Official LA 10 Honors Lit Terms
Invective
An intensely vehement, highly emotional verbal attack EXAMPLE: "This is just the sort of blinkered philistine pig-ignorance I've come to expect from you non-creative garbage. You sit there on your loathsome spotty behinds squeezing blackheads, not caring a tinker's cuss for the struggling artist. You excrement, you whining hypocritical toadies with your colour TV sets and your Tony Jacklin golf clubs and your bleeding masonic secret handshakes. You wouldn't let me join, would you, you blackballing bastards." (John Cleese in Monty Python's "The Architect Sketch")
Expletive
An interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes (often), a profanity That's f-ing ridiculous. It's a damn shame. It's a friggin' joke.
Didactic
(adj.) having the primary purpose of teaching or instructing in a way that is annoying or unwanted. Could be used to describe a character, his/her actions, or even an entire piece.
Cliche
(noun) an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off Ex: They lived happily ever after. Once upon a time... Loves long walks on the beach
Epigram
-a brief, pithy, and often paradoxical saying Ex: "I can resist everything except temptation." --Oscar Wilde
Hubris
Excessive pride or arrogance that results in the downfall of the protagonist of a tragedy often the tragic flaw that leads to a character's downfall. Examples of characters that suffer from the result of this include: -Julius Caesar (at least in Shakespeare's play) -Oedipus (he's above and beyond the most famous example) -Creon and even Antigone -Colonel George Armstrong Custer...(good example of a real, historical figure). (historical/fictional) that has fallen because they believe they are infallible
Flat Character
A character who embodies a single quality and who does not develop in the course of a story. he/she exists primarily as 2-dimensional ...there's nothing really behind him/her that helps a reader understand what he/she is all about. Another example would be:Men...he's pretty much shallow and unaware throughout the entire novel (remember, he's got no problem shooting Candy's dog and at the end of the novel asks "now, what the hell you suppose is eatin' them two?" The opposite of a round character--that is a character who is complex and increases in complexity throughout the story. A round character is capable of contradiction and change with evidence of emotional and psychological development.
Motif
A standard theme, element, or dramatic situation that recurs in various works or throughout a specific work. This concept can be a little tricky to fully grasp. The easiest way to understand it is to simply think of it as a recurring pattern or image. For example, in All Quiet, there's definitely a reoccurring _______of trees in the novel. Moreso than any other symbol in the novel, the trees appear over and over again--each time representing the same thing...home, innocence, the way things were, etc. Trees are thus a _______in the novel just as Paul's regular questioning of "what's he got left to return to" is a thematic ________.
Rhetoric
How writers/speakers/poets/authors/etc get their point across. It can often be broken down into 3 different approaches: LOGOS, ETHOS, and PATHOS.
Euphony
A term applied to language that strikes the ear as smooth, pleasant, and musical Ex Comic book colors on a violin river cryin leonardo, Words from out a silk trombone. I rang a silent bell, beneath a shower of pearls, In the eagle-winged palace of the queen chinee.
Epithet
A term used to point out a characteristic of a person. Homeric epithets are often compound adjectives ("swift-footed Achilles") that become an almost formulaic part of a name. They can be abusive or offensive but are not so by-definition. For example, athletes may be proud of their given theirs ("The Rocket"). Ex: Huge-headed Leslie sat next to weepy-eyed Malone.
Pathos
An appeal based emotion.This type of argument is often dependent on the audience's expected reaction or the ability to connect on a personal level. Ex -An advertisement that suggests the product being sold will make you look more attractive and appealing -A charity that shows pictures of those it is trying to raise money to help -Trying to get out of a ticket by making yourself cry and attempting to convince the officer that "you are really a good kid" and that your "parents are going to kill you!"
Logos
An appeal based on logic or reason. This type of argument is often backed by data, research, and concrete detail. Ex: -A paper on global warming that cites specific data indicating a rise in average temperature -A lawyer who shows specific evidence as to why his suspect is not the killer -Trying to get out of a speeding ticket by arguing that your car is incapable of going 104mph
Ethos
An appeal based on the character of the speaker. This type of argument relies on the reputation of the arguer. -A political candidate citing her vast experience with foreign policy -A store that draws attention to its 50+ years in the business -Trying to get out of a speeding ticket based on the fact that you've never received one before
Colloquialism
Informal words or expressions not usually acceptable in formal writing Ex: Dude, Man Y'all
Cacophony
Language which is perceived as harsh, rough, and unmusical. Note: the discordancy/harshness is the effect of not only the sound of the words, but also of their significance. Ex: Pied Piper Robert Browning Rats! They fought the dogs and killed the cats... Split open the kegs of salted sprats, Made nests inside men's Sunday hats; Ex: Tenebris I Thomas Hardy I shall not lose old strength In the lone frost's black length Strength long since fled!
