Final exam semester 2 Junior English terms

Hyperbole Example

-My grandmother is as old as the hills. -Your suitcase weighs a ton! -She is as heavy as an elephant! -I am dying of shame. -I am trying to solve a million issues these days. -The Heart of Darkness (By Joseph Conrad) "I had to wait in the station for ten days - an eternity."

Idiom Example

-Pull someone's leg -Kick the bucket -Having an Achilles heel

Drama Example

-Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare (tragedy) -Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare (comedy) -Other forms include farce, melodrama, and musical drama

Tragedy Example

-Shakespeare -Hamlet -Othello -King Lear -Macbeth -Antony and Cleopatra -Troilus and Cressida

Regionalism Example

-Spendy -Fit to be tied -Grinders

Motif Example

-TKM and Huck Finn, childhood -Hamlet, incest -F451, technology, isolation

Folktale Example

-The Jersey Devil stories -Davy Crockett stories -Daniel Boone stories -Hitchhiker stories -Johnny Appleseed -Sasquatch stories

Symbolism Example

-The dove is a symbol of peace. -A red rose, or the color red, stands for love or romance. -Black is a symbol that represents evil or death. -A ladder may stand as a symbol for a connection between heaven and earth. -A broken mirror may symbolize separation.

Litotes Example

-The ice cream was not too bad.; -I cannot disagree with your point of view. -He is not the cleverest person I have ever met. -She is not unlike her mother -Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: an American Slave (By Frederick Douglass) -"Indeed, it is not uncommon for slaves even to fall out and quarrel among themselves about the relative goodness of their masters, each contending for the superior goodness of his own over that of the others."

Parody Example

-The movie Vampire Sucks these and poke fun at the blockbuster Twilight series, which was a film adaptation of Stephanie Meyer's novel Twilight -The Daily Show, The Colbert Report -Don Quixote, written by Miguel de Cervantes, is this of romances written in his day.

Pastoral Example

-Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George -Shakespeare's As You Like It, John Milton's Lycidas -"The Passionate Shepherd" to His Love

Flat Character Example

-Miss Maudie in To Kill a Mockingbird -Tybalt or Benvolio from Romeo & Juliet

Metaphor Example

-My brother was boiling mad. -The assignment was a breeze. -It is going to be clear skies from now on.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Argument

Grotesques Example

Frankenstein, Gregor Samsa in "The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, paintings, gargoyles, Flannery O'Connor's off-kilter characters, Hunchback of Notre Dame

Denotation Example

Mending Wall (By Robert Frost) "And on a day we meet to walk the line And set the wall between us once again. We keep the wall between us as we go. To each the boulders that have fallen to each."

conceit

a comparison which is exceedingly unlikely but is, nonetheless, intellectually imaginative; the writer tries to make us admit a similarity between two things of whose unlikeness we are strongly conscious;, conceits are often surprising.

Fable Definition

a concise and brief story intended to provide a moral lesson at the end; this describes through plants, animals, forces, of nature, and inanimate objects by giving them human attributes through which they demonstrate a moral lesson

Climax

a decisive moment or a turning point in a storyline at which the rising action turns around into a falling action; a climax is the point at which a conflict or crisis reaches its peak that calls for a resolution

Maxim Definition

a simple and memorable line, quote, or rule for taking action and leading a good life: a thought with moralistic values that intends to motivate individuals

Parody Definition

an imitation of a particular writer, artist, or genre, exaggerating it deliberately to produce a comic effect; the humorous effect in this is achieved by imitating and overstressing noticeable features of a famous piece of literature

Cumulative Sentence Definition

an independent clause followed by a series of subordinate constructions (phrases or clauses) that gather details about a person, place, event, or idea

He spent his final hour of life doing what he loved most: arguing with his wife.

Bathos

Parable Example

Bible stories like "The Prodigal Son" & "The Good Samaritan" -"The Boy Who Cried Wolf" -"The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Anderson

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Biography

Something there is that doesn't love a wall. That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it, And spills the upper boulders in the sun

Blank verse

Idiom Example

Bring it... Oh, I already brought it! I brought it, set it down on the table, and opened it!

Fairytale Example

Brothers Grimm early 1800s ( "Hansel & Gretel," "Cinderella"); Hans Christian Anderson ("The Little Mermaid," "The Princess and the Pea")

To Kill a Mockingbird: we learn that Scout is smart and perceptive for her age, but also sensitive when she goes to school able to read but the teacher is unhappy with her abilities and scolds her.

Characterization

Grotesques Definition

Characters often found in gothic, especially Southern gothic literature; they are usually fantastical creatures who are unsettling but arouse sympathy as well; they sometimes combine human, animal, and/or vegetable forms

Pastoral Example

Christopher Marlowe, 1564 - 1593 Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

They lived happily ever after

Cliche

To Kill a Mockingbird, honest lawyer Atticus Finch goes up against the racist society in which he lives

Conflict

Falling Action Example

Star Wars: Luke uses The Force and destroys the Death Star against all odds, saving the rebels. Yet the story does not end here. The audience then sees the return of Han and Luke to the rebels and they receive congratulations for their heroic efforts.

Quatrain Example

Stopping by Woods On a Snowy Evening (By Robert Frost) Iambic Tetrameter; aaba "He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there's some mistake. The only other sound's the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake."

Narrative Example

Storytelling is an essential part of human nature. Man is the only creature that tells stories, and we have been telling stories and listening to them since the time we learned to speak. Storytelling began with oral traditions; these were told and retold, passed down from generation to generation, and they shared the knowledge and wisdom of early people.

Epitaph Example

Sylvia Plath's husband, Ted Hughes, had chosen her ------, which is engraved on her gravestone. It reads: "Even amidst fierce flames, the golden lotus can be planted."

Thesis Example

The Catcher in the Rye (By J. D. Salinger) "If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth"

Meter Example

The Charge of the Light Brigade (By Alfred Lord Tennyson) "Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred."

Malapropism Example

"Be sure and put some of those neutrons on it." -Mike Smith, ordering a salad at a restaurant

Cumulative Sentence Example

"He dipped his hands in the bichloride solution and shook them--a quick shake, fingers down, like the fingers of a pianist above the keys." (Sinclair Lewis, Arrowsmith, 1925)

Naturalism Example

-Jack London = "To Build a Fire," -John Steinbeck The Grapes of Wrath

Satire Example

-Jon Stewart -Stephen Colbert -Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn -Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal"

Personification Example

"Have You Got A Brook In Your Little Heart" (By Emily Elizabeth Dickinson) "Have you got a brook in your little heart, Where bashful flowers blow, And blushing birds go down to drink, And shadows tremble so?"

Thesis Example

Anna Karenina (By Leo Tolstoy) "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

Free Verse Example

" A Noiseless Patient Spider" by Walt Whitman "A noiseless patient spider, I mark'd where on a little promontory it stood isolated, Mark'd how to explore the vacant vast surrounding, It launch'd forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself, Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

Juxtaposition Example

" Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." (Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy)

Free Verse Example

" The Garden" by Ezra Pound "Like a skein of loose silk blown against a wall She walks by the railing of a path in Kensington Gardens, And she is dying piece-meal of a sort of emotional anemia."

Tone Example

"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" (By Ernest Hemingway) "It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference."

Rhetoric Example

"As a doctor, I am qualified to tell you that this course of treatment will likely generate the best results."

