Analyzing and Interpreting Literature Vocabulary

laconic

(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words. "His ________ reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic." Synonyms: brief, concise, terse, succinct, short, pithy

naturalism

A 19th century artistic movement in which writers and painters sought to show life as it is rather that life as it should be. The term naturalism describes a type of literature that attempts to apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings. Unlike realism which focuses on literary technique naturalism implies a philosophical position

mode

A broad literary method not tied to one specific form or genre, such as irony or satire.

anti-hero

A central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes - the usual good qualities that are expected in a hero

flat character

A character who can be fully described in a single sentence. They are dispensable in the story. They serve as a backdrop to the main story and they don't surprise you. Simple characters.

round character

A character who is most like a real person. They have depth. They are important to the story line. They are unpredictable and may surprise you just like real people.

dynamic character

A character whose personality changes, grows and develops, over the course of a narrative or who has the ability for such a change. Contrast with static characters.

caesura, cesura

A complete pause in a line of poetry. The term comes from the Latin "a cutting" or "a slicing." Some editors will indicate a _____ by inserting a slash (/) in the middle of a poetic line. Others insert extra space in this location. Others do not indicate the _____ typographically at all. Example: Know then thyself, presume not God to scan.

idyll

A composition in verse or prose presenting an idealized story of happy innocence.

induction

A conclusion reached through reasoning. Derived using facts and instances which lead to the formation of a general opinion.

stichic verse

A continuous run of lines of the same length and the same meter. Most narrative verse is written in such continuous lines. Lyric poetry, because it is closer to song, usually uses stanzas.

syndeton

A coordination with one conjunction. Examples: "You are talking to a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe". The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz, 1939. "I crawled back under the cover of the boat and huddled there, wet, cold and sobbing." Sam McKinney, Sailing Uphill. Touchwood, 2010 See also: polysyndeton, asyndeton

convention

A customary feature of a literary work, such as the use of a chorus in Greek tragedy, the inclusion of an explicit moral in a fable, or the use of a particular rhyme scheme in a villanelle. Literary conventions are defining features of particular literary genres, such as novel, short story, ballad, sonnet, and play.

apostrophe

A digression in the form of an address to someone not present, or to a personified object or idea, as "O Death, where is thy sting?" Direct address to someone or something not present, such as an imagionary person or abstract quality.

strophe

A division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme. A rhythmic system composed of two or more lines repeated as a unit. The number of lines varies in different kinds of _____ but it is uncommon to have more than twelve lines. Synonym: stanza Also see: Couplets (stanza with two rhyming lines) Tercets (stanza with three lines that may or may not rhyme) Quatrains (stanza with four lines that may or may not rhyme), Quintains (cinquain) (stanza of five lines that may or may not rhyme), Sestet (A stanza of six lines), Rhyme Royal (A stanza of seven lines), Octave (octet) ( A stanza of eight lines).

stanza

A division of a poem consisting of a series of lines arranged together in a usually recurring pattern of meter and rhyme. A rhythmic system composed of two or more lines repeated as a unit. The number of lines varies in different kinds of _____ but it is uncommon to have more than twelve lines. Synonym: strophe Also see: Couplets (stanza with two rhyming lines) Tercets (stanza with three lines that may or may not rhyme) Quatrains (stanza with four lines that may or may not rhyme), Quintains (cinquain) (stanza of five lines that may or may not rhyme), Sestet (A stanza of six lines), Rhyme Royal (A stanza of seven lines), Octave (octet) ( A stanza of eight lines).

meiosis

A euphemistic figure of speech that intentionally understates something or implies that it is lesser in significance or size than it really is. Meiosis is the opposite of auxesis, and also sometimes used as a synonym for litotes.

adage

A familiar proverb or wise saying.

irony

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 may end up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between the appearance and the reality.

simile

A figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds; usually formed with 'like' or 'as' or 'as if".

metaphor

A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Examples: The ladder of success, A mighty fortress is our God, Henry was a lion on the battlefield.

tanka

A five line poem of unrhymed Japanese poetry, totalling 31 moras structured in a 5-7-5-7-7 pattern.

impressionism

A form of art in which the artist depicts the inner essence of man and projects his view of the world as colored by that essence.

creative writing

A form of artistic expression, draws on the imagination to convey meaning through the use of imagery, narrative, and drama. This is in contrast to analytic or pragmatic forms of writing. This genre includes poetry, fiction (novels, short stories), scripts, screenplays, and creative non-fiction. Any writing that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on narrative craft, character development, and the use of literary tropes or with various traditions of poetry and poetics.

auxesis

A form of hyperbole that intentionally overstates something or implies that it is greater in significance or size than it really is. The opposite of meiosis. May also refer to a sequence of clauses with increasing force. See hyperbole, meiosis, litotes. Examples "It's a well hit ball, it's a long drive, it might be, it could be, it IS... a home run!" "O'erthrows thy joys, friends, fortune, and thy state." -Richard II, Shakespeare "It is a sin to bind a Roman Citizen, a crime to scourge him, little short of the most unnatural murder to put him to death; what then shall I call this crucifixion?" -Cicero, Against Verres "Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird... it's a plane... it's Superman!" -The Adventures of Superman.

generalization

A general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases.

sarcasm

A generally bitter comment that is ironically worded. From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," _____ involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something. It may use irony as a device, but not all ironic statements are _____ (that is, intended to ridicule). When well done, _____ can be witty and insightful; when poorly done, it is simply cruel.

Gothic fiction

A genre or mode of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism.

melancholy

A gloomy state of mind, especially when habitual or prolonged; depression. Sober thoughtfulness; pensiveness.

clause

A group of related words containing a subject and a verb. Distinguished from a phrase, which is a group of related words that does not contain a subject-verb relationship. See also: phrase

phrase

A group of related words that does not contain a subject-verb relationship. Distinguished from a clause, which is group of related words containing a subject and a verb. See also: clause

parody

A humorous or satirical imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing: his hilarious _____ of Hamlet's soliloquy. A burlesque imitation of a musical composition. Any humorous, satirical, or burlesque imitation, as of a person, event, etc. A poor or feeble imitation or semblance; travesty: His acting is a _____ of his past greatness.

limerick

A kind of humorous verse of five lines, in which the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth lines, which are shorter, form a rhymed couplet.

syllogism

A kind of logical argument that applies deductive reasoning to arrive at a conclusion based on two or more propositions that are asserted or assumed to be true. In its earliest form, defined by Aristotle, from the combination of a general statement (the major premise) and a specific statement (the minor premise), a conclusion is deduced. For example, knowing that all men are mortal (major premise) and that Socrates is a man (minor premise), we may validly conclude that Socrates is mortal.

harangue

A lengthy and aggressive speech. To lecture someone at length in an aggressive and critical manner. synonyms: tirade, diatribe, lecture, polemic, rant, fulmination.

farce

A light, humorous play in which the plot depends upon a skillfully exploited situation rather than upon the development of character. Comedy that entertains the audience through absurdity, improbabilities, exaggeration, and verbal humor.

octameter

A line containing eight metrical feet. Eight sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

pentameter

A line containing five metrical feet. Five sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

tetrameter

A line containing four metrical feet. Four sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

dimeter

A line containing only two metrical feet. Two sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

heptameter

A line containing seven metrical feet. Seven sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

hexameter

A line containing six metrical feet. Six sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

trimeter

A line containing three metrical feet. Three sets of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

enjambment

A line having no end punctuation so that the meaning continues uninterrupted to the next line(s).

iambic pentameter

A line of five feet, each with an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

monometer

A line or verse of one measure or foot. One set of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

octosyllable (octosyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises eight syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

hendecasyllable

A line, verse, or word that comprises eleven syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

pentasyllable (pentasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises five syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises four syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

enneasyllable (enneasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises nine syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

monosyllable (monosyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises one syllable. See also: disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

heptasyllable (heptasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises seven syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

hexasyllable (hexasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises six syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

decasyllable (decasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises ten syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

trisyllable (trisyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises three syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises twelve syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables.

disyllable (disyllabic)

A line, verse, or word that comprises two syllables. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

antimetabole

A literary device that reverses the word order in a phrase to juxtapose the meaning. Very similar to chiasmus, but the words and grammatical structure must be reversed, since simply reversing the meaning is not enough. One example is Mae West's catchphrase, "It's not the men in my life, it's the life in my men." Here, the exact same words, grammatical structure, and rhythm are used create the second clause with the opposite meaning. Many scholars view this device as a subcategory of chiasmus because its rules are stricter and very closely defined. "Never let a fool kiss you or a kiss fool you." See also: chiasmus

amplification

A literary practice wherein the writer embellishes the sentence by adding more information to it in order to increase its worth and understandability. When a plain sentence is too abrupt and fails to convey the full implications desired, _____ comes into play when the writer adds more to the structure to give it more meaning. Example: Original sentence- The thesis paper was difficult. After _____- The thesis paper was difficult: it required extensive research, data collection, sample surveys, interviews and a lot of fieldwork.

pathetic fallacy

A literary term for the attributing of human emotion and conduct to all aspects within nature. It is a kind of personification that is found in poetic writing when, for example, clouds seem sullen, when leaves dance, when dogs laugh, or when rocks seem indifferent.

pastiche

A literary, musical, or artistic piece consisting wholly or chiefly of motifs or techniques borrowed from one or more sources.

epic

A long, narrative poem written in elevated language and style about the exploits of a hero or heroine. Epics usually center upon a hero and operate on a large scale, both in length and topic in which a series of great achievements or events is narrated in elevated style such as: the founding of a nation (Virgil's Aeneid), the beginning of world history (Milton's Paradise Lost), Odysseus's journey home (Homer's Odyssey). They tend to use an elevated style of language and supernatural beings take part in the action.

