English 10 Provincial Terms & Definitions

Allusion

A casual reference to something without mentioning it explicitly

Dynamic Character

A character who encounters a conflict and undergoes a significant or lasting change in some aspect of their personality, attitude, character or behavior

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines two words with opposite meanings to convey emotions

Contrast

A juxtaposition or comparison showing striking differences

Genre

A kind of style especially of art or literature (like science fiction)

Epic Poem

A long poem that is often about a neurotic character; the style is elevated and the poetry often represents religious or cultural ideas

Euphemism

A mild of indirect word expression for one too harsh of blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

Crisis

A moment of intense conflict leading up to the climax

Character

A person in a novel, play, ect.

Cliche

A phrase of an idea which is used so often it is no longer interesting, effective of relevant.

Elegy

A poem or song composed especially as a lament for a deceased person.

Conflict

A situation involving serious disagreement or argument; A state of mind in which a person experiences a clash of opposing wishes or needs - Character vs. Character (ext) - Character vs. Self (int) - Character vs.Environment (ext) - Character vs.Supernatural or Fate (int/ext) - Character vs.Technology (ext) - Character vs.Society (int/ext)

Narrative

A spoken or written account of events in order of happening

Description

A spoken or written representation (of a person, object, or event)

First Person P.O.V.

A way of a novel, film, ect. as if one of the characters is telling the story using the word "I"

Epithelium

An ancient lyric poem honoring a bride and her groom

Epiphany

An experience of sudden and striking realization; generally the term is used to describe breakthrough, scientific, religious, or philosophical discoveries, but it can apply in any situation in which an enlightening realization allows a problem or situation to be understood from a new and deeper perspective.

Connotation

An idea or feeling which a word evokes for a person in addition to it's literal or primary meaning

Antagonist

An opponent or adversary; the protagonist's rival

Colloquial

Belonging to or proper to ordinary or familiar language

Dialogue

Conversation in written form especially between characters in a novel, play, ect.

Lyric

Expresses the private emotions or thoughts of the writer; sonnets, odes, and elegies are all classified as lyric poems

Consonance

In a line of poetry a constant letter of cluster of letters that is repeated for emphasis

Imagery

Language that produces pictures in that minds of people reading or listening

Refrain

Lines of poetry that are repeated at regular intervals in a poem; can be one line or even a single word

Irony

Occurs when what takes place contrasts with what was expected or seems appropriate.

Flat Character

Opposite of a round character, this literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or character.

Bias

Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, especially in a way considered to be unfair.

Symbol

Something that stands for or represents something else; characters, objects, events, and settings can all be symbols

Mood

The emotional environment created by the author

Denotation

The meaning or signification of a term, as distinct from it's implications or connotations

Round Character

The most recognizable type of character as he or she is realistic and portrays several believable traits

Stanza

The pattern of lines that makes up a unit of a poem; can be referred to as the poems "paragraph"

Audience

The people addressed to by a film, book, ect.

Atmosphere

The pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or written work; especially with reference to the feelings or emotions evoked

Rhyme

The repetition of accented vowel sound and all succeeding sounds in important or importantly positioned words

Objective P.O.V.

The third person narrator relates only what we can see and hear, without giving access to the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters

Blank Verse

Verse that does not rhyme, generally written in iambic pentameter

Personification

When human characteristics are given to non-human subjects of things

Chronological Order

When something is arranged or considered in order of their occurrence.

Aside

Words spoken in a play for the audience to hear, but not supposed to be heard by other characters

Character Foil

a character who is on contrast with another (usually a minor character who helps set off a major character); their purpose is to illuminate one or more of the significant traits, attitudes, or actions of a main character

Stereotyped Character

a character who possesses one or two easily recognized and identified traits which enable the observer to accurately predict behavior and personality, i.e., the dumb blonde, the town drunk: a figure differentiated by role rather than by psychology

Simile

a comparison made between two unlike things using the connecting words like, as, or then

Exposition; Expository

a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory; intended to explain or describe something.

Tragedy

a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction

Metaphor

a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common

Sarcasm

a form of irony where apparent praise is used to convey strong, bitter criticism

Satire

a form of written work or art that uses irony or sarcasm to ridicule an idea, person, or thing. The idea behind satire is to expose human flaws, often to provoke change

Comedy

a play, film, ect. of an amusing or satirical character, usually with a happy ending

Ballad

a poem that tells a story similar to a folk tale or legend, usually has a repeated refrain; ballads are often sung

Didactic Poem

a poem written to instruct or inform

Sonnet

a poem, properly expressive of a single, complete thought, idea, or sentiment, of 14 lines, usually in iambic pentameter, with rhymes arranged according to one of certain definite schemes

Suspense

a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety

Image

a word or phrase that describes something in an imaginative way

Paradox

an apparently absurd of contradictory statement that, upon closer reflection, has truth to it

Foreshadowing

an event that is an indication or sign of later events

Hyperbole

an extravagant exaggeration often made for dramatic or even comedic purposes.

Euphony

harmonious or beautiful sounds that a poet creates with words or combinations of words that are pleasing to the ear.

Figurative Language

language employing figures of speech; language that cannot be taken literally or only literally

Rhythm

refers to the pattern of stresses and pauses in spoken language

Omniscient P.O.V.

reveals the minds of several or all of the characters, knows and tells all from a God-like perspective "outside" the story

Static Character

someone who does not change over time, their personality does not transform or evolve

Understatement

the act or an instance of understating, or representing in a weak or restrained way that is not borne out by the facts:

Climax

the event or point of highest intensity - the fortunes change for the protagonist

Resolution

the final stage in the plot where all the loose ends are tied up

Theme

the general meaning or insight behind a literary work

Protagonist

the main character who must meet and overcome the struggle or conflict in the story

Alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent of closely connected words

Rhyme Scheme

the pattern of rhymes used in a poem, usually marked by letters to symbolize correspondences

Point of view

the perspective from which the author tells a story

Rising action

the place in the plot where conflicts are introduced and developed

Flashback

the presentation of an event or situation that occurred before the time in which the work's action takes place

plot

the sequence of events in a literary work. The structure usually consists of exposition, rising action, crisis, climax, falling action, and resolution

Tone

the speaker's attitude toward his or her subject matter

Setting

the time and place in which a story takes place

Onomatopoeia

the use of a word whose sound in some degree imitates or suggests it's meaning

Indirect presentation

the writer presents the character in action, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions about the personality of that character

Direct Presentation

the writer tells readers what kind of personality the character possesses rather than allowing the character to show his or her personality and allow readers to draw their own conclusions

Limited Omniscient P.O.V.

third person narrator who gives the reader access to the thoughts and feelings of only one character, usually the protagonist

Persuasion; persuasive

to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action; able, fitted, or intended to persuade

Narration

to recount or relate a story, events, experiences, ect.

Falling Action

tries to bring resolution to major conflicts

Free Verse

verse that does not follow a conventional pattern or a rhyme scheme

Jargon

words or expressions used by a particular group or profession