Extended Metaphor Example

"Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul, And sings the tune - without the words, And never stops at all, "And sweetest in the gale is heard; And sore must be the storm That could abash the little bird That kept so many warm. "I've heard it in the chilliest land, And on the strangest sea; Yet, never, in extremity, It asked a crumb of me." -Hope is the Thing with Feathers (By Emily Dickinson)

Epithet Example

"I've come, As you surmise, with comrades on a ship, Sailing across the wine-dark sea to men Whose style of speech is very different..." (The Odyssey by Homer) In these lines, the phrase wine-dark is used in order to explain the color of the sea. This enhances the description of the color of the sea.

Understatement Example

"It is a bit nippy today." - Describing the temperature, which is 5 degrees below freezing

Juxtaposition Example

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,..." A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Epigram Example

"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." --Eleanor Roosevelt

Ode Example

"Ode on a Grecian Urn" by John Keats

Malapropism Example

"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child." -Dan Quayle, Vice President

Figurative Language Example

"She Sweeps with Many-Colored Brooms" (By Emily Dickinson) -- Personification She sweeps with many-colored Brooms And leaves the Shreds behind Oh Housewife in the Evening West Come back, and dust the Pond!

End Rhyme Example

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" (By Robert Frost) "Whose woods these are I think I know, His house is in the village, though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow."

Foreshadowing Example

"The Highwayman" (By Alfred Noyes) "The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees..." Riding—riding— The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door." This first line creates a dreary, and dark mood. The first line of this poem sets a dark and dreary mood. It indicates danger to come.

Interior Monologue Example

"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (By T. S. Eliot) "And indeed there will be time To wonder, 'Do I dare?' and, 'Do I dare?'"

Mood Example

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost (tone) "I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference."

Diction Example

"The School" by Donald Barthelme: "And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don't know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn't the best. We complained about it. So we've got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we've got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing."

Rhetoric Example

"The data is perfectly clear: this investment has consistently turned a profit year-over-year, even in spite of market declines in other areas."

Expletive Example

"There passed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye." from "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Meter Example

"Trees" (By Joyce Kilmer) "I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest ... A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray;"

Extended Metaphor Example

"Well, son, I'll tell you; Life for me ain't been no -"Mother to Son" By Langston Hughes

Syntax Example

"What light from yonder window breaks?" (R & J) "Thee, Shepherd, thee the woods and desert caves, (Lycidas by John Milton) With wild thyme and the gadding vine o'ergrown, And all their echoes mourn"

Rhetorical Question Example

"Who knows?"

Rhetoric Example

"You'll make the right decision because you have something that not many people do: you have heart."

Jargon Example

(1984 by George Orwell) George Orwell created some interesting examples of this in his dystopian novel 1984. In this quote from the novel, Orwell shows how this both obfuscates the real purpose of each ministry and how their abbreviations can further make them incomprehensible to regular people.

Motivation Example

-"The Most Dangerous Game" = survival -R & J = love -TKM (Bob Ewell) = revenge

Moral Example

-Aesop's fables -Novels of Charles Dickens -Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Narrative Poem Example

-Beowulf -The Canterbury Tales -The Iliad -The Odyssey

Sobriquet Example

-Big Apple for New York -The Great Bambino for (Babe) George Herman Ruth -Bono for Paul Hewson -The Boss for Bruce Springsteen -The Desert Fox for Erwin Rommel -Dubya for George W. Bush

Onomatopoeia Example

-Buzz -Chickadee -Hiss -Woof

Oxymoron Example

-Deafening silence -Friendly fire -Darkness visible -Burning ice -Virtual reality -Jumbo shrimp

Foil Example

-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer -Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy -Harry Potter and Voldemort -Batman and the Joker -Luke Skywalker and Han Solo -Frodo and Sam

Nom de clume Example

-Dr. Seuss/ Theodore Geise -Richard Bachmann/Steven King -Bronte sisters/Bell -George Eliot/ Mary Ann Evans -Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens

Paradox Example

-Everything I say is a lie.

Narrator Types

-First person: uses "I" -Second person: uses "you" pretty uncommon -Limited third person: uses "he or she" gives POV from only one character's perspective -Omniscient third person: uses "he or she" gives POV from more than one character's perspective -Unreliable narrator: could be first or third but we don't trust the POV -Observer narrator: uses "he or she" like a fly on the wall only see events from the outside

Didactic Example

-George Orwell's Animal Farm is an allegory or a moral and didactic tale that uses animals on a farm to describe the overthrow of the last of the Russian Tsars, Nicholas-II and exposes the evil of the Communist Revolution of Russia before WWII. "All animals are equal but a few are more equal than others." -Parables in the Bible are also didactic.

Tragic Hero Example

-Hamlet -Macbeth -Javert (Les Mis) -Jay Gatsby -Oedipus

Fantasy Example

-Harry Potter books -Alice's Adventures in Wonderland -The Lord of the Rings -Game of Thrones -The Chronicles of Narnia -Twilight

Novella Example

-Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad -The Turn of the Screw by Henry James -Billy Budd by Herman

Picaresque Example

-Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain -The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger -Tom Jones by Henry Fielding -Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes -Thomas Nash is credited with writing tihs first novel in English (1594): The Unfortunate Traveller, or the Life of Jack Wilton

Phrase Example

-Humans can be fairly ridiculous animals -To laugh is to live profoundly -The man stood laughing, his weapons at his hips

Maxim Example

-It's better to be safe than sorry. -You're never too old to learn. -Opposites attract. -You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Imagery Example

-The old man took the handful of dust, and sifted it through his fingers. -The starry night sky looked so beautiful that it begged him to linger, but he reluctantly left for home. -The fragrance of spring flowers made her joyful. -The sound of a drum in the distance attracted him. -The people traveled long distances to watch the sunset in the north. -The stone fell with a splash in the lake. -The sound of bat hitting the ball was pleasing to his ear. -The chirping of birds heralded spring. -There lay refuse heaps on their path that were so smelly that it maddened them. -The silence in the room was unnerving. -The blind man touched the tree to learn if its skin was smooth or rough. -When he was on the way to work, he heard the muffled cry of a woman. -The beacons of moonlight bathed the room in ethereal light. -The wild gusts of cold wind pierced her body. -The burger, aromatic with spices, made his mouth water in anticipation of the first bite.

Synecdoche Example

-The word "bread" refers to food or money, as in "Writing is my bread and butter," or "He is the sole breadwinner." -The phrase "gray beard" refers to an old man. -The word "sails" refers to a whole ship. -The word "suit" refers to a businessman. -The word "boots" usually refers to soldiers.

Euphemism Example

-to be let go -economically depressed -temporary negative cash flow -powder room -collateral damage -pre-owned vehicle -genuine imitation leather

Elegy Example

."O CAPTAIN! My Captain! our fearful trip is done; The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won; The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting, While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring: "O Captain, My Captain" by Walt Whitman in honor of Abraham Lincoln after his assassination

Jargon Example

1. I need a script in order to pick up the medicine. ("prescription") 2. I need a nurse to room 12 stat. ("in a hurry") 3. Your objection is overruled. 4. We need to take data points to determine if there has been a response to the intervention. 5. The suspect is headed west on Route 10. All available units, respond.

Speech is silver, but silence is gold.; Money is the root of all evils: poverty is the fruit of all goodness.; You are easy on the eyes, but hard on the heart.