Jeremiad

A loud lament against society's moral ills. Named for Jeremiah's lament against the sins of the Hebrews. Coined and made popular by Perry Miller and later by Sacvan Bercovitch. Commonly found in Puritain writing.

ode

A lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of exalted or enthusiastic emotion.

miracle play

A medieval play representing episodes from the life of a saint or martyr.

iamb

A metrical foot in poetry that has an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable, as in the word protect.

epiphany

A moment of sudden realization or insight.

aubade

A morning love song; opposite of a serenade; literally, a song to a sleeping woman; also refers to a song-evoking daybreak.

romanticism

A movement in literature and art during the late 18th and 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization with an emphasis on the imagination and emotions.

ballad

A narrative folk song or a narrative set to music. A light, simple song of sentimental or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all sung to the same melody. A typical ____ is a plot-driven song, with one or more characters hurriedly unfurling events leading to a dramatic conclusion. At best, a ____ does not tell the reader what's happening, but rather shows the reader what's happening, describing each crucial moment in the trail of events. To convey that sense of emotional urgency, the _____ is often constructed in quatrain stanzas, each line containing as few as three or four stresses and rhyming either the second and fourth lines, or all alternating lines. One of three 14th and 15th French poetic forms (fixed form): the ballad, the virelai, and rondeau. Example: Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

legend

A narrative handed down from the past, containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements.

unreliable narrator

A narrator who's impressions and account of what has happened do not seem credible, either because they are internally incoherent or do not match the reader's preexisting knowledge.

butterfly cinquain

A nine-line syllabic poem with the pattern two, four, six, eight, two, eight, six, four, two.

apposition, appositive

A noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it. The appositive can be a short or long combination of words. Look at these examples: The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table. This is an especially important feature of Old English poetic style. For example, Caedmon's Hymn , where the phrases "heaven-kingdom's Guardian," "the Measurer's might," "his mind-plans," and "the work of the Glory-Father" each serve an identical syntactic function as the direct objects of "praise."

epistolary novel

A novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other documents are sometimes used. Recently, electronic "documents" such as recordings and radio, blogs, and e-mails have also come into use. Derived from Latin from the Greek word epistolē, meaning a letter.

allusion

A passing or casual reference to a person, place, or thing from another literary work or from history. A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical.

eclogue

A pastoral poem, often in dialogue form.

scapegoat

A person or group that bears the blame for another.

epitome

A person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class: He is the _____ of goodness. Also, a condensed account, especially of a literary work; abstract. synonyms: embodiment, incarnation, personification, quintessence, essence, type, symbol, soul, model, exemplification, exemplar, image, representation.

foil

A person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast. A pair of characters, events, settings which ar set up in artistic contrast to one another in order to highlight their significant differences.

pun

A play on words, often achieved through the use of words with similar sounds but different meanings.

sestina

A poem composed of six stanzas of six lines (sixains), followed by a stanza of three lines (a tercet).

acrostic

A poem in which the first letter of each line spell a word, often the subject of a poem.

reverse cinquain

A poem with one 5-line stanza in a syllabic pattern of two, eight, six, four, two.

mirror cinquain

A poem with two 5-line stanzas consisting of a cinquain followed by a reverse cinquain.

soliloquy

A poetic form in which a single character, addressing a silent auditor at a critical moment, reveals himself or herself and the dramatic situation often revealing his or her innermost thoughts and feelings. The speaker is disregardful of, or oblivious to, any hearers present. Synonym: dramatic monologue

dramatic monologue

A poetic form in which a single character, addressing a silent auditor at a critical moment, reveals himself or herself and the dramatic situation often revealing his or her innermost thoughts and feelings. The speaker is disregardful of, or oblivious to, any hearers present. Synonym: soliloquy

sterotype

A popularly held belief about a specific group or type of individuals.

asyndeton

A practice in literature whereby the author purposely leaves out conjunctions in the sentence, while maintaining the grammatical accuracy of the phrase. Helps in shortening up the implied meaning of the entire phrase and presenting it in a succinct form. Examples: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle "Veni, vidi, vici" (Julius Caesar), "We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardships, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." (J. F. Kennedy, Inaugural) See also: polysyndeton, syndeton

prologue

A preliminary discourse; a preface or introductory part of a discourse, poem, or novel.

pathos

A quality of an experience in life or a work of art that stirs up emotions of pity, sympathy and sorrow. _____ can be expressed through words, pictures or even with gestures of the body. One of Aristotle's three means of persuasion. Also see ethos and logos.

rhetorical question

A question asked for an effect, not actually requiring an answer.

riddle

A question requiring thought to answer or understand; a puzzle or conundrum.

hypothetical question

A question that raises a hypothesis, conjecture, or supposition.

primitivist

A recurrent theory or belief, as in philosophy or art, that the qualities of primitive or chronologically early cultures are superior to those of contemporary civilization.

motif

A recurring theme, subject or idea. Unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work

rising action

A related series of incidents in a literary plot that build toward the point of greatest interest.

chiasmus

A reversal in the order of words in two otherwise parallel phrases, as in: "He went to the country, to the town went she.""The instinct of a man is to pursue everything that flies from him, and to fly from all that pursues him." (Voltaire) A clause that is inversely repeated. The only requirement of a chiastic phrase is that the two clauses within the sentence must have opposite meanings. For instance, Havelock Ellis's famous quote, "Charm is a woman's strength, strength is a man's charm," is an example of ____ only. Here, the meanings in the two clauses are opposite, but the grammatical structure and the wording are different, meaning it cannot be an example of antimetabole. Also see: antimetabole

masculine rhyme

A rhyme that matches just one syllable, often a stressed syllable found at the end of the lines. As in: disdain, complain.

terza rima

A rhyming verse stanza form that consists of an interlocking three-line rhyme scheme. It was first used by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. The tercets are woven into a rhyme scheme that requires the end-word of the second line in one tercet to supply the rhyme for the first and third lines in the following tercet. Thus, the rhyme scheme (aba, bcb, cdc, ded) continues through to the final stanza or line.

circumlocution

A roundabout or indirect way of speaking; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.

synaesthesia

A sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.

simple sentence

A sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause.

complex sentence

A sentence with one independent clause and at least one dependent clause.

compound sentence

A sentence with two or more coordinate independent clauses, often joined by one or more conjuctions.

crown cinquain

A sequence of five cinquain stanzas functioning to construct one larger poem.

garland cinquain

A series of six cinquains in which the last is formed of lines from the preceding five, typically line one from stanza one, line two from stanza two, and so on.

homily

A sermon, or a moralistic lecture.

rhyme royal

A seven-line stanza in iambic pentameter which rhymes ababbcc. It is called rhyme royal because King James I of Scotland used it.

anecdote

A short account of a particular incident or event of an interesting or amusing nature, often biographical.

villanelle

A short poem of fixed form, written in tercets, usually five in number, followed by a final quatrain, all being based on two rhymes. It originated in France and reproduces the circular patterns of a peasant dance. The villanelle has five tercets rhyming aba and a final quatrain rhyming abaa. The lines of the first tercet provide a kind of refrain, a recurring repetition of one or more lines.

lyric

A short poem of songlike quality. A poem sharing personal emotions. "___" is a term used to describe a wide variety of poems that are neither dramatic nor epic. Compared to these two genres, _____ poetry is more likely to be short and songlike, and to focus on an individual speaker's emotions. In Classical poetry, accompanied by a lyre.

envoi, envoy

A short stanza at the end of a poem used either to address an imagined or actual person or to comment on the preceding body of the poem. An author's concluding words.

analogy

A similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based. Can explain something unfamiliar by associating it with or pointing out its similarity to something more familiar.

dilemma

A situation that requires a person to decide between two equally attractive or equally unattractive alternatives.

virelai

A song form of the 14th and early 15th century usually has three stanzas, and a refrain that is stated before the first stanza and again after each. Within each stanza, the structure is that of the bar form, with two sections that share the same rhymes and music ("stollen"), followed by a third ("abgesang"). The third section of each stanza shares its rhymes and music with the refrain. Within this overall structure, the number of lines and the rhyme scheme is variable. The refrain and abgesang may be of three, four or five lines each, with rhyme schemes such as ABA, ABAB, AAAB, ABBA, AAAB, or AABBA. The structure often involves an alternation of longer with shorter lines. Typically, all three stanzas share the same set of rhymes, which means that the entire poem may be built on just two rhymes, if the stollen sections also share their rhymes with the refrain. One of three 14th and 15th French poetic forms (fixed form): the ballad, the virelai, and rondeau.