Verse
Refers to writing that is considered poetry.
Prose
The most typical form of language. Both non-fiction writing as well as fictional writing is considered this. Pretty much any writing that's not verse.
Ellipsis
The omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context ex: Some people prefer cats. Others, dogs.
Dramatic Irony
When the audience or reader is aware of critical information of which the characters are unaware. EX: -Think of a scary movie when the audience knows the killer is in the basement, yet the girl goes down there anyway. -How the audience knows about Romeo and Juliet's love while no one else around them does. There are all sorts of lines throughout the play where only the audience gets the full meaning.
Personification
Where either an inanimate object or abstract concept is spoken of as though it were endowed with life or human attributes or feelings. Ex: Paradise Lost Milton Sky lowered, and muttering thunder, some sad drops Wept at completing of the mortal sin Ex: To Autumn John Keats Then, land!—then England! oh the frosty cliffs Looked cold upon me. In the Little Mermaid, Ursula is a personified version of evil/corruption.
Anecdote
a brief narrative that focuses on a particular incident or event ex: In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul tells the story of Kemmerich's mother crying at the train station as her son is leaving for war.
Aphorism
a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance EX: A picture is worth a thousand words." "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." "Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you. "'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."
Inference
a conclusion one draws based on premises or evidence
Asyndeton
a construction in which elements are presented in a series without conjunctions Ex: She ran, jumped, swung, flew.
Adage
a familiar proverb or wise saying ex: "the early bird gets the worm."
Apostrophe
a figure of speech in which one directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or some abstraction Ex: O' Romeo, O' Romeo...(Juliet is addressing a hypothetical Romeo at this point...does not know he's there) Someone shouting toward the sky, cursing Fate...an example like this often employs personification as well.
Elegy
a formal poem presenting a meditation on death or another solemn theme EX: Ginsberg's "Kaddish"...for his mom: For Naomi Ginsberg, 1894-1956 Strange now to think of you, gone without corsets & eyes, while I walk on the sunny pavement of Greenwich Village. downtown Manhattan, clear winter noon, and I've been up all night, talking, talking, reading the Kaddish aloud, listening to Ray Charles blues shout blind on the phonograph the rhythm the rhythm--and your memory in my head three years after...
Parody
a humorous imitation of a serious work EX: Any t me Saturday Night Live takes on something well-known, it's a parody--whether it's a humorous "remake" of a movie, a song, or an event...if they make fun of it, it's a ___________. Here's some more examples that might help: -The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are ______ of the national, evening news. -Monty Python's Quest For the Holy Grail is a ______of King Arthur -Scary Movie, Another Teen Movie, etc. all ______a number of well-known works and genres -Don Quixote is a ______of the classic knight/damsel in distress stories. -Anthony Hecht's poem "Dover Bitch" is a famous _______of Matthew Arnold's well-known "Dover Beach." -Peter De Vries's "To His Importunate Mistress" gently mocks Andrew Marvell's "To His Coy Mistress."
Allegory
a literary work in which characters, objects, or actions represent abstractions ex: Animal Farm is a _____________for the Russian Revolution.
Epic
a 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 Ex: The Odyssey The Illiad.
Allusion
a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize. ex: In Led Zeppelin's Misty Mountain Hop, the final verse contains the lines: "So I'm packing my bags for the Misty Mountains / where the spirits go now/ over the hills where the spirits fly." This (as well as the actual title of the song itself) is a direct reference to the "Misty Mountains" of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy
Epigraph
a saying or statement on the title page of a work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work Remarque's opening to All Quiet. "This book is to be neither an accusation nor an adventure..."
Parable
a simple story that illustrates a moral or religious lesson Here's another formal definition: A story or short narrative designed to reveal allegorically some religious principle, moral lesson, psychological reality, or general truth. Rather than using abstract discussion, a parable always teaches by comparison with real or literal occurrences--especially "homey" everyday occurrences a wide number of people can relate to. Well-known examples of parables include those found in the synoptic Gospels, such as "The Prodigal Son" and "The Good Samaritan." Note: The main difference between a parable and a fable is that fable's tend to have elements of fantasy (talking animals, etc.). Parables tend to be rooted more in human, realistic events.