Antithesis

Sonnet Example

6 Major Types: -Italian -Shakespearean -Spenserian -Miltonic -Terza Rima -Curtal

Tone Example

A River Runs Through It (By Norman Maclean) "This was the last fish we were ever to see Paul catch. My father and I talked about this moment several times later, and whatever our other feelings, we always felt it fitting that, when we saw him catch his last fish, we never saw the fish but only the artistry of the fisherman."

Limerick Example

A creature of charm is the gerbil its diet's exclusively herbal; it grazes all day on bunches of hay passing gas with an elegant burble.

Ode Definition

A lyric poem devoted to the praise of a person, animal, or thing. This is usually written in an elevated style and often expresses deep feeling.

Pathos Example

ASPCA ads for abused animals

Verisimilitude Example

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (By Mark Twain) Mark Twain in his popular Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain used Black American vernacular to show realistically how the "negroes" [Black Americans] talked in real life: "I didn't want to go back no more. I had stopped cussing, because the widow didn't like it; but now I took to it again because pap hadn't no objections ... But by-and-by pap got too handy with his hick'ry, and I could't stand it. I was all over with welts. He got to going away so much, too, and locking me in. Once he locked me in and was gone three days. It was dreadful lonesome." Twain successfully achieves this - or a resemblance to reality - by introducing colloquialism in his narrative.

Fable Example

Aesop's: The Tortoise and the Hare, The Country Mouse and The City Mouse, The Ant and the Grasshopper

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

Apostrophe

Vignette Example

An American Childhood (By Annie Dillard) "Some boys taught me to play football. This was fine sport. You thought up a new strategy for every play and whispered it to the others. You went out for a pass, fooling everyone. Best, you got to throw yourself mightily at someone's running legs ... In winter, in the snow, there was neither baseball nor football, so the boys and I threw snowballs at passing cars. I got in trouble throwing snowballs, and have seldom been happier since." In this excerpt, Dillard has used her personal experiences while growing up in Pittsburgh, and describes the nature of American life. In this particular scene, she tells us how she learned to play football with the boys, and offering this incident of her teenage years.

Anapest

Anaphora: the deliberate repetition of the first part of the sentence to create emphasis and rhythm E.g. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens starts with following lines: (You only need to copy the first line) "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it

The simplest questions are the hardest to answer

Anaphorism

Maxim Example

Animal Farm (By George Orwell) "All Animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

"Poetry is old, ancient, goes back far. It is among the oldest of living things. So old it is that no man knows how and why the first poems came." Carl Sandburg "Early Moon"

Assonance

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore - While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door - "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe

Atmosphere

Literary License Example

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and other police procedural programs typically omit completely the more mundane aspects of the occupation such as paperwork, reports, administrative duties and other daily "business-oriented" aspects which in reality often constitute the majority of police work. They will also present other duties with much more action, suspense or drama than would be experienced in reality.

Pentameter Example

Canterbury Tales (By Geoffrey Chaucer) "Whan that aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of march hath perced to the roote,"

Transition Example

Disjointed Sentence: "We will be here for a few more days so we can finish up some leftover work. We are staying longer because we do not want to miss the Tech Info conference taking place next week." -------------------------------------------------------- Revised with this: "We will be here for a few more days so we can finish up some leftover work. Another reason we are staying longer is because we do not want to miss the Tech Info Conference taking place next week."

Ethos Example

Doctors all over the world recommend this type of treatment." People tend to find doctors credible sources.

Epigraph Example

Ernest Hemingway used Gertrude Stein's famous quotation, "You are all a lost generation" in the beginning of his book The Sun Also Rises to demonstrate the sense of loss and meaningless with which WWI had left an entire generation of young people.

Resolution Example

Final dialogue between Lord Montague and Lord Capulet in R & J Romeo and Juliet (by William Shakespeare) Capulet: O brother Montague, give me thy hand. This is my daughter's jointure, for no more Can I demand ... Montague: But I can give thee more, For I will raise her statue in pure gold, That whiles Verona by that name is known, ... As that of true and faithful Juliet ... Capulet: As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie, Poor sacrifices of our enmity ... Prince: A glooming peace this morning with it brings. The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head ... This is the final dialogue that takes place between Lord Capulet and Lord Montague. Seeing their beloved children, Romeo and Juliet, committing suicide for love, both the heads of the family regret their long enmity. Now both of them agree to end the dispute between their tribes to avoid future tragedy.

Frame Device Example

Frankenstein--a narrator, Robert Walton (ship captain) tells Victor Frankenstein's story in letters to his sister; movie Inception, movie Titanic--Rose tells her story to the ship's crew; movie Forrest Gump; The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer; Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

Jargon Example

From Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird "All the spectators were as relaxed as Judge Taylor, except Jem. His mouth was twisted into a purposeful half-grin, and his eyes happy about, and he said something bout corroborating evidence, which made me sure he was showing off."

Imagery Example

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens "It was a rimy morning, and very damp. I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window... Now, I saw the damp lying on the bare hedges and spare grass, ... On every rail and gate, wet lay clammy; and the marsh-mist was so thick, that the wooden finger on the post directing people to our village—a direction which they never accepted, for they never came there—was invisible to me until I was quite close under it."

Declarative Sentence Example

HF is Mark Twain's masterpiece.

Soliloquy Example

Hamlet (By William Shakespeare) "To be, or not to be? That is the question— Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune...

Voice Example

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird The character Scout narrates the whole story. Though she is an adult, she tells her story from her childhood's point of view. When she grows older, her language becomes more sophisticated. Scout uses first‑person narrative to create a realistic sense, enabling the audience to notice the child is growing up. Her dialogue allows readers to hear the language of younger Scout. Also, it enables the readers to feel the presence of an adult in her actions and thinking.

Parallelism Example

He came, he saw, and he conquered. Presidential Inauguration Speech (By Barack Obama) "My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors." Alice ran into the room, into the garden, and into our hearts.

Irony Example

He enjoyed his job about as much as a root canal.

Novel Example

History of the Novel

Bildungsroman

Huck Finn: a boy coming of age

Farce Example

I Love Lucy Christmas Special & The Three Stooges

Personification Example

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (By William Wordsworth) "I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."

Pun Example

I dropped an electron somewhere! -Are you sure! -Yes, I'm positive!

Pathos Example

In "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," Dylan Thomas urges his dying father to cling to life and his love of it. Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Inciting Incident Example

In "Star Wars," this occurs when Darth Vader attacks the ship of Princess Leia. Prior to this event, civil war was going on there. It happens when the Empire exhibits its true color by boarding a ship illegally, which is supposed to be on a "diplomatic mission."

Epiphany Example

In 'To Kill a Mockingbird', Scout has an ----- near the end of the novel, as she stands on Boo Radley's porch and realizes what Atticus has been trying to teach her throughout the story: "I had never seen our neighborhood from this angle...Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough."

Malapropism Example

In Chapter 33 of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Aunt Sally can be spotted using this. She says: "I was most putrified with astonishment."

Irony Example

In Romeo and Juliet, we know well before the characters that they are going to die.

Understatement Example

In Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield says: "I have to have this operation. It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain."

Literal Language Example

In hot water --> in trouble Pain in the neck --> to be annoying Wrap it up --> to finish

Flashback Example

In the Book of Matthew Joseph, governor of Egypt, sees his brothers after several years, Joseph "remembered his dreams" about his brothers and how they sold him into slavery.