Italian sonnet

A sonnet consisting of an octave with the rhyme pattern abbaabba, followed by a sestet with the rhyme pattern cdecde or cdcdcd. Very often this type of sonnet develops two sides of a question or a problem and a solution, one in the octave and, after a turn often introduced by 'but', 'yet' or a similar conjunction that indicates a change of argument, another in the sestet. Synonym: Petrarchan sonnet One of the basic sonnet form which includes the English (or Shakespearian) sonnet and the Spenserian sonnet.

Spenserian sonnet

A sonnet employing the rhyme scheme abab, bcbc, cdcd, ee, three quatrains and a couplet. Named after Edmund Spenser (c.1552-1599). One of the basic sonnet form which includes the English (or Shakespearian) sonnet and the Italian sonnet.

Shakesperean sonnet

A sonnets consisting of 3 quatrains of alternating rhyme and a couplet: a b a b, c d c d, e f e f, g g . One of the basic sonnet forms which include the Italian sonnet and the Spenserian sonnet. Synonym: English sonnet

English sonnet

A sonnets consisting of 3 quatrains of alternating rhyme and a couplet: a b a b, c d c d, e f e f, g g . One of the basic sonnet forms which include the Italian sonnet and the Spenserian sonnet. Synonym: Shakespearian sonnet

elegy

A sorrowful, mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, such as a funeral song or a lament for the dead. Adjective: elegaic meaning mournful.

monologue

A speech made by one actor or speaker.

eulogy

A speech or written tribute praising someone who died, especially written for a funeral.

ottava rima

A stanza of eight lines with a abababcc rhyme scheme. An Italian stanza of eight lines, each of eleven syllables (or, in the English adaptation, of ten or eleven syllables).

octave

A stanza of eight lines. The most common rhyme scheme for an octave is abba abba. The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet is divided into an octave or octet (eight lines) rhyming abbaabba and a sestet rhyming cdecde or some variation (for example cdccdc). Synonym: octet

octet

A stanza of eight lines. The most common rhyme scheme for an octave is abba abba. The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet is divided into an octave or octet (eight lines) rhyming abbaabba and a sestet rhyming cdecde or some variation (for example cdccdc). This can mean any group of eight things. Synonym: octave

quintain

A stanza of five lines which may be rhymed or unrhymed and has a typical stress pattern. Synonym: cinquian

cinquain

A stanza of five lines which may be rhymed or unrhymed and has a typical stress pattern. Synonym: quintain Can also refer to a closed form 5 line poem with a syllable pattern of 2,4,6,8,2. See also American ____, Reverse ____, Mirror ____, Butterfly ____, Crown ____, and Garland ___.

sixain

A stanza of six lines. Synonyms: sextain, sestine, sestet

sextain

A stanza of six lines. Synonyms: sixain, sestine, sestet.

sestine

A stanza of six lines. Synonyms: sixain, sextain, sestet.

sestet

A stanza of six lines. It is the second division (last six lines) of Italian or Petrarchan sonnets following an octave or the first division comprising eight lines. Syn0nyms: sextain, sixain, sestine.

couplet

A stanza of two lines. A pair of successive lines of verse that rhyme and are of the same length and usually with the same meter.

quatrain

A stanza or poem of four lines, usually with alternate rhymes.

paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. Example: Dickens' Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....")

understatement

A statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said.

logos

A statement, sentence or argument used to convince or persuade the targeted audience by employing reason or logic. It mostly employs the utilization of inductive and deductive reasoning methods to be effective. One of Aristotle's three means of persuasion. Also see ethos and pathos.

fantasy

A story that concerns an unreal world or contains unreal characters; it may be merely whimsical, or it may present a serious point.

conflict

A struggle between opposing forces in a story or play, usually resolved by the end of the work. The conflict may occur within a character as well as between characters.

comedy of manners

A style of comedy that reflects the life, ideals and manners of upper class society in a way that is essentially true to its traditions and philosophy. The players must strive to maintain the mask of social artifice whilst revealing to the audience what lies behind such manners.

neo-classical

A style of prose and poetry from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, reviving a classical style from Greek and Roman cultures.

stream of consciousness

A style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind. A character's thoughts or perceptions are presented as occurring in random form, without regard for logical sequences, syntactic structure, or distinctions between various levels of reality.

spiritual autobiography

A sub-genre of autobiography. Non-fiction prose that dominated Protestant writing during the seventeenth century, particularly in England, particularly that of dissenters. The narrative follows the believer from a state of damnation to a state of grace; the most famous example is perhaps John Bunyan's Grace Abounding (1666).

aposiopesis

A sudden breaking off in the midst of a sentence, as if from inability or unwillingness to proceed.

imagism

A term coined by Ezra Pount for free imagery, open to many interpretations.

accent

A term of rhythm. The special force devoted to the voicing of one syllable in a word over others. In the noun "decent," for example, the ____, or stress, is on the first syllable. Synonym: stress

sentimentality

A term used to describe the effort by an author to induce emotional responses in the reader that exceed the situation, especially pertains to such emotions as pathos and sympathy.

aphorism

A terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation, such as: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely" (Lord Acton). A concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance

triplet

A three line stanza. Synonym: tercet

tercet

A three line stanza. Synonym: triplet

myth

A traditional story presenting supernatural characters and episodes that help explain natural events.

hamartia

A tragic flaw within a character. In Greek it means, "to miss the mark."

Alexandrine

A twelve-syllable line written in iambic hexameter.

bilungsroman

A type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

line (in poetry)

A unit of language into which a poem or play is divided, which operates on principles which are distinct from and not necessarily coincident with grammatical structures, such as the sentence or clauses in sentences. Although the word for a single poetic line is verse, that term now tends to be used to signify poetic form more generally. A distinct numbered group of ____s in verse is normally called a stanza.

syllable

A unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. ____s are considered the phonological "building blocks" of words. They can influence the rhythm of a language, its prosody, its poetic meter and its stress patterns. See also: monosyllable (monosyllabic) one syllable; disyllable (disyllabic) two syllables; trisyllable (trisyllabic) three syllables; quadrisyllable (quadrisyllabic) four syllables; pentasyllable (pentasyllabic) five syllables; hexasyllable (hexasyllabic) six syllables; heptasyllable (heptasyllabic) seven syllables; octosyllable (octosyllabic) eight syllables; enneasyllable (enneasyllabic) nine syllables; decasyllable (decasyllabic) ten syllables; hendesyllable (hendesyllabic) eleven syllables; dodecasyllable (dodecasyllabic) twelve syllables.

narrative verse

A verbal representation, in verse, of a sequence of connected events, it propels characters through a plot. It is always told by a narrator. It might tell of a love story (like Tennyson's Maud), the story of a father and son (like Wordsworth's Michael) or the deeds of a hero or heroine (like Walter Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel).

sonnet

A verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme. See Spencerian, Italian, Petrachan, English, Shakespearean.

style

A way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period. The consideration of _____ has two purposes: (1) An evaluation of the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other We can analyze and describe an author's personal _____and make judgments on how appropriate it is to the author's purpose. _____s can be called flowery, explicit, succinct, rambling, bombastic, commonplace, incisive, laconic, etc. (2) Classification of authors to a group and comparison of an author to similar authors. By means of such classification and comparison, we can see how an author's _____ reflects and helps to define a historical period, such as the Renaissance or the Victorian period, or a literary movement, such as the romantic, transcendental, or realist movement.

synonym

A word having the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the language, as happy, joyful, elated.

antonym

A word opposite in meaning to another. Example: bad and good.

epithet

A word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality. A short, poetic nickname--often in the form of an adjective or adjectival phrase--attached to the normal name. Do not confuse with epigram, epigraph, or epitaph.

anagram

A word or phrase spelled by rearranging the letters of another word or phrase.

image

A word picture painted by the writer.

trilogy

A work in three parts, each of which is a complete work in itself.

tragedy

A work in which the protagonist, a person of high degree, is engaged in a significant struggle and which ends in ruin or destruction. A dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction.

bathos

Abrupt change in style going from exalted to mundane, producing a ludicrous effect. A ludicrous descent from the exalted or lofty to the commonplace; anticlimax. Also, insincere pathos; sentimentality; mawkishness. Triteness or triviality in style. Example: A couple whose relationship is on the brink of failure. MARY: John - once we had something that was pure, and wonderful, and good. What's happened to it? JOHN: You spent it all.

