Elements of Prose Literature & Poetry

Trochaic foot

(/ U) a two syllable foot with the stress on the first syllable Ne ver Ga ther Hap py Ten ley

Spondaic foot

(//) 2 stressed syllables Heart break Child hood Foot ball

Dactylic foot

(/UU) 3 syllables with the stress of the first syllable Hap pi ness Mer ri ly Mur mur ing

Resolution

(Also called the falling action) the events following the technical climax in which the is actually worked out

Complication

(Also called the rising action) the *conflict* is developed, suspense is created, and foreshadowing may be used

Imperfect rhyme

(Also referred to as approximate rhyme) rhyme involving words that sound similar but are not exactly the same Ex: crooned/groaned, sun/gone

Perfect rhyme

(Also referred to as exact rhyme) rhyme involving sounds that are exactly the same; example: groaned/moaned

Iambic foot

(U /) a two syllable foot with the stress on the second syllable; the most common foot of the English language Be low De light A muse

Pyrric foot

(UU) 2 unstressed syllables this type of foot is rare and found between other types of feet Of a In the

Anapestic Foot

(UU/) 3 syllables with the stress on the last syllable Cav a lier In ter twine

Octameter

8 feet per line

Lyric

A brief, personal poem that is especially musical (uses many sound devices as well as rhythm and meter) and is filled with emotion; sonnets, odes, and elegies are types of lyrics (ex. Jingles and theme songs)

Stereotyped character

A character created according to widely held, often narrow-minded ideas (the jock, the nerd)

Foil Character

A character that contrasts in some important way with a more important character

Dynamic character

A character who grows, learns, or changes in some significant way throughout the story

Flat character

A character who is not well developed in a story, but represents a type rather than an individual (ex. Stock or stereotypical characters) *All characters are either round or flat*

Round character

A character who is well described and whose thoughts and actions are revealed during the development of a story

Static character

A character who resists change or refuses to change throughout the story *all character are either dynamic or static*

Consistent character

A character whose speech, thoughts, and actions are what the reader has been lead to expect from that particular character

Narrative

A long story told in verse form; an epic is an example of a narrative poem (ex. The odyssey)

Extended metaphor

A metaphor that is developed over several lines of writing

Literary allusion

A reference to a person, place, or thing from previous literature; the three most popular sources for literary allusions are: 1. Mythology 2. The Bible 3. Shakespeare

Meter

A regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry

Plot

A sequence of events in a narrative that is carefully instructed by the author for artistic purpose. A plot is different from a *simple narrative* account Something that is composed and artistic, rather than a mere sequence of events. Its purposes are to give pleasure and convey meaning.

Stock character

A type of character that is usually found "in stock" in a particular literary form (ex. Good cowboys and bad Indians in westerns, beautiful heroine and strong hero in romance novels)

Ballad

A type of poem that is meant to be sung and is both lyric and narrative in nature. (Ex. Taylor Swift songs)

Foot

A unit of meter; can consist of two or three syllables; lines of poetry are classified according to the number of feet in a line

Figure of speech

A word or phrase that describes one thing in terms of another and is not meant to be on a literal level (aka "figurative language")

Three guidelines to stating a theme

A. It must be a complete declarative sentence B. Must state a general truth about life rather than a specific truth about the story C. Must be clearly brought out throughout the entire work, not just part of it

Apostrophe

Addressing something nonhuman as if it were human; addressing someone not present Ex: Death, be not proud...

Paradox

An apparent contradiction which proves, upon examination, to be true; a situation or statement that seems like it makes sense, but somehow, when you think about it, it does; in a paradoxical statement, the contradiction usually stems from one of the words being used figuratively, or in more than one sense Ex: Poor little rich girl! Slow quicksand, a boxing ring, the human race

Dramatic Climax

Another type of Climax that is not related to plot structure. This is the point of greatest interest or intensity to the story.

Exposition

Background information on the characters, setting, and other events necessary for understanding the story are given

Rhymed verse

Consists of a verse with end rhyme and regular meter

Free verse

Consists of lines of poetry that do not have a regular rhythm and do not rhyme

Blank verse

Consists of unrhymed iambic pentameter

Irony

Contrast between the way things are and the way things appear to be

Atmosphere

Describes the general feeling of the story itself

Mood

Describes the reader's state of mind after finishing story

direct metaphor

Directly compares two things with a verb such as "is" Ex: My love is a red, red rose.