Iambic Pentameter Example

Macbeth (By William Shakespeare) "Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland In such an honour named. What's more to do"

Impressionism Example

Marlow's story in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is an example of this. He describes the events in that "in the moment" approach, as though they are happening right then. We see the world through Marlow's eyes. He never clearly defines the events he experiences - he leaves that up to us based on his descriptions. He creates this; we have to determine the meaning ourselves.

Genre Example

Mystery, historical fiction, autobiography, essays, play

Paraphrase Example

Pride & Prejudice (By Jane Austen) "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Everyone agrees on this point, that a prosperous man needs to have a wife.

Rhetorical Question Example

Ode to the West Wind" (By Percy Bysshe Shelley) "...O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

Exposition Example

Once upon a time, there were three bears. There was a Daddy Bear, who was very big, a Mama Bear, who was middle-sized, and a Baby Bear, who was very small. They all lived together in a little cottage in the middle of the woods. Their favorite breakfast was porridge.

catharsis

Originally, the term was used as a metaphor in Poetics by Aristotle to explain the impact of tragedy on the audiences. He believed that catharsis was the ultimate end of a tragic artistic work and it marked its quality; an emotional discharge through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal or achieve a state of liberation from anxiety and stress.

Malapropism Example

Private Customer Parking Only -- All Others Will Be Toad

Flashback Example

Robert Frost, in his poem "Birches", employs this. In this poem, a character sees swaying birch trees and says, "So was I once myself a swinger of birches. And so I dream of going back to be." He goes back to the days of his childhood, and then returns to the present and says, "I'd like to get away from earth awhile, and then come back to it and begin over." The narrator remembers and desires for the freedom and joy he experienced as a child swinging on birch trees and wishes to return to that moment of his childhood.

Legend Example

Robin Hood, King Arthur, the Legend of Atlantis (a legendary "lost" island subcontinent often idealized as an advanced, utopian society holding wisdom that could bring world peace)

Interior Monologue Example

Romeo and Juliet (By William Shakespeare) "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun!"

Dramatic Monologue Example

Romeo and Juliet (By William Shakespeare) "But soft, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun!"

Hubris Example

Satan (Paradise Lost), Victor Frankenstein, Oedipus (Oedipus Rex), Macbeth

Volta Example

Shakespeare Sonnet 130 My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; Coral is far more red than her lips' red; If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun; If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. I have seen roses damask'd, red and white, But no such roses see I in her cheeks; And in some perfumes is there more delight Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. I love to hear her speak, yet well I know That music hath a far more pleasing sound; I grant I never saw a goddess go; My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground. And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare As any she belied with false compare.

Pun Example

Shakespeare was a huge fan of this. Even his tragic plays, like Romeo and Juliet, are packed with wordplay and these, some of them very raunchy even by modern standards. Shakespeare loved to use similar-sounding words to make dirty these - to find them, keep an eye out for his use of words like "clock," "shift," and "country.

Couplet Example

Shakespearean Sonnet 18 Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; But thy eternal summer shall not fade Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st; So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Homily Example

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (By Jonathan Edwards) "He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel that has found means to fortify himself ... So 'tis easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that anything hangs by; thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down."

Epic Example

The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, The Odyssey

Falling Action Example

The Fault in Our Stars: Augustus' health worsens, and he sees very few chances of his survival. The falling action follows with their return to Indianapolis, where Hazel decides to be with him to take good care of him.

Irony Example

The Gift of the Magi (By O. Henry) The wife sells her most prized possession - her hair - to get her husband a Christmas present; and the husband sells his most dear possession - the gold watch - to get his wife a Christmas present.

Inference Example

The Great Gatsby (By F. Scott Fitzgerald) "It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete."

Personification Example

The Green Gables Letters (By L. M. Montgomery) "I hied me away to the woods — away back into the sun-washed alleys carpeted with fallen gold and glades where the moss is green and vivid yet. The woods are getting ready to sleep — they are not yet asleep but they are disrobing and are having all sorts of little bed-time conferences and whisperings and good-nights"

Monologue Example

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (By T. S. Eliot) "And indeed there will be time To wonder, 'Do I dare?' and, 'Do I dare?' Time to turn back and descend the stair, With a bald spot in the middle of my hair ..."

Jargon Example

The Ministry of Truth, which concerned itself with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, which concerned itself with war. The Ministry of Love, which maintained law and order. And the Ministry of Plenty, which was responsible for economic affairs. Their names, in Newspeak: Minitrue, Minipax, Miniluv, and Miniplenty.

Inference Example

The Pirate Solution, Big Bang Theory (By Staff Writers) Sheldon Cooper: "I took another look at the board, and I realized you were right." Raj Koothrappali: "So you were wrong." Sheldon Cooper: "I'm not saying that." Raj Koothrappali: "That's the only logical ------." Sheldon Cooper: "I'm still not saying it."

Iamb example

The Road not Taken (By Robert Frost) "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could.

Essay Example

The Sacred Grove of Oshogbo (By Jeffrey Tayler) "As I passed through the gates I heard a squeaky voice. A diminutive middle-aged man came out from behind the trees — the caretaker. He worked a toothbrush-sized stick around in his mouth, digging into the crevices between algae'd stubs of teeth. He was barefoot; he wore a blue batik shirt known as a buba, baggy purple trousers, and an embroidered skullcap. I asked him if he would show me around the shrine. Motioning me to follow, he spat out the results of his stick work and set off down the trail."

Metaphor Example

The Storm (By Kate Chopin) "Her mouth was a fountain of delight. And when he possessed her, they seemed to swoon together at the very borderland of life's mystery."

Personification Example

The Waste Land (By T. S. ELIOT) "April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain." These are the opening lines of The Waste Land, by T. S. Eliot. The very first line contains this in that it labels April as the cruelest month.

Climax

The climax of Richard Connell's story, "The Most Dangerous Game," occurs when Rainsford jumps off a cliff into the sea rather than be killed by Zaroff, the man who is hunting him. Even though the reader doesn't know Rainsford's fate, they understand that he refuses to submit to his antagonist.

connotation

The connotation of a word refers to the emotional or cultural association with that word rather than its dictionary definition; the underlying meaning

Literary License Example

The contractions "o'er" and "e'er," which are commonly used in poetry.

Literal Language Example

The grass is green versus the grass looks like spiky green hair.

Ellipsis Example

The most famous example is Virginia Woolf's novel, To the Lighthouse. The book involves two parts, one before the World War I was fought and won and the later one accounts for the events occurring afterwards.The events in between are left out. Rather it has left to the readers to deduce the events from the notable changes that have occurred in the characters' lives.

Limerick Example

There once was a man with no hair. He gave everyone quite a score. He got some Rogaine, grew out a mane, and now he resembles a bear!

Limerick Example

There was a small boy of Quebec (By Rudyard Kipling) "There was a small boy of Quebec Who was buried in snow to his neck When they said, 'Are you friz?' He replied, 'Yes, I is — But we don't call this cold in Quebec.'"

Narrative Poem Definition

This always tells a story. It contains rhythm, rhyme, stress and repetition but differs from other types of poetry because it includes protagonists, antagonists, detailed settings, plot developments, conflicts and resolutions. This combines poetic language with short-story elements. Many began as oral traditions. Some are short; the lengthy ones are often referred to as epic poems.

Inciting Incident Example

This in Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" occurs in the evening, when Rainsford and General Zaroff dine and discuss hunting. It starts off as a friendly conversation about their hunting adventure; however, it ends with a confession by General Zaroff that he kills people as a "game," and for fun while hunting.

