English 12 Literary Terms + Devices

biography

A detailed account of a person's life written by another person

aside

A device in a drama in which a character makes remarks or a speech not heard by the other characters

case study

A published report about a person, group, or situation that has been studied over time OR a situation in real life that can be looked at or studied to learn about something.

editorial

An article in a publication expressing the opinion of its editors or publishers or a commentary on television or radio expressing the opinion of the station or network.

expert testimony

An opinion given by a person highly educated in a topic. e.g. Dr. Chan says "An apple a day reduces the the possibility of disease."

cause and effect

Noting a relationship between actions or events such that one is the result of the other.

caricature

The use of exaggeration or distortion to make a figure appear comic or ridiculous. A physical characteristic, an eccentricity, a personality trait, or an act may be exaggerated.

blank verse

Unrhymed iambic pentameter (5 beats per line, emphasis on 2nd syllable). Found in much of Shakespeare's work.

fable

a brief story that is told to present a moral or a practical lesson; usually features animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters e.g. The Tortoise and the Hare

dynamic character

a character who changes; he/she is affected by the events in a story (usually the major character(s) in a story)

static character

a character who does not change in the course of a story (often, but not always, the minor characters in a story)

flat character

a character who is represented as having only a single "side" or trait, and whose behaviour is therefore predictable (usually only minor characters)

round character

a character who is seen as many-sided, and therefore as believable, as one in real life

foil (character)

a character whose behaviour, attitudes, opinions, and sometimes even physical traits starkly contrast with those of the protagonist in order to highlight particular qualities of the protagonist

dilemma

a choice between two equally undesirable courses of action e.g. You must either miss your friend's party or fail your test tomorrow.

graphic text

a combination of pictures and words to tell a story

analogy

a comparison made between two things in order to explain e.g. The heart works like a pump.

exposition

a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory.

flashback

a device by which an event that took place before the present time is inserted into the chronological structure of the work. e.g. As the other car hit him, he had a suddenly clear memory of the accident he had been in when he was a boy.

ballad

a fairly short, simple poem which tells a story. They were often meant to be sung, and are one of the earliest forms of literature. Before the written word was in common use, they were a means of passing stories on.

argumentative essay

a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner

fantasy

a highly exaggerated or improbable story. As a rule, a ____ has fanciful (perhaps far-fetched) events, characters, and/or setting, and characterization.

dramatic monologue

a kind of narrative poem in which one character speaks to one listener or more whose replies are not given in the poem. The occasion is usually a crucial one in the speaker's life and the character of the speaker is revealed in the monologue. e.g. "My Last Duchess" (Browning)

formal language

a language designed for use in situations in which natural language is unsuitable e.g. in mathematics, engineering, or computer programming.

didactic

a literary work that is clearly intended for the purpose of instruction - to impart theoretical, moral, or practical knowledge, or to explain the principles of some art or science. Deals with a moral, religious or philosophical theme. e.g. Brave New World

comedy

a literary work which is amusing and ends happily e.g. A Midsummer Night's Dream

epic

a long narrative poem telling about the deeds of a great hero and reflecting the values of the society from which it originated e.g. The Odyssey

emotional appeal

a method of persuasion that's designed to create an emotional response (see pathos).

dissonance

a mingling or union of harsh, inharmonious sounds which are grating to the ear; the deliberate avoidance of assonance (similar to cacophony) e.g. "Gas! GAS! Quick, boy! - An ecstacy of fumbling, / Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time" (Wilfred Owen, "Dulce et Decorum Est")

frame story

a narrative providing the framework for connecting a series of otherwise unrelated stories (see story within a story)

genre

a particular kind or category of literature characterized by a particular form, style or content e.g., the murder mystery, teen romance, etc., or more generally, poetry, short story, essay, novel, play, etc.

character

a person in a story (an animal or thing may also be thought of as a character).