pyrrhic

Adjective. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables, both of which are unstressed. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

rapacious

Aggressively greedy or grasping.

euphony

Agreeableness of sound, pleasing effect to the ear. A pleasant sounding or harmonious combination or succession of words.

droll

Amusing in an odd way; whimsically humorous; waggish. Synonyms: diverting, odd, witty.

fortiori argument

An "argument from a yet stronger reason." Draws upon existing confidence in a proposition to argue in favor of a second proposition that is held to be implicit in the first. The second proposition may be considered "weaker," and therefore the arguer adduces a "stronger" proposition to support it. For example: if a person is dead (the stronger reason), then one can with equal or greater certainty argue that the person is not breathing. "Being dead" trumps other arguments that might be made to show that the person is not breathing, such as, for instance, not seeing any sign of breathing.

idiom

An accepted phrase or expression having a meaning different from the literal. An expression that cannot be understood from the literal meaning of the words. Example: Hang a left. Between the devil and the deep blue sea.

morality play

An allegorical form of the drama current from the 14th to 16th centuries and employing such personified abstractions as Virtue, Vice, Greed, Gluttony, etc.

fable

An allegorical story, intended to convey a useful, moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate things as characters and speaking to one another in human language. Synomym: apologue

apologue

An allegorical story, intended to convey a useful, moral lesson, often with animals or inanimate things as characters and speaking to one another in human language. Synonym: fable

paradox

An apparently contradictory statement that actually contains some truth.

ad hominem argument

An argument attacking an individual's character rather than his or her position on an issue.

argument from ignorance fallacy

An argument stating that something is true because it has never been proven false. Such arguments rely on claims that are impossible to prove conclusively, and they often go both ways. There are no aliens because we have never identified aliens or Aliens exist because we have never proven they don't. Similarly, God exists because no one has proven He doesn't (and vice versa).

burlesque

An artistic composition, especially literary or dramatic, that, for the sake of laughter, vulgarizes lofty material or treats ordinary material with mock dignity.

surrealism

An artistic movement emphasizing the imagination and characterized by incongruous juxtapositions and lack of conscious control. A 20th-century avant-garde movement in art and literature that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind

conceit

An elaborate, fanciful, particularly clever metaphor, especially of a strained or far-fetched nature. Extended metaphor governing an entire passage or poem.

invective

An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

expository essay or writing

An essay that explains, informs, or presents information serving to expound, set forth, or explain something in writing or speech. Writing or discourse with the primary purpose of informing, clarifying, or explaining. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

speculative essay or writing

An essay which looks at ideas; explores them rather than explains them. Can be meditative. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay.

anticlimax

An event, conclusion, statement, etc., that is far less important, powerful, or striking than expected.

oxymoron

An expression in which two words that contradict each other are joined.

novel

An extended fictional narrative written in prose that includes characters, plot, and setting

accentual-syllabic verse

An extension of accentual verse which fixes both the number of stresses and syllables within a line or stanza. Accentual-syllabic verse is highly regular and therefore easily scannable. Usually, either one metrical foot, or a specific pattern of metrical feet, is used throughout the entire poem; thus we can talk about a poem being in, for example, iambic pentameter. Poets naturally vary the rhythm of their lines, using devices such as inversion, elision, feminine endings, the caesura, using secondary stress, the addition of extra-metrical syllables, or the omission of syllables, the substitution of one foot for another.

narrator

An individual who tells or speaks the story.

non sequitur

An inference that does not follow logically from the premises (literally, "does not follow").

epitaph

An inscription carved on a gravestone. In a more general sense, the final statement spoken by a character before his death. Do not confuse with epithet,epigraph, or epigram.

epigraph

An inscription, especially on a building, statue, or the like. An appropriate quotation at the beginning of a book, chapter, etc. A saying or statement on the title page of work, or used as a heading for a chapter or other section of a work. Generally, it refers to an excerpt, or a sentence or a couplet given in the start of a literary piece. Usually this is not written by the same author, but is borrowed from some other author. It generally reflects the overall theme of the work. Do not confuse with epithet or epitaph or epigram.

expletive

An interjection to lend emphasis; sometimes, a profanity. An exclamation or oath, especially obscene.

flashback

An interruption of a work's chronology to describe or present an incident that occurred prior to the main time frame of a work's action. Writers use ____s to complicate the sense of chronology in the plot of their works and to convey the richness of the experience of human time. Faulkner's story "A Rose for Emily" includes ____s.

critique

Analyzes the strengths, weaknesses and methods of someone else's work. Generally these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work's meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. Can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art. Synonym: critical essay See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay.

critical essay or writing

Analyzes the strengths, weaknesses and methods of someone else's work. Generally these essays begin with a brief overview of the main points of the text, movie, or piece of art, followed by an analysis of the work's meaning. It should then discuss how well the author/creator accomplishes his/her goals and makes his/her points. Can be written about another essay, story, book, poem, movie, or work of art. Synonym: critique See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

dramatic poetry

Any drama that is written in verse that is meant to be recited. It usually tells a story or refers to a situation. This would include closet drama, dramatic monologues, and rhyme verse.

trope

Any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense for artistic effect such as using a figure of speech.

fixed form

Any one of three 14th and 15th French poetic forms: the ballad, the virelai, and rondeau.

epigram

Any witty, ingenious, or pointed saying tersely expressed. A short, often satirical poem dealing concisely with a single subject and usually ending with a witty or ingenious turn of thought. A witticism, quip. "Oscar Wilde had a genius for epigram." Do not confuse with epithet or epitaph or epigraph.

didactic

Art and literature which conveys information and instructions along with pleasure and entertainment. Frequently used for those literary texts which are overloaded with informative or realistic matter and are marked by the omission of graceful and pleasing details and, therefore, becomes a derogatory term referring to the forms of literature that are ostentatiously dull and erudite.

author surrogate

As a literary technique, a fictional character based on the author. Also known as a stand-in for the author.

definition essay or writing

Attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning. Synonym: classification essay See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

classification essay or writing

Attempts to define a specific term. It could try to pin down the meaning of a specific word, or define an abstract concept. The analysis goes deeper than a simple dictionary definition; it should attempt to explain why the term is defined as such. It could define the term directly, giving no information other than the explanation of the term. Or, it could imply the definition of the term, telling a story that requires the reader to infer the meaning. Synonym: definition essay See also: See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

The How

Author's style incorporating choices in diction, syntax, point of view, description, narration, and dialogue.

foot

Basic unit of meter consisting of a set number of stressed and unstressed syllables. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. Thus a verse consisting of two trochaic feet is called trochaic dimeter; of five iambic feet, iambic pentameter, and so on.

whimsy

Capricious humor or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression: a play with lots of _______. An odd or fanciful notion. Anything odd or fanciful; a product of playful or capricious fancy: a _______ from an otherwise thoughtful writer.

sardonic

Characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical; sneering: a sardonic grin.

noh

Classic drama of Japan, developed chiefly in the 14th century, employing verse, prose, choral song, and dance in highly conventionalized formal and thematic patterns derived from religious sources and folk myths.

high comedy

Comedy carried out by characters that are true to life, realistic.

rondeau

Composed of fifteen lines, eight to ten syllables each, divided stanzaically into a quintet, a quatrain, and a sestet. The rentrement consists of the first few words or the entire first line of the first stanza, and it recurs as the last line of both the second and third stanzas. Two rhymes guide the music of the rondeau, whose rhyme scheme is as follows (R representing the refrain): aabba aabR aabbaR. Named after the French word for "round," the rondeau is characterized by the repeating lines of the rentrement, or refrain, and the two rhyme sounds throughout. One of three 14th and 15th French poetic forms (fixed form): the ballad, the virelai, and rondeau. Example: In Flanders Field

egregious

Conspicuously bad or offensive. Extraordinary in some bad way; glaring; flagrant: an egregious mistake; an egregious liar.

doggerel

Derogatory term for verse with little literary value.

sequence essay or writing

Describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way. Synonym: process essay See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, speculative essay.

process essay or writing

Describes how something is done. It generally explains actions that should be performed in a series. It can explain in detail how to accomplish a specific task, or it can show how an individual came to a certain personal awareness. The essay could be in the form of step-by-step instructions, or in story form, with the instructions/explanations subtly given along the way. Synonym: sequence essay See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, speculative essay.

tone

Describes the author's attitude toward his material, the audience, or both. Similar to mood. ____ is easier to determine in spoken language than in written language. Considering how a work would sound if it were read aloud can help in identifying an author's ____. Some words describing _____ are playful, serious, businesslike, sarcastic, humorous, formal, ornate, sardonic, somber, etc. See also: mood, atmosphere.