Typical plot structure

Exposition ➡️ Complication ➡️ Technical Climax ➡️ Resolution ➡️ Conclusion

Sound Devices

Figures of speech that pertain to sound, or the way words sound in a line of poetry

Types of P.O.V.

First person: the narrator is a character in the story Third person objective: the narrator ls not a character In the story and reports only what can be seen and heard Third person limited omniscient: the narrator Is not a character In the story and reports not only what can be seen and heard, but also the thoughts and feeling of a few characters Third person omniscient: the narrator ls not a character In the story and report what can be seen and heard, along with the thoughts and feellngs of all the characters

Personification

Giving human or animate qualities to inhuman things or inanimate things Ex: the raindrops danced on the sidewalk

Irony (verbal)

Meaning the opposite of what is said Ex: "Here's some bad news...you all got A's!"

Some types of poems

Narrative Lyric Ballad

Plotless Short Story

Not every story, however, has a plot. This is a very modern creation that Is pleasurable to read as it describes characters in a situation, but does not employ the development of the resolution of a conflict.

Monometer

One foot per line

Repetition

Repeating a word or a phrase within a poem; there are 3 reasons to use repetition: 1. Emphasis 2. Spread by word of mouth 3. Sounds pretty Ex:But we loved with a love that was more than love.

Internal rhyme

Rhyme between words that occurs in a single line of poetry Ex: O fleet, sweet sorrow...

Eye rhyme

Rhyme that depends on spelling rather than sound; words that look like they should rhyme but don't Ex: daughter/laughter, prove/love

End rhyme

Rhyme that occurs between words found at the ends of two or more lines on a poem Ex: From my boyhood I remember A crystal moment of September

Poetry

Rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery to appeal to emotion and imagination A patterned form of verbal or written expression of ideas in concentrated, imaginative, and rhythmical terms Often contains rhyme and a specific meter but not necessarily

Symbol

Something concrete used to represent something abstract; a symbol is different from a metaphor in this way: a metaphor means something other what it is, and a symbol means what it is PLUS something more; every poem does not contain a symbol; usually, in order to recognize symbolism in a Poe,, you must work to understand all of the other figures of speech at work within it. Has to be touchable representing non touchable.

Most poems contain the following structural elements...

Stanza Rhyme Rhyme Scheme Rhythm

Implied metaphor

Suggests a comparison without using "is" Ex: My love blossoms over time--implies it's a flower. (School has bars--implies it is a prison)

Tone

The author or speaker's attitude toward the characters, events or audience. Atmosphere, mood, and tone are all conveyed by details and descriptive words used by the author

Protagonist

The central character in a work of fiction about whom the audience is most concerned

Theme

The controlling idea of a literary work that is a general truth or commentary about life, people, the world that is brought out in the story. A theme IS NOT a statement about the story or plot itself. A theme also does not have to be a moral or lesson learned from the story.

Style

The distinctive handling of language by a writer through the purposeful selection of words (diction) and sentence structure (syntax). Style helps to indicate *tone*

Conflict

The interplay betweeen opposing elements; the plot of a story is produced by and propelled by the conflict; there are three types of conflicts: Protagonist vs. self (internal conflict) Protagonist vs. other(s) (external conflict) Protagonist vs. environment (external conflict)

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in parallel grammatical structures; balancing or contracting one thing against another for effect. Ex: fair is foul and foul fair (A type of chiasmus but an exact mirror)

Rhythm

The pattern of stresses (/) and unstressed (u) syllables in words in a line of poetry; rhythm may be regular or irregular A. Meter B. Foot C. Scansion

Rhyme Scheme

The pattern or sequence in which end rhyme occurs throughout a poem. The first end sound is represented with an "a" the second end sound is represented with a "b", and so on. When the first sound is repeated at the end of another line within the poem, it is also designated as "a"

Point of View

The physical and psychological relationship between the *narrator* and the story's characters and events

Scansion

The process of marking lines of poetry to show a type of feet and the number of feet they contain

