Literary Terms Compendium

8/8/2019 Literary Terms Compendium

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Reading and Literary Test Terms

1. accommodate agree that the other side of an argument is worthy of discussion

2. act to perform in a play; the major portion of segment of a play

3. action what happens in a story; the events or conflicts. If the action is well organized, it will develop into a pattern or

plot.4. alliteration the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or accented syllables

5. allusion a reference to a well-known historical, cultural, religious, or mythological person, place, event, literary work, orwork of art

Sometimes you can identify the allusion as what doesnt belong.

6. anecdote a brief story about an interesting, amusing, or strange event. It is tole to entertain or to make a point.

7. analogy a comparison between two unlike things showing a relationship pattern

8. anonymous without a name ; the author is unknown

9. antagonist a character or force in conflict with a main character, or protagonist; the person or thing working against the

protagonist, or hero, of the work.

10. anticlimax11. antithesis direct contrast of structurally parallel word groupings, generally for the purpose of contrast: e.g. sink or swim

12. antonym a word that has the opposite meaning

13. archetype

14. appeal ask the reader or listener to agree with the writer or speaker

15. argumentation writing or speaking that uses reasons and logic to make a point

16. aside In drama, a word or remake made by the actor directly to the audience

17. assonance the repetition of vowel sounds at the beginning of words or accented syllables

18. attitude The way the writer or speaker feels about his or her topic. Attitude is the common, non-literary term for tone

19. atmosphere

20. audience the people who read or hear what has been written21. authority, expert someone who is knowledgeable and well-trained in a particular subject

22. autobiography A form of non-fiction in which a person tells his or her own life story

23. ballad a song-like poem that tells a story, often one dealing with adventure or romance

24. balance Arranging words and phrases in a similar way to give them equal importance. Balance gives writing a pleasing

flow or rhythm.

25. biography a form of non-fiction in which a writer tells the life of a person

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26. body the main or middle part in a piece of writing. The body comes between the beginning and the ending (closing)and explains the writings main ideas.

27. brainstorming a pre-writing process which collects ideas by talking openly about all the possibilities

28. caricature a description of a character in which his or her features are exaggerated and appear funny or ridiculous

29. catastrophe30. catharsis

31. cause what makes something happen

32. central idea the main idea or point in a piece of writing, often stated in a thesis statement or topic sentence

33. character a person, animal, or a natural force presented as a person appearing in a literary work. A character can bedescribed as

dynamic

staticflat

roundstock

34. characteranalysis

the process of looking at how the author presents a character by looking at what the character says, does, orthings and at how others describe or react to the character in the cultural context of the story and the time in

which it was written

Direct characterization--the author tells us directly:

what the character looks like or is like

Indirect characterizationthe author shows us

what a character thinks, says, or does

what others think about the character

what others say about the character how others respond to the character

35. characterization the means by which a writer reveals a characters personality; the act of creating and developing a character

36. clarify,

clarification

clear up or make a point clear or understandable

37. clich a phrase or sentence that has been overused. It is better to find a new way of saying the same thing.

38. classification to group items or ideas by things they have in common

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39. climax the high point or turning point in the story; the decisive point in a narrative or drama; the point of greatestintensity or interest

40. closing the summary or final part in a piece of writing. In a paragraph, the closing is the last sentence. In an essay orreport, the closing is the final paragraph.

41. coherence putting ideas together in such a way that the reader can easily follow them.42. colloquial (ism) a common word or phrase that is used when people talk to one another. Colloquialisms are usually not used in

a formal speech or in most assigned writing.

43. comedy drama characterized by a happily-ever-after ending

44. comic relief

45. compare,

comparison

to show how things are alike

46. compassion to show understanding or feel sympathetic

47. complication an entangling circumstance which makes a situation more difficult to resolve

48. concede,concession

to agree that another argument or a point might be right

49. conceit

50. conclusion ending or resolution; a decision based on evidence

51. conflict a problem or struggle between two opposing forces or characters in a short story, novel, play, or narrative

poem. Conflict may be internal or external

Person vs. personPerson vs. self

Person against societyPerson against nature

Person against fate (gods)Person against science or technology

52. connotation all of the emotions associated with a word

53. context the set of facts or circumstances surrounding an event or a situation in a piece of literature

54. contrast to show how things are different

55. controllingimage

an image or metaphor which runs throughout the work

56. counterargumen to raise an opposing argument, to disagree

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t

57. crisis an incident that causes a permanent change in the life of one or more of the characters