argumentative

Describes writing - usually an essay- that establishes a position and supports it with evidence.

figurative

Deviation from usual meaning of a word or group of words resulting in a special effect or meaning. Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

exposition

Dialogue, description, author's explanation that gives the audience or reader the background and setting of the characters and the present situation in a literary work. The first part of plot structure. Synonyms: introduction

enigmatic

Difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious, inscrutable, perplexing.

comedy

Discourse or work generally intended to be humorous or to amuse by inducing laughter. The theatrical genre can be simply described as a dramatic performance which pits two societies against each other in an amusing agon or conflict.

compare/contrast essay or writing

Discusses the similarities and differences between two things, people, concepts, places, etc. The essay could be an unbiased discussion, or an attempt to convince the reader of the benefits of one thing, person, or concept. It could also be written simply to entertain the reader, or to arrive at an insight into human nature. The essay could discuss both similarities and differences, or it could just focus on one or the other. A comparison essay usually discusses the similarities between two things, while the contrast essay discusses the differences. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

jejune

Displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity.

mawkish

Effusively or insincerely emotional, insipid, excessively sentimental or so sappy it's sickening.

complication

Element introduced into the plot to alter its course. An intensification of the conflict in a story or play.

connotation

Emotional association that accompanies a certain word or phrase; often described as positive or negative depending on the emotional connection. The associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning.

hubris

Excessive pride or self-confidence that adversely affects the protagonist's judgment; common tragic flaw.

cause/effect essay or writing

Explains why or how some event happened, and what resulted from the event. This essay is a study of the relationship between two or more events or experiences. The essay could discuss both causes and effects, or it could simply address one or the other. A cause essay usually discusses the reasons why something happened. An effect essay discusses what happens after a specific event or circumstance. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

ethereal

Extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world. Heavenly or spiritual.

meta fiction

Fiction that discusses, describes, or analyzes a work of fiction or the conventions of fiction.

tragic-comedy

Fictional work combining characteristics of tragedy and comedy, such as a somber play with a happy ending.

litotes

Figures of rhetoric speech that use an understated statement of an affirmative by using a negative description. Rarely talked about, but commonly used in modern day conversations, litotes are a discreet way of saying something unpleasant without directly using negativity. Sometimes called an ironical understatement and/or an avoidance of a truth which can be either positive or negative. Common examples: "I'm not feeling bad" ("I am feeling well"), "he's definitely not a rocket scientist" ("he is not smart"),"not a few regrets" ("many regrets"). Also see meiosis (synonym) and auxesis (antonym).

conclusion

Final division of a discourse or literary work that brings the work to a close; fifth part of plot structure. The final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel. Synonyms: dénouement, revelation, catastrophe.

catastrophe

Final resolution in a poem or narrative that unravels the plot and concludes the work, especially a tragedy; misfortune experienced by a tragic hero. Synonyms: dénouement, revelation, conclusion.

introduction

First stage in plot in which the author establishes the situation and shares background information.

apropos

Fitting; at the right time; to the purpose; opportune; pertinent.

conventional

Following accepted standards; a well-understood interpretation (stock).

illicit

Forbidden by law, rules, or custom. Illegal,unlawful, illegitimate.

satire

Form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, ridicule, criticism or the like, are used to attack, expose, denounce, or deride human misconduct, stupidities, vice and folly.

literary ballad

Four rhyming lines, abcb, with lines 1 and 3 having eight syllables and lines 2 and 4 having six.

ballad stanza

Four-line stanza (quatrain) consisting of alternating four- and three- stress lines; usually second and fourth lines rhyme.

aesthetics

From Greek, "to feel, apprehend by the senses." Dealing with the nature of art, beauty, and taste, with the creation and appreciation of beauty. In philosophy: a distinct mode of apprehending untranslatable truth which is purely abstract, alternative to rational inquiry.

catharsis

From Greek, meaning "cleansing" or "purging"; in tragedy, a moment for purging or relieving of emotions for the audience.

Roman a clef

From the French, "novel with a key". A narrative that depicts historical figures and events in the form of fiction.

autobiography

From the Greek "self-life writing." A genre of literature. A narrative of a life written by the subject like Wordsworth's The Prelude. There are subgenres, such as the spiritual ____, narrating the author's path to conversion and subsequent spiritual trials, as in Bunyan's Grace Abounding.

Horatian

Gentle satire See also: Juvenalian

whimsical

Given to whimsy or fanciful notions; capricious: a pixyish, _____ fellow. Of the nature of or proceeding from whimsy, as thoughts or actions: Her writing showed whimsical notions of human behavior. Erratic; unpredictable: He was too _____ with regard to his work.

cacophony/cacophonous

Harsh discordance of sound; a meaningless mixture of sounds without pattern. Harsh mixture of sound, generally the hard consonant sounds, hard c, g, p, k, x sounds. Sounds take an effort to pronounce. Antonym: euphony See also: dissonance

Juvenalian

Harsh satire See also: Horatian

dissonance/dissonant

Harsh-toned, clashing, inharmonious. In poetry, dissonance is the avoidance of patterns of vowel sounds. It is opposite of assonance - the resemblance of vowel sounds in nearby words. Antonym: assonance Also see: cacophony

low comedy

Humor with absurdities, horseplay, and exaggerations, depicting an unrefined life.

meter

Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

fiction

Imaginary narrative; the information or events are created by the author.

agon

In Greek, meaning "struggle"; found in protagonist and antagonist; in comedy, a formal debate.

synesthesia (or synaesthesia)

In literature, it refers to the depiction of a strong connection, link or bond between the different senses. Describing one kind of sensation in terms of another. Examples: "a loud color," "a sweet sound".

volta

In poetry, the ____, or turn, is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion. Synonym: turn

turn

In poetry, the volta, or ____, is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion. Synonym: volta

ethos

In rhetoric, _____ represents credibility or an ethical appeal which involves persuasion by the character involved. One of Aristotle's three means of persuasion. Also see pathos and logos.

wit

Intelligence normally used to prove a point.

inversion

Inversion or reversal of the usual or natural order of words; anastrophe. The order of the noun and the adjective in the sentence is exchanged. In standard parlance and writing the adjective comes before the noun but when one is employing an anastrophe the noun is followed by the adjective. This reversed order creates a dramatic impact and lends weight to the description offered by the adjective. Example: He spoke of times past and future, and dreamt of things to be. Synonym: anastrophe

anastrophe

Inversion or reversal of the usual order of words. The order of the noun and the adjective in the sentence is exchanged. In standard parlance and writing the adjective comes before the noun but when one is employing an anastrophe the noun is followed by the adjective. This reversed order creates a dramatic impact and lends weight to the description offered by the adjective. Example: He spoke of times past and future, and dreamt of things to be. Or: I walked up the door, shut the stairs, said my shoes, took off my prayers, turned off my bed, got into the light, all because you kissed me goodnight. Synonym: inversion

syntax

Language rules that govern how words can be combined to form meaningful phrases and sentences. The grammatical order of words in a sentence or line of verse or dialogue. The organization of words and phrases and clauses in sentences of prose, verse, and dialogue. In the following example, normal ____ (subject, verb, object order) is inverted: "Whose woods these are I think I know."

ephemeral

Lasting for a very short time, transient.

post hoc ergo propter ho

Latin for "after this, therefore because of this." Such an argument falls under the general umbrella of a causality fallacy or a false cause. Example: It seems that every time you turn on the same on television, the teams loses. Therefore, you come to believe that you are the cause of the losses. (It sounds silly, but people do it all the time. Think about superstitions) Synonym: cause and effect fallacy.

in medias res

Latin for "in the middle of things" A plot that begins in the middle of a story and that uses flashbacks to reveal events that occur prior to the beginning.

romance

Longer prose narrative, originally associated with the legendary, imaginative, and poetic.

embedded stories

Narratives that appear within a narrative or drama and that often seem to digress from the main plot.

tragic hero

Noble, good protagonist in a tragedy who experiences adversity or misfortune.

solecism

Nonstandard grammatical usage, a violation of grammatical rules.

pyrrhus

Noun. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables, both of which are unstressed. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

hyperbole

Obvious and intentional exaggeration; an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally used to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor.

philosophic

Of or relating to philosophy or befitting a philosopher. Rationally or sensibly calm, patient, or composed. Reasonable, wise, or learned. Calm and stoical, especially in the face of difficulties or disappointments.

haiku

One of the most important forms of traditional Japanese poetry. A 17-syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. An example of closed form.

solipsist

One who believes that only the self truly exists or can be proved to exist. Extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.

pedantic

Overly concerned with formal rules and trivial points of learning. Being showy of one's knowledge, often in a boring manner. Being finicky or fastidious, especially with language.

rhyme scheme

Pattern of repetition of rhyme within a poem designated by aabb or abab, where the letter a marks the first line and all other lines rhyming with it.

form

Pattern or design of a poem. See open form and closed form.

enacted

Performed by an actor or actors.

static characters

Pertaining to or characterized by a fixed or stationary condition. Characters that remain the same throughout the story. Contrast with dynamic characters.

phonic

Pertaining to sound from speech.

picaresque

Pertaining to, characteristic of, or characterized by a form of prose fiction in which the adventures of an engagingly roguish hero are described in a series of usually humorous or satiric episodes that often depict, in realistic detail, the everyday life of the common people. Of, relating to, or resembling rogues.

figurative image

Picture painted by the writer, usually a poet.

juxtaposition

Placing two elements side by side to present a comparison or contrast.