Argument
a statement of the meaning or main point of a literary work To Kill a Mockingbird shows how one's true character is too often overlooked due to the stereotypes and prejudices of society. NOTE: The term argument is often interchangeable with the term theme. Often, argument is used in place of theme when discussing non-fiction works. Ex: The argument of Zinn's essay, "What's Next for Suburbia?" is that ultimately, greed and consumption will destroy the nuclear family.
Narrative
a story or narrated account. Pretty much every story is considered a _________. The term can often be used as a nice replacement word for: story, tale, plot, account, etc. EX: Throughout Paul's _________, the reader is exposed to the harshness and brutality of the battlefield. However, a ___________ is not a novel or a book. Rather, novels and books often contain _________.
Frame Device
a story within a story...typically used to set up the main narrative. An example is Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, in which the primary tales are told within the pilgrimage to Canterbury. As the pilgrims walk to Canterbury, each has his/her story told. Another example would be Forrest Gump--most of the film is told by Forrest sitting on a park bench, recounting his narrative to the growing crowd around him. Forrest talking to strangers, sitting on the park bench, people gathering around him to hear makes up the story within a story.
Philipic
a strong verbal denunciation. a spoken or written diatribe against whatever it is you feel that strongly about--be it a person, an idea, or a course of action pretty similar to an invective (a strong verbal attack). In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout describes how she pulled on one of the townspeople's sleeves to find out what was going on and "received a _______about [her] family's moral degradation." Synonyms: Diatribe Invective Verbal Attack Denunciation
Implication
a suggestion an author or speaker makes without stating it directly.
Onomatopoeia
a word, which imitates the natural sounds of a thing. It creates a sound effect that mimics the thing described, making the description more expressive and interesting. For instance, saying, "The gushing stream flows in the forest" is a more meaningful description than just saying, "The stream flows in the forest." The reader is drawn to hear the sound of a "gushing stream" which makes the expression more effective. In addition to the sound they represent, many onomatopoeic words have developed meanings of their own. For example, "whisper" not only represents the sound of people talking quietly, but also describes the action of people talking quietly. Common Examples: The buzzing bee flew away. The sack fell into the river with a splash. The books fell on the table with a loud thump. He looked at the roaring sky. The rustling leaves kept me awake. The different sounds of animals are also considered as examples. You will recognize the following sounds easily: Meow Moo Neigh Tweet Oink Baa
Ad Hominem Argument
an argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue: You can't believe Jack when he says the "proposed policy would help the economy." He doesn't even have a job. Jane's proposal about zoning is ridiculous. She was caught cheating on her taxes in 2003." Name-calling is often a part of an ad hominem argument
Pedantic
characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship an adjective to describe something that is trying to come across as overly smart, sophisticated, and learned. For example: A _______way of saying that "you are dim-witted fool," could be: "you are an individual with a cerebral cortex of limited function." Here's a good one. Rather than saying "Your half-assed attempt failed," a ________rephrasing would be "your demi-buttocked endeavor was unsuccessful." _________is typically a negative term. Overusing a thesaraus can too often lead to a _______tone...(some of you should pay attention to that). Sometimes, an author will create a ________character to make them come across as unlikeable, snobby, etc.
Hyperbole
intentional exaggeration to create an effect Ex: It is going to take a bazillion years to get through Medical School. I am so hungry I could eat a horse He's like 900 years old. I waited in line for centuries. I've told you a million times, "don't exaggerate." If I don't get these jeans, I will DIE!..literally
Tautology
needless repetition which adds no meaning or understanding EX: Free gift Those ones Short summary New innovation The reason why Cheaper price Faster speed First introduced Plan ahead Added bonus Over-exaggerate Often, translated items create these: Rio Grande River (The Big River River) Chai Tea (Tea Tea) Sahara Desert (Desert Desert)
Juxtaposition
placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast. ex: -A picture of a fluffy kitten sitting on a pile of broken glass. -An old woman holding a newborn baby. -Big guy on a small bike. -An innocent and pure character being thrust into a dark and twisted world.
