Plot
a sequence of events in a narrative that is carefully constructed by the author for artistic purpose
Simple narrative account
a chronological description of real events
exposition
background information on the characters, setting, and other events necessary for understanding the story are given
complication
the conflict is developed, suspense is created, and foreshadowing may be used
conflict
the interplay between opposing elements
internal conflict
protagonist vs. self
external conflict
protagonist vs.
other(s)
external conflict
protagonist vs. environment
technical climax
the turning point in the plot at which the outcome of the action is determined
resolution
the events following the technical climax in which the outcome is actually worked out
conclusion
the final event of a story’s plot
dramatic climax
the point of greatest interest or intensity to the story
plotless short story
a very modern creation that is pleasurable to read as it describes characters in a situation, but does not employ the development or the resolution of a conflict
setting
the represented time and place of events in a literary work
character
a fictional personality created by an author
characterization
the technique a writer uses to create and reveal characters in a work of fiction
expository
telling the reader about a character in a straightforward manner
dramatic
showing the reader what a character is like through descriptions of thought, dialogue, action, etc.
motivation
the reasons that cause characters to act as they do
protagonist
the central character in a work of fiction about whom the audience is most concerned
antagonist
the principal opponent of the main character
round
a character who is well described and whose thoughts and actions are revealed during the development of the story
flat
a character who is not well developed in a story, but who represents a type rather than an individual
dynamic
a character who grows, learns, or changes in some significant way throughout the story
static
a character who resists change or refuses to change during the school
foil
a character that contrasts in some important way with a more important character
consistent
a character whose speech, thoughts, and actions are what the reader has been lead to expect from that particular character
stock
a TYPE of character that is usually found in a particular literary form
stereotyped
a character created according to widely held, often narrow-minded, ideas
point of view
the physical and psychological relationship between the narrator and the story’s characters and events
narrator
the teller of the story
first person
the narrator is a character in the story
third person objective
the narrator is not a character in the story and reports only what can be seen and heard
third person limited
the narrator is not a character in the story and reports not only what can be seen and heard, but also the thoughts and feeling of a few characters
third person omniscient
the narrator is not a character in the story and report what can be seen and heard, along with the thoughts and feelings of all the characters
theme
the controlling idea of a literary work that is a general truth or commentary about life, people, the work that is brought out in the story
mood
describes the reader’s state of mind after finishing the story
atmosphere
describes the general feeling of the story itself
style
the distinctive handling of language by a writer through the purposeful selection of words and sentence structure
diction
selection of words
syntax
sentence structure
tone
the author or speaker’s attitude toward the characters, events, or audience
symbolism
the use of something concrete to represent something abstract
irony
contrast between the way things are and the way they appear to be
verbal irony
a discrepancy between the literal meaning of a work and the meaning actually conveyed
dramatic irony
a discrepancy between knowledge held by the reader and a character’s ignorance of that knowledge
situational irony
a discrepancy between the expected outcome of a situation and the actual outcome
poetry
a rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery to appeal to emotion and imagination
narrative
a story told in verse form
lyric
a brief, personal poem that is especially musical and filled with emotion
ballad
a type of poem that is meant to be sung and is both lyric and narrative in nature
simile
two dissimilar things that are compared using words such as “like, “as”, “than”, or “resembles”
metaphor
two dissimilar things that are compared without using words such as “like”, “as”, “than”, or “resembles”
direct metaphor
directly compares two things with a verb such as “is”
implied metaphor
suggests a comparison without using “is”
extended metaphor
a metaphor that is developed over several lines of writing
personification
giving human or animate qualities to nonhuman or inanimate things