Motivation

The reasons that cause characters to act as they do

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds that are NOT at the beginning of words in a line of verse (may be at the middle or end) Ex: Come live with me and be my love

Refrain

The repetition of one or more phrases or lines at definite intervals in a Poem, usually at the end of a stanza

Alliteration

The repetition of the original consonant sound in two or more words in a line or verse. Ex: Mark my melodious midnight moans

Setting

The represented time and place of events in a literary work There are four functions of setting: a. To provide a time and place for characters and events to exist b. To help in understanding of the characters and their actions c. to help create mood and atmosphere d. To facilitate plot development

Rhyme

The similarity or likeness of sound in two or more words There are different types of rhyme: A. Perfect rhyme B. Imperfect rhyme C. Eye rhyme D. End rhyme E. Internal rhyme

Assonance

The similarity or repetition of vowel sounds in two or more words with different consonant sounds Ex: She is free and easy (just have to sound the same)

Narrator

The teller of the story

Technical Climax

The turning point in the plot at which the outcome of the action is determined; often, the protagonist changes or has an opportunity to change at this point but doesn't.

Symbolism

The use of something concrete to represent something abstract; using a thing to represent an idea, concept, quality, or condition

Onomatopoeia

The use of words that imitate the sounds they define Ex: buzz, sizzle, hiss, gurgle

Atmosphere and Mood

These terms are often used interchangeably, so be careful of telling them apart. Both have to do with the general feeling created by all aspects of the story - plot, character, setting, etc. -but...

Metaphor

Two dissimilar thing that are compared without using words such as "like," "as," "than," or "resembles" 3 types: Direct metaphor, implied metaphor, and extended metaphor

Simile

Two dissimilar things that are compared using words such as "like," "as," "than," or "resembles" Ex: The clouds, like waves, move across the sky.

Synechdoche

Using a part of something to represent the whole thing Ex: All hands on deck! He thinks the redhead is cute.

Simple narrative account

like a police report, in several ways Just like a chronological description of real events. Its purpose is to tell what happened.

Conclusion

the final event of a story's plot

Antagonist

the principal opponent of the main character

Metonymy

the substitution of one word for another closely associated word Ex: The priest was speaking in tongues. "The pen is mightier than the sword"

Tetrameter

4 feet per line

Pentameter

5 feet per line

Hexameter

6 feet per line

Heptameter

7 feet per line

Character

fictional personality created by an author (a short story has few characters and spotllghts one)

The types of metrical feet

1. iambic foot 2. trochaic foot 3. spondaic foot 4. pyrric foot 5. anapestic foot 6. dactylic foot

Dimeter

2 feet per line

Trimeter

3 feet per line

Verse forms

3 main types: Rhymed verse Blank verse Free verse

Three types of irony

Verbal irony: discrepancy between the literal meaning of a word and the meaning actually conveyed (saying one thing but meaning another); sarcasm is a form of verbal irony Dramatic irony: a discrepancy between knowledge held by the reader and a character's ignorance of that knowledge; when the reader knows something the character doesn't Situational irony: a discrepancy between the expected outcome of a situation and the actual outcome

Stanza

a group of consecutive lines in a poem that form a single unit; a division of a poem that is often referred to as a "Paragraph of poetry" There are seven basic stanza forms: A. Couplet: a two line stanza B. Triplet: a three line stanza C. Quatrain: a four line stanza D. Quintet: a five line stanza E. Sestet: a six line stanza F. Septet: a seven line stanza G. Octave: an eight line stanza (Other stanzas are referred to as "nine line stanza" or "ten line stanza", etc.)

Characterization

the technique a writer uses to create and reveal characters in a work of fiction; credibility and consistency are essential to good characterization. There are two methods of character revelation an author may use: a. expository: tellng the reader about a character In a stralghfforward manner (ex. Suzy was smart.) This method ls more direct, qulcker, and less attentlon getting. b. dramatic: showing the reader what a character is like through descriptlons of thought, dlalogue, action, etc. (ex. Suzy always got straight A's on her card.) This method is more indlrect, less qulck, but more attention getting. Writers use both types of character revelation In their writing.

Hyperbole

using exaggeration for emphasis not to be taken literally; overstatement Ex: I cried my eyes out! I could sleep for a year. You could have knocked me over with a feather.