Anachronism
something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time ex -A movie set in the old west where a character forgets to move their digital watch -An airplane visible in a movie sent in Biblical times -Shakespeare referring to clocks sounding in ancient Rome -Referencing a modern idea or event in a piece of art set in an earlier time.
Antecedant
the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers. He=Doug She=Nancy It= Traci's 1974 Ford Mustang Them=The Atwater family etc.
Connotation
the implied or associative meaning of a word Swine = someone awful
Denotation
the literal meaning of a word Swine = a pig
Alliteration
the repetition of initial sounds in successive or neighboring words ex: the big ball bounced by Bob's bagel bakery Just another Alaskan attempt at answers.
Anaphora
the repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of consecutive lines or sentences Here's an example from Lord Byron's Marino Faliero: Strike as I would Have struck those tyrants! Strike deep as my curse! Strike! and but once Also an example: MLK's I have a Dream
Polysyndeton
the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural: Ex: We ran, and jumped, and flew, and swam, and lived, and laughed, and loved. We could go to the store, or to the mall, or to the beach, or to a movie, or to a coffee shop.
Deus ex Machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new character, ability, or object. Latin: God out of the machine. God from the machine. -In the Arabian Nights tale of "The Three Apples, " after discovering the dead body of a young woman, Harun al-Rashid orders Ja'far ibn Yahya, to solve the crime and find the murderer within three days or else he will have him executed instead. Ja'far, however, fails to find the murderer before the deadline. Just when Harun is about to have Ja'far executed for his failure, a deus ex machina occurs when the murderer suddenly reveals himself,claiming to be the woman's husband. In The Life of Brian, Brian is 'rescued' from a high fall by a passing space ship.
Conceit
A fanciful, particularly clever and (often) extended metaphor--typically comparing two entities that one would not usually think to compare. EX: "Love is like an oil change" Or from Romeo and Juliet: "Thou counterfeit'st a bark, a sea, a wind; For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea, Do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is, Sailing in this salt flood; the winds, thy sighs; Who, raging with thy tears, and they with them, Without a sudden calm, will overset Thy tempest-tossed body."
Genre
A major category or type of literature Examples of different genres: Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance Mystery Adventure Comic Crime Historical Fiction Horror Magical Realism Political Epic Coming-of-Age ...not to be confused with: age-level (young adult, kids, adult, etc) or format: (comic book, graphic novel, sonnet, etc.)
Limited Narrator
A narrator who presents the story as it is seen and understood by a single character and restricts information to what is seen, heard, thought, or felt by that one character Typically, what you are going to run into is a 3rd-Person example. Ex: "As Jack walked to the store, he saw many things. "Hello," he said to Mrs. Janey. He always loved the way she smiled at him and this morning was no exception."
Rhythm
A recognizable though varying pattern in the beat of stresses or accents, in the stream of speech sounds Ex: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T.S. Eliot I grow old ... I grow old ... I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled
Euphemism
An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant Ex: Saying Kennedy is "no longer with us" instead of saying Kennedy is dead.
Non Sequitur
An inference that does not follow logically from the premises (literally, "does not follow"). This term can take on a number of related meanings. Such as: -A statement that has little or no relation to what preceded it; illogical inference ex: (Theo lives in a small apartment. Therefore he must only love people that are smaller than him.) -A statement that has little or nothing to do with the preceding statement. ex: (Joe: Do you like the new Kanye album? Bill: I could really go for some Thai food right now...like some spring rolls. Yeah. Spring rolls. Joe: What? Bill: Don't tempt me, dude, I swear I didn't borrow your sweater. Back off.) It can also describe a statement that just seems really out of place and doesn't make sense when taken out of context. ex: (Could you inflate that giraffe a bit more. It seems so sad there next to that teakettle). It is also an appropriate term to describe a collection of unrelated ideas that are presented together. ex: (So David Bowie is pretty weird, the snow hasn't been good all year, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna fail Mr. Bopp's class).
Paradox
In its simplest form, it is a statement that initially appears to be contradictory but then, on closer inspection, turns out to make sense. John Donne's "Death, thou shalt not die." Oscar Wilde: "I can resist everything except temptation." Twain: "Don't let your schooling interfere with your education" Lewis: "Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again." "Je ne parle pas Français." While the official definition of a paradox may just be a seemsingly contradicorty statement. Paradox can be much bigger and describe a whole situation. Example: In the movie The Matrix, it is discovered that life is just a simulation. If that's the case, what's the point of living...of anything? Ultimately, all paradoxes do one thing: stop the reader and make them think. They are arresting, puzzling, and force one to be inquisitive, reflective, and often introspective.