58. deductivereasoning

to reason from general information (a generalization) to make a valid inference about a specific detail.(DOGS)

59. denotation the dictionary definition of a word60. denouement the outcome of a plot; conflict is resolved

61. description writing that uses details to help the readers clearly imagine a certain person, place, thing or idea

62. details details are most commonly the facts given by the author or speaker as support for the attitude or tone

63. deus ex machina a literary device by which, in a hopeless situation, the situation is resolved by the hand of god or a

supernatural occurence

64. dialect the characteristic speech of a particular region or social group

65. dialogue conversation or spoken words of two or more people

66. diary a personal journal, usually revealing innermost thoughts

67. diction the type of words a writer chooses to use to create an effect (monosyllabic or polysyllabic; colloquial/slang,

informal, formal, academic, archaic; denotative or connotative; concrete or abstract; euphonious orcacophonous)

68. didactic literature that instructs or presents a moral or religious statement

69. drama the story written out to be acted on a stage by actors; it contains dialogue and stage directions

70. dramatic

monologue

a literary work or part of a literary work in which a character is speaking about him-or herself as if another

person were present. The speakers words reveal something important about his or her character.

71. effect the result of an action

72. elements of

literature

Concrete elements of literature can be pulled directly from the piece of literature:

figurative language; sound devices; poetic or sentence structure; controlling image; diction and syntax;

dialog; humorous devices; narrator; rhetorical shift

Abstract elements of literature are those devices which cannot be literally pulled from a piece of literature.They are created by the authors use of concrete devices

characterization; humor; mood; pathos; suspense; style;

theme; tone; voice

73. emotion,

emotional

a persons feelings; an appeal based on the use of words, sentence order, figurative language to create a strong

feeling

74. emphasis giving great importance to a particular idea in a piece of writing. Emphasis can be achieved by placing the idea

ina special position, by repeating a key word or phrase, or by writing more about one idea than about the others.

75. epilogue

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76. epigram

77. epiphany

78. essay A prose work, usually short, that deals with a subject in a limited way and expresses a particular point of view.They are usually categorized as formal, humorous, or informal.

79. euphemism80. exposition 1. Writing that is intended to make clear, or explain, something that might otherwise be difficult to understand.

2. In a play or novel, the portion that helps the reader to understand the background or situation in which thework is set; the beginning of a story which introduces character and setting.

81. extendeddefinition

writing that goes beyond the basic dictionary definition of a term. An extended definition can include personaldefinitions, similes, metaphors, quotations, and so on.

82. fable a brief story that is told to present a moral or practical lesson; often have characters that are animals.

83. fact something that can be looked up or proven to be true

84. fairy tale a type of folktale featuring extraordinary characters such as magical beings such as gnomes, elves, trolls, ogres,

or fairies; setting is not specific.

85. fallacy error in the reasoning or the basis of the reasoning; logical error86. falling action the action that follows the climax or turning point of the story; action that leads to the resolution where all the

problems or conflict is worked out

87. fantasy a story that takes place in an imaginary world in which the characters often have supernatural powers orabilities

88. farce

89. figurative

language

language that is not intended to be interpreted in a literal sense

90. flashback a scene in a short story, novel, narrative poem, or play that interrupts the action to show an event that happened

earlier

91. focus the specific part of a subject that is written about in an essay, a paragraph, or a report92. foil someone who serves as a contrast or challenge to another character

93. folk tale a story told primarily for entertainment that was originally passed from generation to generation by word of

mouth; feature human or human-like animals. Folktale characters are usually all good or all bad and end upgetting the reward or punishment they deserve.

94. foreshadowing the use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is coming

95. form the way a piece of writing is structured or organized:

business letteressay

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journal entryliterary analysis

news storypersonal narrative

poemreportsocial letter

story

96. freewriting writing whatever comes to mind about a particular topic

97. generalization a general statement that gives an overall, general view, rather than focusing on specific details; a statementbased on inductive reasoning which gives the relationship about concepts that are true andverifiable for all

cases

98. genre a category or type of literature based on its style, form, and content. (mystery novel, fable, poem, drama, etc.)

99. hamartia

100.

hero

10

1.

historical fiction a made-up story based on actual historical times, places, and facts.