autobiography

a person's account of his or her own life

formal essay

a piece of writing that uses formal language to inform or persuade its audience

elegy

a poem of mourning, usually over the death of an individual. It may be a lament over the passing of life and beauty or meditation over the nature of death.

diary

a record with discreet entries arranged in date order reporting what has happened over the course of a day or other period of time

antithesis

a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect e.g. Success makes men proud; failure makes them wise.

consonance

a rhetorical device involving the repetition of the same consonant sound (within words close together that have different vowel sounds) e.g. "such weight and thick pink bulk"

epilogue

a short addition or conclusion at the end of a literary work. (this is often added by another many years later, or after the author's death). e.g. at the end of The Diary of Anne Frank, we learn in the ______ that she died in a concentration camp before the end of the war

epigram

a short, witty, pointed statement often in the form of a poem e.g. "I can resist everything except temptation" (Oscar Wilde)

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that reveal a hidden meaning—the characters and actions or settings represents abstract qualities or ideas related to morality, religion, or politics. It has a fixed meaning behind the surface meaning. (starts with a)

anti-climax

a sudden shift from a relatively serious or elevated mood to one more comic or trivial to achieve a humorous or satiric effect OR a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events.

ballad stanza

a type of 4-line stanza; usually iambic; the first and third unrhymed lines have four stresses and the second and fourth rhyming lines have three stresses; the second and fourth lines rhyme.

farce

a type of comedy based on a ridiculous situation, often with stereotyped characters. A _____ usually involves crude physical action. The characters in a ______ are often the butts of practical jokes. eg. flying cream pies hitting the characters in the face.

diction

a writer's choice of words, particularly for clarity, effectiveness, and precision. A writer's _____ can be formal or informal, abstract or concrete, simple or ornate.

pathos

an appeal to the emotions ; one of the three main modes of persuasion in rhetoric

compare and contrast

an essay that discusses/measures similarities and differences between two subjects

cliché

an expression so overused that its freshness and clarity are outworn; a stereotyped form of expression

bias

an inclination of temperament or outlook; a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment; a tendency or preference towards a particular perspective

foreshadowing

an indication of something that may happen later in the story. e.g., in *Lord of the Flies* Piggy tells Ralph not to worry because adults will come to rescue them.

allusion

an indirect reference to famous characters or events from history, literature, mythology or the Bible. e.g. an ________ to Shakespeare e.g. Every man has his Waterloo (obstacle).

epitaph

an inscription on a gravestone or a short poem written in memory of someone who has died (may be serious or humorous) e.g. "Here lies dear old Uncle Bill, / We loved him then and always will"

figurative language

an understood meaning of a phrase; language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. e.g. "Let's hit the road" is understood figuratively to mean "Let's get going" (not actually "hitting the road" with a hammer)

expository essay

essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, explain the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner

anecdotal evidence

evidence from anecdotes (personal stories/experiences); not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research

chorus

in Greek tragedies, a group of people who serve mainly as commentators on the characters and events. They add to the audience's understanding of the play by expressing traditional moral, religious, and social attitudes.

active voice

in this voice, the subject and verb relationship is straightforward: the subject is a do-er. e.g. Sam wrote a letter to Jamie.

comic relief

inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.

drama

literary composition designed to be acted out by players on a stage before an audience

first person point of view

point of view where the story is told by one of the characters in his or her own words; uses "I" and "we"

chronological order

presents ideas according to the time in which they occurred

characterization

refers to how the author shows the traits of his or her characters.

free verse

rhythmical lines of irregular length without fixed metrical pattern and usually without rhyme; also called vers libre. Has the rhythms and cadences of natural speech. e.g., "Thin as death, / like dark brown weasel slides"

dialogue

spoken words exchanged between two or more characters in a story

external conflict

struggle between a character and an outside force such as nature or another character e.g. person vs. person (Ralph vs. Jack in Lord of the Flies) OR person vs. environment, society, supernatural power, or circumstance (Tessie vs. social custom in "The Lottery")

form

the "shape" or organizational mode of a particular poem.

