literary terms
30. Literary or Contextual Symbol
- Depends upon the context of the story for its significance. May not seem significant at first, but begins to gain meaning through emphasis or repetition.
29. Conventional Symbol
- Likely to suggest the same thing to most people with common cultural and social assumptions (rose = love, skull and crossbones = poison). Ex: 1. Light: truth, safety, warmth, knowledge 2. Darkness: evil, ignorance, danger The term, symbol, when used in literature is often a figure of speech in which a person, object, or situation represent something in addition to its literal meaning.
46. Rhyme Scheme
- the pattern of rhymes used in a poem, usually marked by letters to symbolize correspondences, as rhyme royal, ababbcc. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (A) How I wonder what you are. (A) Up above the world so high, (B) Like a diamond in the sky. (B)
38. Internal Rhyme
1. a rhyme created by two or more words in the same line of verse. and/or 2. a rhyme created by words within two or more lines of a verse.
22. Allusion
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. They can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical. There are many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion. Im surprised his nose wasn't growing like pinochios
35. onomatopoeia
A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Simple examples include such words as buzz, hiss, hum, crack, whinny, and murmur. If you note examples of onomatopoeia in an essay passage, note the effect.
26. Personification
A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions. Personification is used to make these abstractions, animals, or objects appear more vivid to the reader.
27. Hyperbole
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. (The literal Greek meaning is "overshoot.") Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often, hyperbole produces irony. The opposite of hyperbole is understatement. - ex: the spider was as big as my dog!
13. Metaphor
A statement comparing two things without using like or as. "You're eyes are twinkling stars".
25. Metonymy
A word or phrase is used in place of another word. usually makes the statement for impactful. Ex: can you please give me a hand carrying this? Hand in place of help. Can you please help me? - for example suit for business executive, or the track for horse racing.
43. End-stopped Line
An end-stopped line is a poetic device in which a pause comes at the end of a syntactic unit (sentence, clause or phrase); this pause can be expressed in writing as a punctuation mark such as a colon, semi-colon, period or full stop. Examples: 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...
28. Oxymoron
From the Greek for "pointedly foolish," an oxymoron is a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness."
23. Controlling Metaphors
If a metaphor is so extensive that it dominates or organizes an entire literary work, especially a poem, it is called a ____________ ___________.
2. Point of view
In literature, the perspective from which a story is told. There are two general divisions of point of view, and many subdivisions within those. (1) first person narrator tells the story with the first person pronoun, "I," and is a character in the story. This narrator can be the protagonist, a secondary character, or an observing character. (2) third person narrator relates the events with the third person pronouns, "he," "she," and "it." There are two main subdivisions to be aware of: a. third person omniscient, in which the narrator, with godlike knowledge, presents the thoughts and actions of any or all characters b. third person limited omniscient, in which the narrator presents the feelings and thoughts of only one character, presenting only the actions of all the remaining characters. In addition, be aware that the term point of view carries an additional meaning. When you are asked to analyze the author's point of view, the appropriate point for you to address is the author's attitude.
45. Enjambment
In poetry it means moving over from one line to another without a terminating punctuation mark. It can be defined as a thought or sense, phrase or clause in a line of poetry that does not come to an end at the line break but moves over to the next line. Examples: Breathless with adoration; the broad sun Is sinking down in its tranquility;
21. Carpe Diem
Latin word meaning seize the day; enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.
15. Diction
Related to style, refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. - Example: you're pissing me off vs. that's not very nice. What's up homie vs. hi how are you?
Theme
The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life. Usually theme is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the theme may be directly state, especially in expository or argumentative writing.
32.-34. Irony/ironic
The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant, or the difference between what appears to be and what is actually true. Irony is often used to create poignancy or humor. (1) verbal irony - when the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) meaning (the sky is blue. no really..... I had no idea!) (2) situational irony - when events turn out the opposite of what was expected; when what the characters and readers think ought to happen is not what does happen (a fire station burns down or cinderella dies at the end of the story.) (3) dramatic irony - when facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work. ex: we know the killer is in the house but the character doesn't.
17. Connotation
The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas, emotions or attitudes She was a bitch. - female dog/ negative connotation "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day"
36. Alliteration
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells"). Although the term is not frequently in the multiple choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage.
16. Denotation
The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color. (Example: the denotation of knife- a utensil for cutting - Connotation - knife - such as knife in the back - anger fear violence betrayal
19. Syntax
The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. Syntax is similar to diction, but you can differentiate them by thinking of syntax as groups of words, while diction refers to the individual words. the boy jumped happily happily the boy jumped. how the words are arranged.
39. Iambic Pentameter
a common meter in poetry consisting of an unrhymed line with five feet or accents, each foot containing an unaccented syllable and an accented syllable Ex: "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." shakespeare
4. Round Character
a complex literary character with fully developed and dynamic traits
24. Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part. - the special for the general or the general for the special, as in ten sail for ten ships or a Croesus for a rich man.
5. Flat Character
a literary character whose personality can be defined by one or two traits and does not change in the course of the story
7. Static Character
a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop.
2. Unreliable Narrator
a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility has been seriously compromised.
14. Speaker
a person who speaks formally before an audience; lecturer; orator. - the person speaking/telling the story
20. Dramatic monologue
a poetic form in which a single character, addressing a silent audience at a critical moment, reveals himself or herself and the dramatic situation. Ex: Dover beach - man addresses a silent audience (his wife).
47. Heroic Couplet
a rhyming couplet in iambic pentameter
12. Conventions
a rule, method, or practice established by usage; custom Ex: decorating the tree at christmas carve a turkey at thanksgiving
48. Italian sonnet
a sonnet consisting of an octave rhyming abba abba and a sestet rhyming in any of various patterns (such as cde cde or cdc dcd) —called also Petrarchan sonnet
49. English sonnet
a sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a couplet with a rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef gg —called also Shakespearean sonnet
31. Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one. Ex: Yellow Wall Paper
41. Masculine Ending
a stressed syllable at the end of a line of verse
44. Caesura
a usually rhetorical break in the flow of sound in the middle of a line of verse It is for you we speak, || not for ourselves: You are abused || and by some putter-on That will be damn'd for't; || would I knew the villain, I would land-damn him. || Be she honour-flaw'd, I have three daughters; || the eldest is eleven
11. Stage Directions
an instruction written into the script of a play, indicating stage actions, movements of performers, or production requirements.
42. Feminine Ending
an unstressed syllable at the end of a line of verse
6. Dynamic Character
in literature or drama, a character who undergoes a permanent change in outlook or character during the story; also called a developing character
10. Act
one of the main divisions of a play or opera: the second act ofHamlet. or a short performance by one or more entertainers, usually part of a variety show or radio or television program.
37. End Rhyme
rhyme of the terminal syllables of lines of poetry.
1. Plot
the main events of a play, novel, movie, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence.
18. Persona
the mask or façade presented to satisfy the demands of the situation or the environment and not representing the inner personality of the individual; the public personality and/or a person's perceived or evident personality, as that of a well-known official, actor, or celebrity; personal image; public role. - the rock johnson appears to be a badass and tough but might not actually be in person.
9. Spatial Setting
the place or places in which action unfolds
50. Explication
the process of analyzing a literary work in order to reveal its meaning.
8. Temporal Setting
the time when the action in a story occurs.
40. Blank Verse
unrhymed verse - especially the unrhymed iambic pentameter most frequently used in English dramatic, epic, and reflective verse.