Repetition
Recurring/repeated language which deliberately used in order to achieve a specific emphasis or certain effect. Ex: We Real Cool Gwendolyn Brooks We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon. Ex: Howl Allen Ginsberg who wandered around and around at midnight in the railroad yard wonder-ing where to go, and went, leaving no broken hearts, who lit cigarettes in boxcars boxcars boxcars racketing through snow toward lonesome farms in grandfather night, who studied ....
Mood
The emotional atmosphere of a work. The ambiance and atmosphere that pervades a literary work with the intention of evoking a certain emotion or feeling from the audience. In drama/film it may be created by sets and music as well as words; in poetry and prose, it may be created by a combination of such elements as setting, voice, character, tone, theme The __________ evoked by the more popular short stories of Edgar Allen Poe, for example, tend to be gloomy, horrific, and desperate. The _________ of Cormac McCarthy's The Road is bleak, desperate, lost. The __________ of All Quiet on the Western Front is bleak, desperate, lost, hopeless--yet, admittedly, has moments where the mood shifts to thankful and hopeful. ________________________. It's is all about the effect the piece has on the reader/viewer/audience. It is the feeling, ambiance, or atmosphere perceived by the reader. It is the emotions you feel while reading. It indicates a prevailing feeling, or frame of mind...and is often established early, in the exposition of a piece. It can help establish a sense of expectation to readers of what is to follow
Malapropism
The mistaken substitution of one word for another word that sounds similar: -The doctor wrote a subscription -I did my geography report on the Soviet Onion Shakespeare loves these. Examples from the character of Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing: "Comparisons are odorous." (instead of odius) "Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons." (instead of apprehended two suspicious persons) This is different than a mispronunciation like: acrost instead of across.
Assonance
The repetition of identical or similar vowels—especially in stressed syllables—in a sequence of nearby words. Ode on a Grecian Urn: "Thou still unravished bride of quietness, Thou foster child of silence and slow time" The early bird gets the worm
Jargon
The specialized language or vocabulary of a particular group or profession Gigabyte, RAM, CPU, memory, terabyte, jpeg, pdf These are terms that are specific to computing. Carabiner, crux, dihedral, belay, stopper, cam, crimper, sloper, jug, whipper These are terms that are specific to rock climbing
Situational Irony:
What happens is different from what's expected to happen. EX: -It is ironic that Romeo and Juliet, the only children of bitter enemies, meet serendipitously and fall in love. -A bank robber held several people hostage but felt responsible to feed them and ordered pizza. When the pizza arrived, he paid the delivery boy. -O. Henry's short story "The Ransom of Red Chief" presents a third example of irony when the kidnappers pay a ransom to return the bratty Red Chief to his parents. -When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a vehicle made to protect the President from gunfire was partially responsible for his being shot. -The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a story whose plot revolves around irony. Dorothy travels to a wizard and fulfills his challenging demands to go home, before discovering she had the ability to go back home all the time. The Scarecrow longs for intelligence, only to discover he is already a genius, and the Tin Woodsman longs to be capable of love, only to discover he already has a heart. The Lion, who at first appears to be a whimpering coward, turns out to be bold and fearless. The people in Emerald City believed the Wizard to be a powerful deity, only to discover that he is a bumbling, eccentric old man.
Verbal Irony:
When a character says one thing but means another. It occurs when either the speaker means something totally different than what he is saying or the audience realizes, because of their knowledge of the particular situation to which the speaker is referring, that the opposite of what a character is saying is true. It also also occurs when a character says something in jest that, in actuality, is true. EX: In Julius Caesar, Marc Antony's reference to Brutus being "an honorable man" is an example. Marc Antony notes all of the good deeds Julius Caesar did for his people while, more than once, he asks the rhetorical question, "Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?" Antony uses this rhetorical question to try to convince his audience that Caesar is not ambitious, presenting Brutus as a dishonorable man because of his claim that Caesar was ambitious. Thus, the repeated reference to Brutus' "honor" is ironic. Example: When Teiresias says to Oedipus: "I say that you, with both your eyes, are blind." Teiresias calls Oedipus blind, though physically, Oedipus has sight. We learn that Teiresias is referring to insight. Ironically, once Oedipus gains insight, he physically blinds himself. NOTE: Sarcasm, Overstatement, Understatement can all be types of verbal irony. For example: Sarcasm: Mother comes into the TV room and discovers her 11-year-old watching South Park instead of doing his homework, as he promised. Pointing to the screen she says, "Don't let me tempt you from your duties, kiddo, but when you're finished with your serious studies there, maybe we could take some time out for recreation and do a little math." Understatement: Upon arriving at the scene of the accident, it was clear that things were bad. Blood was everywhere. Doug was bleeding profusely from his left arm. "You ok?," I shouted." "I've been better," Doug winced. Overstatement: That is literally the most terrifying thing I have ever seen in my life. You absolutely can't wear that sweater with that skirt. Whoever told you it looked good should be shot.