climactic order

the arrangement of details or ideas in order of increasing importance or force.

direct presentation

the author clearly states the character of his or her protagonist e.g. Kristen is a funny girl.

resolution

the conclusion of a story: the part of a novel, short story, play or a narrative poem in which conflicts are resolved, or unraveled, and mysteries and secrets connected with the plot are explained (see dénouement)

dénouement

the conclusion of a story: the part of a novel, short story, play or a narrative poem in which conflicts are resolved, or unraveled, and mysteries and secrets connected with the plot are explained (see resolution)

internal conflict

the conflict within a character; the inner battle; thoughts and emotions i.e. person vs. self e.g. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

dramatic irony

the difference between what the audience knows and what a character knows to be true. e.g. The audience knows that there is a monster lurking behind a door who a character could avoid by not opening it, but does so because he doesn't know it's there.

falling action

the events/action that occur after the climax

stock character

the familiar, stereotyped figure/character who appears regularly in literature e.g. the wicked landlord, the dumb blonde, the mad scientist, the strong, silent sheriff, etc.

connotation

the feelings and associations suggested by a word e.g. "cheap" vs. "inexpensive"

catastrophe

the final stage in the falling action of a tragedy; ends the dramatic struggle and usually involves the death of the hero and others

antagonist

the force opposing the main character in a story (person, thing, nature, etc.) e.g. social custom in "The Lottery" or Voldemort in "Harry Potter"

denotation

the literal, dictionary meaning of a word e.g. horse: "a large, four-legged animal with solid hoofs and a mane and tail of long, coarse hair,"

epiphany

the moment of significant realization and insight experienced by the protagonist, often at the end of a story

alliteration

the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. e.g. Bright black-eyed creature, brushed with beauty.

audience

the particular group of readers or viewers that the writer is addressing. A writer considers his or her ______ when deciding on a subject, a purpose for writing and the tone and style in which to write.

dialect

the peculiarities of speech of a particular region or area. e.g. Newfoundland, French Canadian

climax

the point of greatest intensity, interest, or suspense in a story. It usually marks the turning point in the protagonist's fortunes and the major crisis of the story.

atmosphere

the prevailing feeling created by a literary work, through descriptive diction, imagery, and sometimes dialogue (see "mood")

hero

the principal character in a play or movie or novel or poem, usually possesses positive qualities

euphony

the quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words. e.g. "The murmuring of innumerable bees"

assonance

the repetition of vowel sounds

indirect presentation

the result of the reader piecing together the protagonists' traits through what he or she says or does, or how others view the protagonist e.g. Kristen's joke made the whole room burst into laughter.

conflict

the struggle between two opposing forces or characters. It may be external or internal.

cacophony

the use of harsh, discordant sounds for poetic effect e.g. All day the cows mooed and shrieked

dramatic form

the way a story is told, the way themes are explored, and the way characters play the part. e.g. mime, choral reading, physical theatre

contrast

to describe how the elements or qualities of one event, issue, or character are different from those of another.

comparison

to describe how the elements or qualities of one event, issue, or character are similar to those of another. Often used in conjunction with contrast

euphemism

to express a disagreeable or unpleasant fact in a more mild and agreeable language e.g. "passed away" instead of "died"; "downsized from her job" instead of "fired"

descriptive essay

to give a detailed or graphic account of an object, event, or concept in an essay

couplet

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme e.g., Hamlet: "The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King."

apostrophe

when an absent or dead person, an abstract quality, or something non-human is addressed directly e.g. Death, where is thy sting?

extended metaphor

when an author use a single metaphor/comparison that is often elaborate, extended, or startling, between objects which are apparently dissimilar. e.g. Robert Frost's "A Road Not Taken"

archaic language

words that were once used in common speech, but are now outdated and out of use

colloquialism/colloquial language

writing in informal or casual language; conversational expressions that are inappropriate to use in formal written work e.g. "back in the day" instead of "in the past"