Inciting Incident Definition

This in a plot is an event or a point that arrives at the beginning of a play, story book, or a film that disturbs the actions and life of a protagonist, and sets him or her to pursue the mission or quest; this starts the action of a story, and establishes the main question readers want to know

Pun Definition

This is a joke based on the interplay of homophones — words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. It can also play with words that sound similar, but not exactly the same. The joke's humor comes from the confusion of the two meanings

Rhetorical Question Definition

This is asked just for effect, or to lay emphasis on some point being discussed, when no real answer is expected; we avoid these in formal writing

Foot Example

Twelfth Night (By William Shakespeare) iambic pentameter "If music be the food of love, play on; Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting, "The Destruction of Sennacherib" (By Lord Byron) anapestic tetrameter "The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold

Malapropism Example

WARNING: Trespassers Will Be Prostituted

Dialect Example

Walter: Reckon I have. Almost died first year I come to school and et them pecans — folks say he pizened 'em and put 'em over on the school side of the fence. (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)

Dilemma Example

We find a perfect example of moral dilemma in Christopher Marlowe's play, Dr. Faustus. His major moral dilemma is that he desires extensive knowledge but intends to use it to exploit others. For this, he sells his soul to the representative of Mephistopheles (a devil)

Neologism Example

Webinar for a seminar on the web or the Internet

Denouement Example

When the Capulets and Montagues see their children committing suicide at the tomb. The families realize that their bitter rivalry must end. Lord Capulet and Lord Montague agree to end their dispute to avoid further tragedy

Pun Example

Why do amphibians take the bus? Because their cars are always getting toad. "Toad" vs. "towed"

Stream of Consciousness Example

William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying: Nonsense you look like a girl you are lots younger than Candace color in your cheeks like a girl A face reproachful tearful an odor of camphor and of tears a voice weeping steadily and softly beyond the twilit door the twilight-colored smell of honeysuckle. Bringing empty trunks down the attic stairs they sounded like coffins.

Lyric Poetry Example

William Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Dissonance Example

Wind (by Ted Hughes) "At noon I scaled along the house-side as far as The coal-house door. Once I looked up - Through the brunt wind that dented the balls of my eyes The tent of the hills drummed and strained its guyrope... The wind flung a magpie away and a black- Back gull bent like an iron bar slowly."

Mood Example

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (setting) "There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible..."

Unreliable Narrator Example

Yan Martel's Life of Pi: After spending many days adrift at sea, he describes several fanciful events and tells his rescuers that his lifeboat was shared by a zebra, an orangutan, a hyena (which killed the zebra and orangutan) and a Bengal tiger (which killed the hyena). When they question his story, he provides an alternate, darker, but more believable recounting of events, in which a sailor and Pi's mother are murdered by a cannibalistic ship's cook, whom Pi then kills and eats to survive. The rescuers notice the parallels between the people and the animals, with the zebra representing the sailor, the orangutan representing Pi's mother, the hyena representing the cook, and the tiger representing Pi himself.

Limerick Definition

a bawdy, humorous, or nonsensical verse written in the form of five anapests, with an aabba rhyme scheme

Epitaph Definition

a brief composition written to pay tribute to a deceased person or to remember a past event; can also be a remembrance on a tombstone

Interior Monologue Definition

a character externalizes his thoughts, so that the audience can experience his internal thoughts. Often found in plays, movies, and novels, this technique is also called a stream of consciousness

Antagonist

a character or a group of characters which stand in opposition to the protagonist or the main character. E.g. Pap, the King and the Duke, Mr. Ewell, the Fire chief

Dramatic Monologue Definition

a character speaks to the silent listener; it is frequently used in poetry; the speaker reveals his thoughts to the audience or to any other character

Neologism Example

a comedian coining new terms on a TV show like Stephen Colbert's creation of the term "truthiness."

End Rhyme Definition

a common type of rhyming pattern used in a poetic structure; end rhyme occurs when the last syllables or words in two or more lines rhyme with each other

Lyric Poetry Definition

a comparatively short, non-narrative poem in which a single speaker presents a state of mind or an emotional state; it retains some of the elements of song which is said to be its origin: this was usually accompanied by a lyre, a musical instrument resembling a harp; some of the best examples of this come from Italian and English sonnets; the mood is musical and emotional. The writer of this uses words that express his state of mind, his perceptions, or his feelings.

Extended Metaphor Defintion

a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph, or lines in a poem

Analogy

a comparison in which an idea or a thing is compared to another thing that is quite different from it. It aims at explaining that idea or thing by comparing it to something that is familiar; we use metaphors and similes to draw analogies E.g. The given lines are from Amy Lowell's poem "Night Clouds". "The white mares of the moon rush along the sky Beating their golden hoofs upon the glass Heavens

Essay Definition

a derived from a French word, which means "to attempt," or "to try" ; a short form of literary composition based on a single subject matter, and gives the personal opinion of the author; giving an opinion does not mean that you need to use "I." There are two types: literary and non-literary. Most of what you write will be literary and there are four types of these: expository (explanation), narrative, descriptive, and persuasive.

Drama Definition

a fictional representation through dialogue and performance; it is an imitation of some action; it usually comes in the form of a play written for theater, television, radio, or film

Understatement Definition

a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is; it is often used for ironic or comedic effect; it can also be used as sarcasm

Apostrophe

a figure of speech in which a writer addresses an imaginary character

Oxymoron Definition

a figure of speech in which opposite or contradictory ideas or terms are combined

Irony Definition

a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that ends up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between appearance and reality. In situational type, both the characters and the audience are fully unaware of the implications of the real situation. In dramatic type, the characters are oblivious of the situation, but the audience is not. Verbal type makes a statement that one does not mean

Litotes Definition

a figure of speech that employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite expressions

Hyperbole Definition

a figure of speech that involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis

Metaphor Definition

a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics; this will always link the things being compared by using a form of the verb "to be"

Allegory

a figure of speech that uses characters, objects, or events to represent ideas; allegorical characters are usually flat, and two-dimensional; they are there not to represent a believable person but rather to represent and idea

Allusion

a figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing reference. It is up to the reader to make a connection to the subject being mentioned. E.g. It's no wonder everyone refers to Mary as another Mother Teresa in the making; she loves to help and care after people everywhere- from the streets to her own friends.

Iamb definition

a foot in a line of poetry containing unaccented and short syllables, followed by a long and accented syllable (unstressed/stressed syllables); Iambic pentameter is the most common

Expletive Definition

a grammatical construction that starts with words like it, here, and there; it usually interrupts normal speech and lays emphasis on certain words

Phrase Definition

a grammatical term which defines a group of words that functions as a meaningful part of a clause or sentence; this may have a subject or a verb but not both; all of the types of clauses we have looked at could also be these; when a simple adjective or adverb is not sufficient, a writer often turn to this

Pentameter Definition

a line of poetry that has five feet or beats; this is the most common form

Synecdoche Definition

a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole, or it may use a whole to represent a part

Antecedent

a literary device in which a word or pronoun in a line or sentence refers to an earlier word, for instance E.g. When children are happy, they clap to express their pleasure. Each child was happy when he or she got a piece of candy.