apostrophe
addressing something nonhuman as if it were human
literary allusion
a reference to a person, place, or thing from previous literature
hyperbole
exaggeration for the sake of effect, for emphasis, not to be taken literally; overstatement
irony
saying the opposite of what is true
antithesis
balancing or contrasting one thing against another for effect
synecdoche
using a part of something to represent the whole thing
metonymy
the substitution of one word for another closely associated word
paradox
an apparent contradiction which proves, upon examination, to be true
alliteration
the repetition of the initial consonant sound in two or more words in a line of verse
consonance
the repetition of consonant sounds that are NOT at the beginning of words in a line of verse
assonance
the similarity or repetition of vowel sounds in two or more words with different consonant sounds
onomatopoeia
the use of words that imitate the sounds they define
repetition
repeating a word or a phrase within a poem
refrain
the repetition of one or more phrases or lines at definite intervals in a poem, usually at the end of a stanza
stanza
a group of consecutive lines in a poem that form a single unit
couplet
a 2 line stanza
triplet
a 3 line stanza
quatrain
a 4 line stanza
quintet
a 5 line stanza
sestet
a 6 line stanza
octave
an 8 line stanza
rhyme
the similarity or likeness of sound in 2 or more words
perfect rhyme
rhyme involving sounds that are exactly the same
imperfect rhyme
rhyme involving words that sound similar, but are not exactly the same
eye rhyme
rhyme that depends on spelling rather than sound
end rhyme
rhyme that occurs between words found at the ends or two or more lines in a poem
internal rhyme
rhyme between words that occurs within a single line of poetry
rhyme scheme
the pattern or sequence in which end rhyme occurs throughout a poem
rhythm
the patter of stressed and unstressed syllables in words in a line of poetry
meter
a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry
foot
a unit of meter
scansion
the process of marking lines of poetry to show the type of feet and the number of feet they contain
iambic
u /
trochaic
/ u
spondaic
/ /
pyrric
u u
anapestic
u u /
dactylic
/ u u
monometer
one foot per line
dimeter
2 feet per line
trimeter
3 feet per line
tetrameter
4 feet per line
pentameter
5 feet per line
hexameter
6 feet per line
heptameter
7 feet per line
octameter
8 feet per line
rhymed verse
consists of a verse with end rhyme and regular meter
blank verse
consists of unrhymed iambic pentameter
free verse
consists of lines of poetry that do not have a regular rhythm and do not rhyme
tragedy
a drama in which the larger-than-life protagonist’s actions lead him to commit an injustice which eventually causes disaster, often including his own death
tragic hero
a man of noble stature, with extraordinary qualities, passion or nobility of mind. he is basically good, but not perfect. must have a fall often ending in the hero’s death. before dying, he gains self-knowledge
hamartia
a criminal act committed in ignorance of some material fact or even for the sake of a greater good
tragic flaw
a character fault: can be the result of an excess of a virtue
catharsis
the audience’s reaction to the protagonist’s fall
propaganda
a misleading persuasive argument
ad hominem
attacking the opponent personally instead of their ideas
glittering generality
a generally accepted virtue or “God-term” is usually employed to stir up favorable emotions
card stacking
emphasizes only the favorable points of a product or idea and does not mention the unfavorable aspects
fancy figures
using statistics to impress or overwhelm the consumer
repetition
tireless repetition of an idea/slogan
appeal to fear
threatening someone that something bad will happen if they dont agree
appeal to prejudice
based on race, ethnicity, social-class
bandwagon
reinforces people’s natural desire to be on the winning side
testimonial
celebrity endorsement of a philosophy, movement or candidate
transfer
shows important people to support a position, idea, argument, or course of action
plain folks
the “common man” approach attempts to convince the audience that the propagandist’s positions reflect the common sense of the people
logical fallacy
one can usually draw a conclusion from one or more established premises; the premises may be accurate but the conclusion not
sonnet
14 lined poem written about love
ode
classical form with heightened, impassioned language, apostrophe where speaker invokes an object and develops a relationship with it
meditative poem
sounds like a person musing
byronic hero
an idealized but flawed character
communism
a totally classless society
satire
form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed to attack human vice and folly
allegory
pretend to discuss a different topic than which is implied
understatement
reduction ad absurdum (shrink excessively)