American cinquain

Poem with a stanza of five lines of accentual-syllabic verse with 2, 4, 6, 8, and 2 syllables in iambic meter.

falling meter

Poetic meters such as trochaic and dactylic that move or fall from a stressed to an unstressed syllable. The nonsense line, "Higgledy, piggledy," is dactylic, with the accent on the first syllable and the two syllables following falling off from that accent in each word. Trochaic meter is represented by this line: "Hip-hop, be-bop, treetop--freedom."

shape poetry

Poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on. Synonyms: concrete poetry

concrete poetry

Poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on. Synonyms: shape poetry

free verse

Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme. Poetry using natural rhythms of words and phrases instead of required metrical feet.

descriptive essay or writing

Provides details about how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, makes one feel, or sounds. It can also describe what something is, or how something happened. These essays generally use a lot of sensory details. The essay could be a list-like description that provides point by point details. Or, it could function as a story, keeping the reader interested in the plot and theme of the event described. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay.

anagnorisis

Recognition or discovery on the part of the hero; change from ignorance to knowledge.

consonance

Repetition of a consonant sound in short succession. The repetition of consonant sounds in the middle or at the end of words.

anaphora

Repetition of a word or words at the beginning of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences. A well-known example is the Beatitudes in the Bible, where nine statements in a row begin with "Blessed are." Antonym: epistrophe

epistrophe

Repetition of a word or words at the end of two or more successive verses, clauses, or sentences. For example, Saint Paul writes to the church at Corinth, "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they the ministers of Christ? I am more." Antonym: anaphora

alliteration

Repetition of initial consonants in consecutive words or in words close to each other.

end rhyme

Repetition of similar sounds in two or more words, found in the final syllable(s) of the lines of poetry.

assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds; more common in verse than in prose. Rhyme in which the same vowel sounds are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of the rhyming words, as in penitent and reticence.

mimesis

Representation or imitation of the real world in art and literature. The deliberate imitation (mimicry) of the behavior of one group of people by another as a factor in social change.

internal rhyme

Rhyme that occurs within a line, rather than at the end

cadence

Rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words: the ____ of language. In free verse: a rhythmic pattern that is nonmetrically structured. The beat, rate, or measure of any rhythmic movement: the chorus line danced in rapid ____. The flow or rhythm of events, especially the pattern in which something is experienced: the frenetic ____ of modern life. The general modulation of the voice.

iambic rhythm

Rising and falling rhythm in poetry from alternating stressed and unstressed syllables.

mock heroic

Satire or parody that mocks the Classical stereotype of a hero or heroic literature, usually through exaggeration or absurdity. The tradition, which originated in classical times with an anonymous burlesque of Homer, the Batrachomyomachia (Battle of the Frogs and the Mice), was honed to a fine art in the late 17th- and early 18th-century Neoclassical period

tautology

Saying the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style. Needless repetition which adds no meaning or understanding. Examples: They arrived one after the other in succession; widow woman; free gift.

subplot

Secondary stories that are related to the main plot but are not the most important story. They focus on less important or minor characters that occur alongside the novel's primary plot, which focuses on the major, important characters.

narrative essay or writing

Short piece of nonfiction that tells a story about a real person or event. Tells a story. It can also be called a "short story." Generally, conversational in style and tells of a personal experience. It is most commonly written in the first person (uses I). This essay could tell of a single, life-shaping event, or simply a mundane daily experience. See also: argumentative essay, persuasive essay, cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay

fabliaux

Short, humorous and often erotic stories told in verse. This literary style flourished in France in the 12th and 13th Centuries, its characters included: cuckolded husbands, greedy clergy, foolish peasants, beggars, connivers, thieves, and whores.

magniloquent

Showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; pompous. High-sounding but with little meaning. Using swelling discourse. Synonyms: lexiphanic, grandiloquent, bombastic, fustian.

lexiphanic

Showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; pompous. High-sounding but with little meaning. Using swelling discourse. Synonyms: magniloquent, grandiloquent, bombastic, fustian.

grandiloquent

Showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; pompous. High-sounding but with little meaning. Using swelling discourse. Synonyms: magniloquent, lexiphanic, bombastic, fustian.

fustian

Showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; pompous. High-sounding but with little meaning. Using swelling discourse. Synonyms: magniloquent, lexiphanic, grandiloquent, bombastic.

bombastic

Showy in speech and given to using flowery or elaborate terms; pompous. High-sounding but with little meaning. Using swelling discourse. Synonyms: magniloquent, lexiphanic, grandiloquent, fustian.

symbol/symbolism

Something that stands for or represents something else. Usually a ____is something concrete -- such as an object, action, character, or scene - that represents something more abstract. (1) Natural _____s are objects and occurrences from nature to symbolize ideas commonly associated with them (dawn symbolizing hope or a new beginning, a rose symbolizing love, a tree symbolizing knowledge). (2) conventional _____s are those that have been invested with meaning by a group (religious symbols such as a cross or Star of David; national symbols, such as a flag or an eagle; or group symbols, such as a skull and crossbones for pirates or the scale of justice for lawyers). (3) literary _____s are sometimes also conventional in the sense that they are found in a variety of works and are more generally recognized. Try to determine what abstraction an object is a _______ for and to what extent it is successful in representing that abstraction.

stock character

Standard or cliched character types. A character in literature, theater, or film of a type quickly recognized and accepted by the reader or viewer and requiring no development by the writer.

accentual meter/verse

Stressed rhythmic structure of poetic lines. See also: accentual-syllabic verse.

capricious

Subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic: He's such a ______ boss I never know how he'll react. Synonyms: variable, flighty, mercurial, fickle. Antonyms: steady, constant, consistent.

expressionism

Subjective depiction of the real world through imagination, the abstract, and symbols.

synecdoche

Substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself. Referencing a thing or idea by a name closely associated to it. Literally means "a change of name". A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special. Examples: Crown - a royal person, The White House - the President or others who work there, Suits - business executive Dish - for an entire plate of food, The Pentagon - to refer to the staff, Ears - for giving attention ("Lend me your ears!" from Mark Antony in Julius Caesar), Eyes - for sight, The library - for the staff or the books, Pen - for the written word, Sword - for military might (The pen is mightier than the sword), Hand - for help, ten sail -ten ships; Croesus - a rich man; Cleveland won by six runs - Cleveland's baseball team won by six runs. Synonym: metonym

metonym

Substituting the name of an attribute or feature for the name of the thing itself. Referencing a thing or idea by a name closely associated to it. Literally means "a change of name". A figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for the general or the general for the special. Examples: Crown - a royal person, The White House - the President or others who work there, Suits - business executive Dish - for an entire plate of food, The Pentagon - to refer to the staff, Ears - for giving attention ("Lend me your ears!" from Mark Antony in Julius Caesar), Eyes - for sight, The library - for the staff or the books, Pen - for the written word, Sword - for military might (The pen is mightier than the sword), Hand - for help, ten sail -ten ships; Croesus - a rich man; Cleveland won by six runs - Cleveland's baseball team won by six runs. Synonym: synecdoche

cause and effect fallacy

Such an argument falls under the general umbrella of a causality fallacy or a false cause. Example: It seems that every time you turn on the same on television, the teams loses. Therefore, you come to believe that you are the cause of the losses. (It sounds silly, but people do it all the time. Think about superstitions) Synonym: post hoc ergo propter ho (Latin for "after this, therefore because of this").

verisimilitude

Tends to be based around the appearance or proximity to being real, or the truth. It was a large part of the work of Karl Popper, and can be used in a variety of different ways to describe something, as well. It is a way of implying the believability or likelihood of a theory or narrative. However, just because something can be described as having ________ does not mean that it is true, only that merely appears to or seems to be true. If something "seems" like it's all well and good, but you can't quite decide, then it can be said to have ________.

structure

The arrangement or framework of a sentence, paragraph, or entire work.

rhetoric

The art of using language, especially public speaking, as a means to persuade. Also meaningless language with an exaggerated style intended to impress. "It's only so much ____."

orthography

The art of writing words with the proper letters, according to accepted usage; correct spelling. The part of language study concerned with letters and spelling. A method of spelling, as by the use of an alphabet or other system of symbols; spelling. A system of such symbols: Missionaries provided the first ______for the language.