Epithet Definition

a literary device that describes a place, a thing or a person in such a way that it helps in making the characteristics of a person, thing or place more prominent than they actually are

Foreshadowing Definition

a literary device that gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story; it often appears at the beginning of a story, or a chapter, and helps the reader develop expectations about the coming events in a story; it creates suspense

Ellipsis Definition

a literary device that is used to omit some parts of a sentence or event, which gives the reader a chance to fill the gaps; it is usually written between the sentences as "..."; writers may also use it to omit a period of time--hours, days, weeks, months, or years. We also use this to indicate that we have left out part of a direct quote a pause, or passage of time

Inference Definition

a literary device used in literature, and in daily life, where logical deductions are made based on the given facts; we draw conclusions about what the facts might mean even though that meaning is not explicitly stated by the author; we see different or new interpretations and perspectives

Exposition Defintion

a literary device used to introduce background information about events, settings, characters to the audience; this usually comes at the beginning of the narrative

Couplet Definition

a literary device which having two successive rhyming lines in a verse and has the same meter to form a complete thought; it can be an independent poem or can be a part of other poems

Farce Definition

a literary genre and type of comedy that makes use of highly exaggerated and funny situations aimed at entertaining; it aims mainly at making the audience laugh; it uses physical humor, deliberate absurdity, bawdy jokes, and drunkenness to make people laugh; it often uses one‑dimensional characters in ludicrous situations

Naturalism Definition

a literary genre that started as a movement in late nineteenth century in literature, film, theater, and art. It is a type of extreme realism. This movement suggested that the roles of family, social conditions, and environment shape human character; this took its cue from Darwin's theory of evolution, which holds that life is like a struggle and only the fittest survive; this concludes that natural forces predetermine a character's decisions, making him/her act in a particular way so that individuals have no control over their own lives

Epic Definition

a long narrative poem, which is usually related to heroic deeds of a person of unusual courage and unparalleled bravery; The main function of this poetry was to elevate the status of the hero to the audience and to inspire them to be ready to perform heroic actions. These were the first form of poetry

Foot Definition

a measuring unit in poetry, which is made up of stressed and unstressed syllables. The stressed syllable is generally indicated by a vertical line ( | ), whereas the unstressed syllable is represented by a cross ( X ). The combination of feet creates meter in poetry

Moral Definition

a message conveyed by, or a lesson learned from, a story, a poem, or a dramatic piece; it can be left for the audiences or the learners to infer rather than be directly stated; it serves the purpose of instruction, information, and improvement of the audiences

Stream of Consciousness Defintion

a method of narration that describes happenings in the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters; the term was initially coined by psychologist William James; this narration style is generally associated with the modern novelist and short story writers of the 20th century such as James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, and William Faulkner. Is is often marked by lack of or unusual punctuation

Iambic Pentameter Definition

a metrical foot in poetry in which a unstressed syllable is followed by an stressed syllable; a beat or foot that uses 10 syllables in each line; a rhythmic pattern composed of five iambs in each line, like five heartbeats; it is the most commonly used pattern

Nom de plume Definition

a name that a writer uses instead of his or her real name; a pen name; pseudonym; a writer might use this if the content is controversial

Unreliable Narrator Definition

a narrator, whether in literature, film, or theatre, whose credibility; the narrator had concealed or greatly misrepresented vital pieces of information; it forces readers to reconsider their point of view and experience of the story. In some cases the narrator's ----- is never fully revealed but only hinted at, leaving readers to wonder how much the narrator should be trusted and how the story should be interpreted. Its truthfulness has been seriously compromised.

Neologism Definition

a new word or a new use for an old word, or the act of making up new words

Sobriquet Definition

a nickname, often given by another person, it usually is a familiar name used in place of a real name often becoming more familiar than the original name

Tragic Hero Definition

a person who faces adversity, or demonstrates courage, in the face of danger; he usually dies in the process due to fate, or by his own mistake, or any other social reason. This person's downfall evokes feelings of pity and fear among the audience

Idiom Definition

a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning different from the words used

Elegy Definition

a poem or song written in honor of someone deceased; laments or mourns the death of the individual; the poet invokes a muse and then references mythology, it's usually in the first person, it raises questions about destiny, justice, and fate; it draws comparisons between the dead person and the poet; it tries to provide comfort to ease the pain of loss

Euphemism Definition

a polite, indirect expressions which replace words and phrases considered harsh and impolite or which suggest something unpleasant

Pathos Definition

a quality of an experience in life, or a work of art, that stirs up emotions of pity, sympathy, and sorrow; according to Aristotle, it is also one of the three persuasive tools of rhetoric (appeal to emotion)

Hypothetical question Definition

a question that contains unproven assumptions or imaginary scenarios; may be used to explore future possibilities or stimulate creativity; hypothetical questions often start with phrases such as "what if"

Motivation Definition

a reason behind a character's specific action or behavior; characterized by the character's own consent and willingness to do something. There are two types of this: one is intrinsic, while the other one is extrinsic; extrinsic comes from some physical reward such as money, power, or lust; intrinsic is inspired by some internal reward such as knowledge, pride, or spiritual or emotional peace or wellbeing

Motif Definition

a recurrent image, idea, or symbol that the author often develops into a theme; these are topics that we can then expand into a theme; this will be a word or phrase, a theme must be a complete sentence indicating the author's position on that topic

Narrative Definition

a report of related events presented to listeners or readers, in words arranged in a logical sequence; this, or story, is told by a narrator who may be a direct part of that experience, and he or she often shares the experience as a first-person narrator. Sometimes he or she may only observe the events as a third-person narrator, and gives his or her summation

Dilemma Definition

a rhetorical device in which a conflicting situation arises for a person to choose between right and wrong, where both seem of equal worth. Often times, dilemma involves an ethically wrong decision that may produce desirable outcomes, but which could have moral consequences.

Antithesis

a rhetorical device in which two opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect

Epigram Definition

a rhetorical device that is a memorable, brief, interesting, and surprisingly satirical statement

Ethos Definition

a rhetorical device that refers to the speaker's personal character that leads the audience to trust his or her credibility; it is one of Aristotle's three rhetorical devices that gives a speaker a stronger argument

Foil Definition

a secondary character who contrasts with the major character to enhance the importance of the major character; this character shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character to highlight the traits of the other character

Declarative Sentence Definition

a sentence that makes a statement or declares something

Homily Definition

a sermon or speech that a religious person or priest delivers before a group of people to offer them moral correction for immoral behavior or thoughts

Anecdote

a short and interesting story or an amusing event often proposed to support or demonstrate some point and meant to engage readers; is a weak form of evidence E.g. (You do not have to copy this. Just write down the title and author.) A very famous anecdote in literature is from Swann's Way of Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time novels, when he recalls a specific time that he ate a madeleine cookie.

Epigraph Definition

a short poem, quotation or sentence usually placed at the beginning of a document or a simple piece; can be used as a summary, introduction, an example, or an association with some famous literary works to draw a comparison or to provide context for the piece

Adage

a short, pointed, and memorable saying that is based on facts, and is considered a veritable truth by the majority of people. E.g. Saved by the bell

Flat Character Definition

a simple character, having just one or two qualities, which generally remain the same throughout the story, not undergoing significant growth or changes. The audience does not know much about these characters because the writer does not provide detailed information about them; their role is to support the main character; they are often referred to as two-dimensional characters; they are the opposite of round characters

Vignette Defintion

a small impressionistic scene, an illustration, a descriptive passage focusing on one particular moment; or giving an impression about an idea, character, setting, mood, aspect, or object. This is neither a plot nor a full narrative description, but a carefully crafted verbal sketch

Bildungsroman

a special kind of novel that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of its main character from his or her youth to adulthood; During a journey, either actual or metaphorical, the protagonist gains maturity gradually and with difficulty. Usually, the plot depicts a conflict between the protagonist and the values of society. Such a type of novel is also known as a coming-of-age novel.

