens has a historical context, which Dickens has organized around various events that occurred during the French Revolution.

plot

the plan or main story in a narrative Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (By J. K. Rowling) The plot of the story begins when Harry learns that Professor Snape is after the Sorcerer's Stone. The plot focuses attention on the important characters and their roles in the story. It motivates the characters to affect the story, and connects the events in an orderly manner. The plot creates a desire for the reader to go on reading by absorbing them in the middle of the story, ensuring they want to know what happens next.

climax

the point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action Romeo and Juliet (By William Shakespeare) "And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now! Now, Tybalt, take the 'villain' back again That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul Is but a little way above our heads ..." In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, the story reaches its climax in Act 3.

protagonist

the principal character in a literary work Star Wars (By George Lucas) George Lucas develops the character of Luke Skywalker in the movie Star Wars. A protagonist is a very important tool to develop a story. There are different terms for a protagonist, such as hero, focal character, central character, and main character.

antithesis

the second of two opposing words, or the rhetorical contrast of opposing ideas in parallel arrangement for effect Man proposes, God disposes. In literature, writers employ antithesis not only in sentences, but also in characters and events.

connotation

the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes He's such a dog. In literature, connotation is a common practice among writers to deviate from the literal meanings of words in order to create novel ideas.

realism

the theory or practice of fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization The Cherry Orchard (by Anton Chekhov ) VARYA. There's been an unpleasantness here while you were away. In the old servants' part of the house, as you know, only the old people live - little old Efim and Polya and Evstigney, and Karp as well ... Then I heard that they were saying that I had ordered them to be fed on peas and nothing else; from meanness, you see. ... So I call Evstigney. ... [Yawns] He comes. "What's this," I say, "Evstigney, you old fool."... [Looks at ANYA] Anya dear! [Pause] ... My darling's gone to sleep!" Realism attempts to illustrate life without romantic subjectivity and idealization. It focuses on the actualities of life, and truthfully treats the commonplace characters of everyday life.

irony

the use of words to express something other than and especially the opposite of the literal meaning The name of Brazil's biggest dog was "Tiny." Irony brings about some added meanings to a situation. Ironical statements and situations in literature develop readers' interest.

pun

the usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound A horse is a very stable Apart from being witty and humorous, puns add profound meanings to texts, and shape the way in which the text is interpreted by the readers.

couplet

two successive lines of verse forming a unit marked usually by rhythmic correspondence, rhyme, or the inclusion of a self-contained utterance "The time is out of joint, O cursed spite That ever I was born to set it right!" There are seven types of couplets: Short Couplet, Split Couplet, Heroic Couplet (Closed and Open Couplets), Shakespearean Couplet, Alexandrine Couplet, Qasida, Chinese Couplet.

litote

understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary (as in "not a bad singer" or "not unhappy") The ice cream was not too bad. Litotes uses ironic understatement in order to emphasize an idea or situation, rather than minimizing its importance.

blank verse

unrhymed iambic pentameter verse The DREAMS are CLUES that TELL us TAKE chanCES. Blank verse poetry has no fixed number of lines.

colloquial

used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation Colloquial Words: -Bamboozle -Gonna -Wanna -Y'all -Buzz off Colloquial expressions vary from region to region..

poetry

writing that formulates a concentrated imaginative awareness of experience in language chosen and arranged to create a specific emotional response through meaning, sound, and rhythm Types of poems: -Haiku -Free Verse -Cinquans -Epic -Ballad -Name Each type of poetry is characterized by its own style.

epistolary

written in the form of a series of letters In The Color Purple by Alice Walker, readers can learn about the difficult life of Celie through her words and the direct experiences she has faced. Alice Walker has chosen to let the readers encounter this story by using Celie's voice, providing Celie a power that she could not have in everyday life. However, in the film adaptation of this novel, these letters echoed through the monologues of characters. The primary function of epistolary is to give readers an intimate view of characters' feelings and thoughts, and develop a direct connection with the events through letters without interference of the author.