Analogy
a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way Metaphors and similes are both types of these. For example: Diego entered the room like a cat stalking its prey. Madison is the sole daisy among the field of wilted poppies.
Maxim
a concise statement, often offering advice; an adage. Just like an adage, an aphorism, and even an epigram..this isa short, catchy statement and tends to typically be one of those phrases that people latch onto--sometimes considered "words to live by." Ex: -Never judge a man before you walk a mile in his shoes -Too many cooks spoil the broth -You can't teach an old dog new tricks etc.
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 Odysseus is an archetypal hero. The tale of Star-crossed lovers is an archetypal story Good v. Evil is an archetypal theme. The ugly witch is an archetypal character. So is the wise old man.
Legend
a narrative handed down from the past, containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements Atlantis Beowulf The Odyssey The Fountain of Youth King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table Romulus and Remus Robin Hood
Romantic
a term describing a character or literary work that reflects the characteristics of Romanticism, the literary movement beginning in the late 18th century that stressed emotion, imagination, and individualism The term is used both in a general, and in a specific, way. The specific sense refers to Romanticism, a movement prevalent in European art, music, and literature in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The style was revolutionary in that it emphasised subjective experience, and favoured innovation over adherence to traditional or Classical forms, and the expression of feeling over reason. In English literature, William Wordsworth (1770-1850) and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) were first-generation Romantic poets, and Byron (1788-1824), Shelley (1792-1822), and Keats (1795-1821) were second-generation Romantics. In its more general application the term can refer to an attitude of mind which draws on imagination and emotion rather than reason, and favours subjective, dream-like, or exotic experiences over realism. EX: The films Avatar and Pochontas both can be described as overly romantic portrayals of native peoples. As nice as it would be to think that all indigenous tribes can speak to animals, communicate with nature, and listen to trees, such a view is extremely idealized and substitutes stereotypes for reality. The romanticized idea that soldiers who go to war will all return home as happy heroes has been challenged by many anti-war novels and films which attempt to offer a more realistic view of both the physical and emotional damage war can cause.
Idiom
an expression in a given language that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words in the expression; or, a regional speech or dialect Ex: It's raining cats and dogs. That was a blessing in disguise Whatever, girls like Rosaline are a dime a dozen Go ahead and buy it, but mark my words, that boat's gonna be an albatross around your neck She's the apple of my eye That ostrich is as dead as a doornail Here's some food for thought I'm always putting my foot in my mouth. Until then, my noble friend, chew upon this...
Oxymoron
an expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined: Bittersweet Controlled variable Friendly fire Virtual reality Living dead Biggie Smalls Note: many times, these are paradoxical.
Epitaph
an inscription on a tombstone or burial place Ex: "Here Lies Royal Oreilly Tannenbaum: Died tragically rescuing his family from a destroyed, sinking battleship"
Figurative Language
any language employing one or more figures of speech (simile, metaphor, imagery, etc.) Julio stared at the bleeding sunset as the waves peeled back from the sticky fingers of the humiliated beach. This concept is essentially being employed any time an author moves his/her writing beyond literal description...it's a big umbrella term.
Literary License
deviating from normal rules or methods in order to achieve a certain effect (intentional sentence fragments, run-ons, misspellings, etc.) Pretty much any time an author breaks the normal rules. It could be as simple as Shakespeare's use of asyndeton in "Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears" to something like an author deliberately misspelling words, playing with the format of the text, or refusal to punctuate correctly. This is not something you want to use (too much) when writing formally.
Surreal
in its simplest form, means: bizarre or dreamlike. Stems from surrealism: an artistic movement emphasizing the imagination and characterized by incongruous juxtapositions and lack of conscious control