Jargon Definition

a specialized set of terms and language used in a particular context and setting. It is especially common to find this in an industry, such as in law, medicine, academia, or an art or sport. People who are not a part of this industry or group may not be able to understand this as the words are either obscure terms or have different definitions than the regular usage of the word.

Dialogue Definition

a spoken or written exchange of conversation in a group or between two individuals; there is inner dialogue--generally called interior monologue--in which a character has a conversation in his or her own mind and outer dialogue which is a conversation between characters

Thesis Definition

a statement in a non-fiction or a fiction work that a writer intends to support and prove. These statements are of utmost importance, as they provide clear indicators as to which direction the writer will follow in their work. This statement is carefully crafted by a writer, and is marked by vigilant selection of words. Generally, such a statement shows up in the first paragraph i.e. introduction

Anaphorism

a statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty way. They often express philosophical, moral and literary principles.

Paradox Definition

a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but which may include a latent truth. It is used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional ideas. This is often used to make a reader think over an idea in innovative ways

Frame Device Definition

a story set within a story, narrative, or movie, told by the main or the supporting character A character starts telling a story to other characters, or he sits down to write a story, telling the details to the audience. This technique is also called a "frame narrative."

Legend Definition

a story that lies somewhere between myth and historical fact and which, as a rule, is about a particular figure or person; focuses on a historically or geographically specific figure, and describes his exploits

Parable Definition

a story that uses symbolism, simile, and metaphor, to demonstrate the moral lesson; we find these in verse and prose, specifically in religious texts, such as The Upanishad or the Bible

Fairytale Definition

a story, often intended for children, that features fanciful and wondrous characters such as elves, goblins, wizards, or fairies. There are often fantastic and magical settings or magical influences; they are often traditional; many have been passed down along orally

Meter Definition

a stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse, or within the lines of a poem. Stressed syllables tend to be longer, and unstressed shorter; it gives poetry a rhythmical and melodious sound. The study of different types of versification and this is known as "prosody."

Conflict

a struggle between two opposing forces usually a protagonist and an antagonist; conflicts may be internal or external

Gothic Literature Definition

a style of writing that describes strange or frightening events that take place in mysterious places." This started with with Horace Walpole's novel Castle of Oronto in 1765, and the tradition was continued by writers such as Ann Radcliffe, and in classic horror stories like Frankenstein and Dracula. The genre was named after the architecture that inspired it: the medieval castles and ruins in which much of this takes place, and which often play a vital role in the narrative's plot.

Alliteration

a stylistic device in which a number of words, having the same first consonant sound, occur close together in a series

Satire Definition

a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society, by using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. It intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles

Rhetoric Definition

a technique of using language effectively and persuasively in spoken or written form. It is an art of discourse, which studies and employs various methods to convince, influence, or please an audience. According to Aristotle there are three main devices of persuasion, logos, ethos, and pathos.

Genre Definition

a type of art, literature, or music characterized by a specific form, content, and style; literature has four main genres: poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction

Tragedy Definition

a type of drama that presents a serious subject matter about human suffering and corresponding terrible events in a dignified manner; The term is Greek in origin, dating back to the 5th century BC; The subject matter of Greek ---- was derived chiefly from Homer's Iliad, and Odyssey

Ballad

a type of poetry or verse which was used in dance songs in the ancient France, during the late 16th and 17th century, it spread over the majority of Europe; they use easy to understand language and they tend to be stories about hardships, tragedies, love and romance; their most lasting legacy is in music; these songs tend to be sentimental love songs

Novella Definition

a type of prose fiction, which is shorter than full length novels and longer than short stories. It originates from an Italian word "novella", which means "new." It is a well-structured yet short narrative; often satiric or realistic in tone. It usually focuses on one incident, or issue with one or two main characters and takes place at a single location

Quatrain Definition

a verse with four lines, or even a full poem containing four lines, having an independent and separate theme; these can have a variety of rhyme schemes

Onomatopoeia Definition

a word that imitates the sound of the object or action with which it is associated

Bathos

an abrupt turn from the serious and poetic to the regular and silly; it's a play on the rhetorical device of pathos or an appeal to the emotions but bathos makes it over the top and silly

Biography

an account that gives an account or detailed description about the life of a person. It entails basic facts such as childhood, education, career, relationships, family and death. Biography is a literary genre that portrays the experiences of all these events occurred in the life of a person mostly in a chronological order

Biography

an account that gives an account or detailed description about the life of a person. It entails basic facts such as childhood, education, career, relationships, family, and death. Biography is a literary genre that portrays the experiences of all these events occurred in the life of a person mostly in a chronological order

Voice Definition

an author's individual writing style; the author imparts his or her personality into the piece

Anachronism

an error of chronology or timeline in a literary piece. In other words, anything that is out of time and out of place E.g. A Knight''s Tale

Cliche

an expression that has been overused to the extent that it loses its original meaning or novelty. E.g They all lived happily ever after.

Theme Definition

an idea that a writer repeats in his literary work, making it jone the most significant ideas; it is the author's perspective on a particular topic; these must be complete sentences; a motif on the other hand is the topic, such as love; this is what the author thinks about love; these must be universal and could apply to other situations beyond that particular piece of literature

Novel Definition

an invented prose narrative of considerable length and a certain complexity that deals imaginatively with human experience, usually through a connected sequence of events involving a group of persons in a specific setting; this has encompassed an extensive range of types and styles such as picaresque, epistolary, Gothic, romantic, realist, and historical

Symbolism Definition

an object representing another, to give an entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant. Sometimes, however, an action, an event or a word spoken by someone may have a symbolic value. For instance, "smile" is an example of friendship; These do shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in. "A chain," for example, may stand for "union" as well as "imprisonment"

Didactic Definition

art and literature that conveys information and instructions along with pleasure and entertainment

E.g. "Here's to my love! [Drinks] O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die. [Falls]"

catharsis

"Oh stay! three lives in one flea spare Where we almost, yea more than married are. This flea is you and I, and this Our marriage-bed and marriage-temple is"

conceit

E.g. "The dress I wore was lavender taffeta." -- Maya Angelou, I Know why the Caged Bird Sings

concrete details

"riots" versus "protests"

connotation

"Ralegh has backed the maid to a tree As Ireland is backed to England

consonance

Denouement Definition

derived from a French word called "denoue" that means "to untie"; a literary device which can be defined as the resolution of the issue of a complicated plot in fiction

Soliloquy Definition

device often used in drama to reveal the innermost thoughts of a character; used to convey the progress of action of the play, by means of expressing a character's thoughts about a certain character or past, present, or upcoming event, while talking to himself without acknowledging the presence of any other person

Hypothetical question Example

e.g.: Dr. Faustus (By Christopher Marlowe) "Why should I die, then, or basely despair? I am resolv'd; Faustus shall not repent... Speak, are there many spheres above the moon? Are all celestial bodies but one globe, As is the substance of this centric earth?"

Atmosphere

emotions or feelings an author conveys to his readers through description of objects and settings; may vary throughout a literary piece.