poesy

The art or composition of poetry.

personification

The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. A figure intended to represent an abstract quality. "The design on the franc shows Marianne, the _________ of the French republic." "Foote is the _______ of heroism." A person, animal, or object regarded as representing or embodying a quality, concept, or thing. "He was the very _________ of British pluck and diplomacy." synonyms: embodiment, incarnation, epitome, quintessence, essence, type, symbol, soul, model, exemplification, exemplar, image, representation Also see similar terms: anthropomorphism, pathetic fallacy

genre

The category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. Within these broad boundaries exist many subdivisions. Prose can be divided into fiction (novels and short stories) or nonfiction (essays, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, criticism, journalistic, political, scientific, and nature writing, etc). Poetry can be divided into lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic. Drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, etc.

theme

The central idea of a work. The the insight it offers into life. Usually _____ is unstated in fictional works, but in nonfiction, the _____ may be directly stated, especially in expository or argumentative writing. Example: Don't judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes.

allegory

The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning.

scansion

The dividing of verse (lines of poetry) into feet by indicating accents and counting syllables to determine the meter of a poem. It is a means of studying the mechanical elements by which the poet has established his rhythmical effects. The metrical analysis of verse. The usual marks for scansion are ˘ for a short or unaccented syllable, ¯ or · for a long or accented syllable, ^ for a rest, | for a foot division, and ‖ for a caesura or pause. See also: prosody A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter. The meter, once the scanning has been performed, is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _.

atmosphere

The emotional mood created by a literary work. See also: tone, mood.

vernacular

The everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage. The language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region.

punch line (punchline)

The final part of a joke, comedy sketch, profound statement, or story, usually the word, sentence or exchange of sentences which is intended to be funny or to provoke laughter or thought from listeners.

dénouement

The final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel. The fifth part of plot structure. The conclusion. Final division of a discourse or literary work that brings the work to a close. Synonyms: resolution, revelation, catastrophe, conclusion.

voice

The fluency, rhythm and liveliness in writing that makes it unique to the writer.

falling action

The fourth part of a literary plot structure that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved

malapropism

The intentional misuse of an incorrect word in place of one that is similar in pronunciation. Also referred to as Dogberryism. Examples: "Illiterate him quite from your memory" (obliterate) "She's as headstrong as an allegory" (alligator) "Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons" (apprehended two suspicious persons).

Dogberryism

The intentional misuse of an incorrect word in place of one that is similar in pronunciation. Also referred to as malpropism.

protagonist

The main character in a literary work; literally one who struggles toward or for something.

act

The major subdivision of a play, usually divided into scenes.

denotation, denotative

The meaning of a word or phrase according to the dictionary. The most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression. Synonym: Literal

literal

The meaning of a word or phrase according to the dictionary. The most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression. Synonym: denotative.

prose

The most common form of written language following natural speech patterns and grammatical structure.

quintessence

The most typical representation of a quality, state, etc. The most perfect embodiment of something. An extract of a substance containing its principle in its most concentrated form. synonyms: embodiment, incarnation, personification, epitome, essence, type, symbol, soul, model, exemplification, exemplar, image, representation.

ellipsis

The omission of a word or phrase which is grammatically necessary but can be deduced from the context. Example: "Some people prefer cats; others, dogs." A mark or marks as ——, ..., or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words.

elision

The omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable to preserve the meter of a line of poetry. Alexander uses elision in "Sound and Sense": "Flies o'er th' unbending corn...."

antagonist

The one who struggles against or contends with the protagonist; may be another individual or an obstacle or challenge, such a fear or death.

archetype

The original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.

point of view

The perspective from which a story is told or writing is done. This may be first person, second person, or third person. It may also be objective, omniscient, or limited omniscient.

antithesis

The placing of a sentence or one of its parts against another to which it is opposed to form a balanced contrast of ideas, as in: "Give me liberty or give me death." A statement in which two opposing ideas are balanced.

plot

The plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

reversal

The point at which the action of the plot turns in as unexpected direction for the protagonist. Doing or saying the opposite or unexpected. Used in irony.

crisis

The point in a work in which a very significant change occurs. Turning point in a story; culmination of the events of the plot. The point where the main character experiences a change, and the action stops building and begins falling. Synonym: climax, turning point

turning point

The point in a work in which a very significant change occurs. Turning point in a story; culmination of the events of the plot. The point where the main character experiences a change, and the action stops building and begins falling. Synonym: crisis, climax

climax

The point in a work in which a very significant change occurs. Turning point in a story; culmination of the events of the plot. The point where the main character experiences a change, and the action stops building and begins falling. Synonym: crisis, turning point

plagiarism

The presentation of other people's ideas, work, and facts as one's own.

mood

The prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work. Setting, tone, and events can affect the _____. Similar to tone and atmosphere.

thesis

The primary position taken by a writer or speaker. In expository writing, the _____ statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position. Expository writing is usually judged by analyzing how accurately, effectively,and thoroughly a writer has proven the _____.

apophasis

The raising of an issue by claiming not to mention it. Example: "We won't discuss his past crimes."

anthropomorphism

The representation of objects (especially a god) as having human form or traits. ________ can be understood to be the act of lending a human quality, emotion or ambition to a non-human object or being. This act of lending a human element to a non-human subject is often employed in order to endear the latter to the readers or audience and increase the level of relativity between the two while also lending character to the subject. Example: The raging storm brought with it howling winds and fierce lightning as the residents of the village looked up at the angry skies in alarm. Also see similar terms: personification, pathetic fallacy

prosody

The science or study of poetic meters and versification. A particular or distinctive system of metrics and versification: Milton's prosody. In linguistics: the stress and intonation patterns of an utterance. Can refer to the rules for the pronunciation of a language as well as its versification. Correct pronunciation of words includes: (1)enunciation, (2)proper accenting and (3)making sure each syllable has its required length. See also: scansion

plot structure

The sequence of events of story that includes exposition (introduction) of the characters and setting, rising action, climax, falling action, conclusion (denouement).

open form

The structure or pattern of organization that a poet chooses in writing a poem does not have an established pattern to it, whether it be in line length, meter, rhyme, imagery, syntax, or stanzas.

closed form

The structure or pattern of organization that a poet chooses in writing a poem has an established pattern to it, whether it be in line length, meter, rhyme, imagery, syntax, or stanzas. Poetry conforming to pre-specified requirements of rhyme, meter, line length, and number of lines; two examples are haiku and sonnet.

diction

The style of speaking or writing dependent upon choice of words. Word choice.

active voice

The subject and verb relationship is straightforward: the subject is a be-er or a do-er and the verb moves the sentence along. Essentially any sentence with an active verb. Johnny Appleseed planted his seeds in the garden. The active verb is "planted." Preferred in writing because it expresses more energy and command of the essay than does the passive voice. Antonym: passive voice

passive voice

The subject of the sentence is neither a do-er or a be-er, but is acted upon by some other agent or by something unnamed. "Mordred was bitten by the dog", rather than the active form "The dig bit Mordred". Antonym: active voice.

topic

The subject or theme of a work or speech.

euphemism

The substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt. An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant.

narrative

The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.

setting

The time, place, and circumstances in which a story occurs.

canon

The unofficial collection of works of literature that critics deem worthy of admiration and study.

syllepsis

The use of a word or expression to perform two syntactic functions, especially to modify two or more words of which at least one does not agree in number, case, or gender. A construction in which one word is used in two different senses. Examples: "After he threw the ball, he threw a fit." "Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like bananas."

zeugma

The use of a word to modify or govern two or more words when it is appropriate to only one of them or is appropriate to each but in a different way, as in: "to wage war and peace" or "On his fishing trip, he caught three trout and a cold".

foreshadowing

The use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot.

polysyndeton

The use of several conjunctions in close succession, especially where some could otherwise be omitted (as in "he ran and jumped and laughed for joy"). From the Greek "poly-", meaning "many," and "syndeton", meaning "bound together with". It is a stylistic scheme used to achieve a variety of effects: it can increase the rhythm of prose, speed or slow its pace, convey solemnity or even ecstasy and childlike exuberance. Examples: And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. Genesis 7:22-24 "When thou dost ask me blessing I'll kneel down and ask thee of forgiveness. So we'll live and pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh at gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues talk of court news, and we'll talk with them too." Shakespeare in King Lear (5.3.11-5). See also: asyndeton

antecedent

The word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers. A thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another.

vox populi fallacy

This argument is the "everyone's doing it" fallacy. It especially appreciated by politicians trying to get voters to agree that everyone agrees that we should all agree to reduce taxes and by teenagers who argue that they should be allowed to go to the concert because all their friends are going. Synonym: bandwagon

bandwagon fallacy

This argument is the "everyone's doing it" fallacy. It especially appreciated by politicians trying to get voters to agree that everyone agrees that we should all agree to reduce taxes and by teenagers who argue that they should be allowed to go to the concert because all their friends are going. Synonym: vox populi

begging the question fallacy

This argument occurs when the speaker states a claim that includes a word or phrase that needs to be defined before the argument cab proceed. Because of the extreme conditions before us, we must vote for tax. (Uh, what conditions are being called "extreme?")

portmanteau

This device refers to the practice of joining together two or more words in order to create an entirely new word. This is often done in order to create a name or word for something by combining the individual characteristics of 2 or more other words. Examples: The word "smog" is a combination of "fog" and "smoke" and "smog" has the properties of both fog and smoke. "Brunch" is a combination of "breakfast" and "lunch." A ______ is also defined as a suitcase.

parallelism

This term comes from Greek roots meaning "beside one another." It refers to the grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity. This can involve, but is not limited to, repetition of a grammatical element such as a preposition or verbal times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of believe, it was the epoch of incredulity...." The effects of parallelism are numerous, but frequently they act as an organizing force to attract the reader's attention, add emphasis and organization, or simply provide a musical rhythm. Adapted from V. Stevenson, Patrick Henry High School, and Abrams' Glossary of Literary Terms. Also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure.

didactic cinquain

This type of cinquain focuses on word count, not syllables and stresses. Ordinarily, the first line is a one-word title, the subject of the poem; the second line is a pair of adjectives describing that title; the third line is a three-word phrase that gives more information about the subject (often a list of three gerunds); the fourth line consists of four words describing feelings related to that subject; and the fifth line is a single word synonym or other reference for the subject from line one. Example: Snow Silent, white Dancing, falling, drifting Covering everything it touches Blanket

realism

This was the new style of literature that focused on the daily lives and adventures of a common person. This style was a response to Romanticism's supernaturalism and over-emphasis on emotion

inference/infer

To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented. When a multiple choice question asks for an inference to be drawn from a passage, the most direct, most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice. If an inference is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct answer. Note that if the answer choice is directly stated, it is not inferred and it is wrong. You must be careful to note the connotation - negative or positive - of the choices.

digress, digression

To leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing. To deviate or wander.

ameliorate

To make something bad or unsatisfactory better. To improve.

imagine

To visualize the picture(s) evoked by the writer through the senses.

persuasive essay or writing

Tries to prove a point by supporting it with evidence. Attempts to persuade the reader to the writer's point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm. Synonym: argumentative essay See also: cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay.

argumentative essay or writing

Tries to prove a point by supporting it with evidence. Attempts to persuade the reader to the writer's point of view. The writer can either be serious or funny, but always tries to convince the reader of the validity of his or her opinion. The essay may argue openly, or it may attempt to subtly persuade the reader by using irony or sarcasm. Synonym: persuasive essay See also: cause/effect essay, compare/contrast essay, critical essay, critique, descriptive essay, classification essay, definition essay, expository essay, narrative essay, process essay, sequence essay, speculative essay.

superficial

Trivial, shallow.

feminine rhyme

Two or more syllables match in the rhyming words; the final syllable is unstressed. The syllable that's doing the rhyming is the second-to-last syllable, and the ends of the rhyming words must have the same sound. Words like 'label' and 'table', 'sleeping' and 'creeping.' 'Pony' and 'macaroni' in Yankee Doodle.

heroic couplet

Two successive lines of iambic petameter with the second lines usually ending with a stop. A stanza consisting of two rhyming lines in iambic pentameter, one forming a rhetorical unit and written in an elevated style. Example: "Know then thyself, presume not God to scan. The proper study of Mankind is Man".

apposite

Very appropriate, suitable for the occasion or situation.

fastidious

Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy, detail, and/or cleanliness. "He chooses his words with fastidious care."

jaded

Wearied, worn out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence).

rhythm

When the arrangement of words creates an audible pattern or beat when read out loud

rhyme

When the end or final sound of two or more words are identical

repetition

When the writer or speaker intentionally repeats a word or group of words for effect. "Never, never, never give up." ― Winston Churchill

imagery

When the writer or speaker uses their descriptions to access the senses of the reader or listener.

homonym (homophone)

Words that sound like one another but have different meanings. Some are spelled the same, like bark (the sound a dog makes) and bark (the outer layer of a tree trunk). Example: to, too, two.

homophone (homonym)

Words that sound like one another but have different meanings. Some are spelled the same, like bark (the sound a dog makes) and bark (the outer layer of a tree trunk). Example: to, too, two.

onomatopoeia

Words whose very sound is very close to the sound they are meant to depict. Example: Words such as grunt, huff, buzz and snap are words whose pronunciation sounds very similar to the actual sounds these words represent. In literature such words are useful in creating a stronger mental image. For instance, sentences such as "the whispering of the forest trees" or "the hum of a thousand bees" or "the click of the door in the nighttime" create vivid mental images.

trite

Worn out through overuse, commonplace, stale, overused. Synonyms: hackneyed, cliché

cliché

Worn out through overuse, commonplace, stale, overused. Synonyms: hackneyed, trite

hackneyed

Worn out through overuse, commonplace, stale, overused. Synonyms: trite, cliché

objective point of view

Writing in which the narrator tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story's action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.

speculative

Writing or discourse that explores ideas. Speculation, contemplation, conjecture, or abstract reasoning. Essays generally contain a thesis statement that clearly defines the argument that will be proposed, subject examined, etc. Due to the nature of this type of essay, the thesis may not be as clearly delineated as in other types of essays, such as argumentative ones.

non-fiction

Writing that delivers factual events and observations.

second person point of view

Writing where the narrator tells the story to another character using 'you'. The author could also be talking to the audience. Used in a letter or email, a written speech or public address, or in directions (pamphlets, etc.). Typically uses the pronouns you, yours, yourself, yourselves.

first person point of view

Writing where the narrator uses their "Spoken Voice". In most cases _____ should be avoided unless writing a personal narrative or when giving personal experience in argumentative writing. Typically uses the pronouns I, me, mine, myself, we, us, ours, ourselves.

third person point of view

Writing where the narrator uses their "Written Voice". Used in formal academic writing, including: Argumentative, Summary/Response, Compare/Contrast, Expository Essays, Descriptive Narrative, Research . Typically uses the pronouns he, she, it, him, her, his, hers, himself, herself, itself, they, them, theirs, themselves.

limited omniscient point of view

Writing with a narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor.

omniscient point of view

Writing with an all knowing narrator who knows everything about all the characters.

melodrama

a literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response

eponym

a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named. A name or noun formed after a person. Example: Jeremiad.

thought

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

resolution

a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem, controversy, etc.

peripeteia

a sudden turn of events or an unexpected reversal, esp. in a literary work.

mystery play

a type of religious drama in the MIddle Ages based on stories from the Bible

dactylic

adjective. A metrical foot in poetry with three syllables that has a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables, as in: gently and humanly. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

anapestic

adjective. A metrical foot in poetry with three syllables that has two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

trochaic

adjective. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables that has a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

spondaic

adjective. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables, both of which are stressed. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

iambic

adjective.A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables that has an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

colloquial language

informal language; language that is "conversational"

dactyl

noun. A metrical foot in poetry with three syllables that has a stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables., as in: Higgledy, piggledy, Emily Dickinson, gibbering, jabbering. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

anapest

noun. A metrical foot in poetry with three syllables that has two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable. Whippoorwill call. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

trochee

noun. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables that has a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

iambus

noun. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables that has an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

spondee

noun. A metrical foot in poetry with two syllables, both of which are stressed. The meter of a poem is named according to the type and number of feet employed in a verse. Iambus (iambic) _ /, Trochee (trochaic) /_, Anapest (anapestic) _ _ /, Dactyl (dactylic) /_ _, Spondee (spondaic) //, Pyrrhus (pyrrhic) _ _. A verse of one foot (of any type) is called monometer; of two feet, dimeter; of three feet, trimeter; of four feet, tetrameter; of five feet, pentameter; of six feet, hexameter; of seven feet, heptameter; of eight feet, octameter.

perfect rhyme

rhyme in which the stressed vowels and all following consonants and vowels are identical, but the consonants preceding the rhyming vowels are different, as in chain, brain; soul, pole.

slant rhyme

rhyme in which the vowel sounds are nearly, but not exactly the same (i.e. the words "stress" and "kiss"); sometimes called half-rhyme, near rhyme, or partial rhyme

altruism

the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. "some may choose to work with vulnerable elderly people out of altruism" In zoology, the behavior of an animal that benefits another at its own expense.

spoonerism

the transposition of initial or other sounds of words, usually by accident, as in a blushing crow for a crushing blow.

periphrasis

the use of an unnecessarily long or roundabout form of expression; circumlocution.

blank verse

unrhymed verse, especially the unrhymed iambic pentameter most frequently used in English dramatic, epic, and reflective verse.