Hubris Definition

extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about his downfall; this is a typical flaw in the personality of a character who enjoys a powerful position; as a result of which, he overestimates his capabilities to such an extent that he loses contact with reality. A character suffering from this tries to cross normal human limits and violates moral codes. Examples of this are found in major characters of tragic plays. Aristotle claimed that this was often the tragic flaw that brought about the downfall of the tragic hero.

Picaresque Definition

fiction that follows the adventures of a rogue character, a picaro who rambles along, relating the shady details of his everyday experiences in autobiographical form;these tales often come across with humor, although tragedy of circumstances usually travels with the storytelling. Although he's a rascal, this hero can be quite likable in the realism he portrays

Folktale Definition

generally part of the oral tradition; are passed down from one generation to another; take on the characteristics of the time and place in which they are told; take on the personality of the storyteller; use universal and timeless themes; try to make sense of our existence, help humans cope with the world in which they live, or explain the origin of something; are often about the common person; may contain supernatural elements; tall tales are a type of this

Personification Definition

giving non-human things human characteristics; the non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings

Dissonance Definition

harsh-sounding, and unusual words in poetry; a deliberate use of inharmonious words, phrases, or syllables intended to create harsh sounding effects

Flashback Definition

interruptions that writers do to insert past events in order to provide background or context to the current events of a narrative. By using this, writers allow their readers to gain insight into a character's motivation and provide a background to a current conflict. Dream sequences and memories are methods used to present this.

Dialect Definition

language used by the people of a specific area, class, district; dialect involves the spelling, sounds, grammar and pronunciation

Verisimilitude Definition

likeness to the truth, such as resemblance of a fictitious work to a real event, even if it is a far-fetched one. This ensures that even a fantasy must be rooted in reality, which means that events should be plausible to the extent that readers consider them credible enough to be able to relate them somehow to their experiences of real life

Denotation Definition

literal or dictionary meanings of a word in contrast to its connotative or associated meanings

Fantasy Definition

literary genre whose plot usually involves witchcraft or magic, taking place on an undiscovered planet of an unknown world; its theme and setting involve a combination of technology, architecture, and language, which sometimes resemble European medieval ages

Figurative Language Definition

metaphors, similes, and allusions that go beyond the literal meanings of the words to give readers new insights; alliterations, imageries, or onomatopoeias are examples of these devices that appeal to the senses of the readers; they paint a picture for the readers to help them envision a scene or character

Pastoral Definition

music, art, poetry, or prose that often depicts shepherds herding livestock according to seasons and the changing seasons; it depicts such life in an idealized manner, typically for urban audiences it compares the artificiality and corruption of city life to the clean, honest, and simple country life; also known as bucolic literature

Falling Action Definition

occurs right after the climax, when the narrative has reached its highest emotional peak; after so much time has been devoted in the rising action to building up the story's central conflict, it's important in the wake of the climax to dispel some of the built-up tension; we see the characters relax a little with the end of their struggle now in sight

Sonnet Definition

poem with 14 lines, and is written in iambic pentameter. Each line has 10 syllables. It has a specific rhyme scheme, and a volta, or a specific turn; these are divided into different groups based on the rhyme scheme they follow. The rhymes of this are arranged according to a certain rhyme scheme. The rhyme scheme in English is usually abab-cdcd-efef-gg, and in Italian abba-abba-cde-cde

Free Verse Definition

poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm, and does not rhyme with fixed forms; these poems do not follow regular rhyme scheme rules; Walt Whitman is considered the father of this

consonance

repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. This repetition often takes place in quick succession such as in pitter, patter. The use of consonance provides the poem or prose with a rhyming effect. The writer often employs the tool of consonance for the purpose of reiterating the significance of an idea or theme.

Epiphany Definition

that moment in the story where a character achieves realization, awareness or a feeling of knowledge after which he sees events through the prism of this new light provided by the story; the lightbulb coming on or "Aha!" moment (sometimes called a "gestalt moment" as well)

Tone Definition

the attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience. This is generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint; it is the manner in which a writer approaches a theme. This can be formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful.

Monologue Definition

the speech or verbal presentation given by a single character in order to express his or her collection of thoughts and ideas aloud. Often such a character speaks directly to audience, or to another character. These are found in dramatic medium like films and plays, and also in non-dramatic medium like poetry.

Literal Language Definition

the denotative meaning of literature: it means exactly what it says

Literary License Definition

the departure of facts or even rules for language in order to create a different effect, usually dramatic, for a piece of work or speech

Impressionism Definition

the depiction of scene, emotion, or character by details intended to achieve a vividness or effectiveness more by evoking subjective and sensory types than by recreating an objective reality; it has also been used to describe the novelist's technique of concentrating on the inner life of the main character rather than on external reality

Argument

the main statement of a poem, an essay, a short story, or a novel that usually appears as an introduction; a point of view that the writer will develop his work in order to convince his readers to agree with him.

Mood Definition

the overall atmosphere of a literary piece that creates an emotional setting; it is developed through various methods, including setting, theme, tone, and diction

Narrator Definition

the person or voice telling the story

Syntax Definition

the study of how words are arranged in a sentence; a set of rules in a language; it dictates how words from different parts of speech are put together in order to convey a complete thought; the usual order in English is subject + verb + object; we often see poets use an unusual this

Regionalism Definition

the theory or practice of emphasizing these characteristics of locale or setting, by stressing local speech

Resolution Definition

the unfolding or solution of a complicated issue in a story. Technically, this is also known as a "denouement." Most of the instances of this is presented in the final parts or chapters of a story. It mostly follows the climax

Malapropism Definition

the use of an incorrect word in place of a similar-sounding word, which results in a nonsensical and humorous expression

Parallelism Definition

the use of components in a sentence that are grammatically the same; or similar in their construction, sound, meaning, or meter; This method adds balance and rhythm to sentences, giving ideas a smoother construction and thus persuasiveness, because of the repetition

Imagery Definition

the use of figurative language to represent objects, actions, and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses; this makes use of particular words that create visual representation of ideas in our minds

concrete details

the use of specific words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) to create vivid word pictures that appeal to one of the five senses

Characterization

the writer introduces the character with noticeable emergence and then following the introduction of the character, the writer often talks about his behavior; then as the story progresses, the thought-process of the character. The next stage involves the character expressing his opinions and ideas and getting into conversations with the rest of the characters. The final part shows how others in the story respond to the character's personality; there are two types--direct = the author tells us and indirect = we must infer

Juxtaposition Definition

to place two concepts, characters, ideas, or places near or next to each other so that the reader will compare and contrast them

Paraphrase Definition

to restate in different words than the original text, while keeping the meaning and sense of the original source the same; This and summarizing are extremely similar actions and involve many of the same processes. The difference between the two is what their objectives are. The purpose of a summary is to condense source material into a shorter form. This, however, is not centrally concerned with length. Rather, this is concerned primarily with the restatement of source material in a form that is different than the original.

Volta Defintion

turn, a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion

Blank Verse

un-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter; it has 10 syllables in each line (pentameter); where, unstressed syllables are followed by stressed ones

Assonance

when two or more words, close to one another repeat the same vowel sound, but start with different consonant sounds.

Diction Definition

word choice; perhaps the most important tool of writing literature other than developing plot

Transition Definition

words and phrases that provide a connection between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. These help to make ideas in a piece of writing connect better. They can turn disconnected pieces of ideas into a unified whole, and prevent a reader from getting lost in the storyline; these help provide a logical connection between one or more sections of a piece of writing