10

2.

homograph a word that is spelled alike but has a different origin and meaning (bow-weapon; bow-curtsey)

10

3.

homonym a word that looks or sounds the same or similar but has a different meaning, often used to make puns. There

are two types: homophones and homographs

10

4.

homophone a word that is pronounced the same but is spelled differently and has a different meaning

105.

hubris

10

6.

humor a quality that appeals to the sense of the ludicrous or incongruous. Writers create humor through a variety of

devices:

exaggeration

choice of funny details

unlikely comparisons

odd or ridiculous situations, props, or details

contrasting what someone expects with what happens

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slapstickpractical jokes and physical antics

sarcasm

satire

irony

word play (puns, homophones)10

7.

hyperbole a figure of speech using extreme exaggeration or overstatement for special effect

10

8.

idiom words used in a special way that may be different from their literal meaning

10

9.

imagery use words that appeal to the reader or listeners sense of sight, touch, taste, hearing, smell, or feeling

110.

incident anything that happens in a story

11

1.

inductive

reasoning

reasoning from observations about specific cases to general statements (generalizations) that would be true in

all cases112.

inference an intelligent guess based on evidence in the text

113.

introduction situation and character are introduced; also called the exposition

114.

images the use of vivid descriptions or figures of speech that appeal to sensory experiences helps to create the authorstone

115.

imagery words or phrases that create pictures or images in the readers mind

11

6.

invective

117.

inversion

118.

irony words or situations that have the opposite effect or meaning than what was intended; Dramatic irony

Situational irony

Verbal irony

11 issue a topic that people have different opinions about

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12

0.

jargon the technical language of a particular group, occupation, or field.

12

1.

journal a notebook for writing down thoughts, experiences, information, and writing ideas

12

2.

judgments a judgment involves forming a valid (true)opinion from evidence in the text. It involves deciding if the author

or speaker is qualified, if he is presenting information fairly (without bias or reason to gain) and if theinformation is accurate and can be checked.

123.

juxtaposition putting two ideas, words, or pictures together to create a new, often ironic meaning

124.

language The language used in a passage has control over tone; language is considered to be the entire body of wordsused in a text:

artificial bombastic colloquial

concrete connotative cultured

detached emotional esotericeuphemistic exact figurative

formal grotesque homespun

idiomatic informal insipid

jargon learned literal

moralistic obscure obtuse

ordinary pedantic picturesque

plain poetic precise

pretentious provincial scholarly

sensuous simple slang

symbolic trite vulgar 12

5.

legend a tale that may originally have been based on some element of fact but is usually exaggerated

12

6.

limiting the

subject

taking a general subject and narrowing it down to a specific topic for a writing or a speaking assignment

12

7.

literal the actual or dictionary meaning of a word. Literal language means exactly what it appears to mean.

12

8.

loaded words words that make people feel for or against something; often used in persuasive writing or advertisements

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129.

local color the use of details that are common in a certain place (a local area). A story taking place on a seacoast wouldprobably contain details about the water and the lives of the people near it.

130.

logic the science or reasoning. Logic uses reasons, facts, and examples to prove or support a poin.

131. logical to think things through in a step-by-step, reasonable manner; argument or appeal that uses reasoning such asclassification, cause/effect, research or facts

132.

lyric a poem, usually a short one, that expresses the speakers personal thoughts and feelings

133.

literary elements

134.

main character the most important character in a story, novel, or play. A piece of literature may have more than one maincharacter. (protagonist)

135.

main idea the most important part of what you remember about a paragraph or a passage. The main idea is different fromthe topic. The main idea is the most important concept the paragraph gives about the topic. The main idea is

usually stated in a complete sentence. If the main idea is not stated directly in the paragraph, it must be inferred(figured out from information in the text and put in your own words). One method is to ask: Who.didwhatwhy?

136.

melodrama a play with exaggerated plot and emotion

137.

metaphor a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two things which are basically dissimilar.

138.

Metonymy a form of metaphor in which the name of one thing is used for another thing with which it is closely associated.(pronounced meh-tah-no-mee)

I love Shakespeare.

139.

minor character less important characters in a story, novel, or play

14

0.

monologue a speech delivered or said by one character as if he were speaking to himself

14

1.

mood the feeling a literary work creates in the reader or listener, often developed through descriptions of setting and

development of atmosphere

14

2.

moral the meaning or lesson that the reader draws from the story. Whilte the theme presents the viewpoint of the

author, the moral is the final reaction of the reader

14 motif an often-repeated idea or theme in literature. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck is constantly

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coming into conflict with the civilized world. This conflict becomes the motif throughout the novel.

14

4.

motivation something that prompts a person to act in a certain way or determines the outcome of a situation or story

14

5.

mystery

14

6.

myth a story, often about immortals and sometimes connected with religious rituals that attempts to give meaning to

the mysteries of the world; considered truthful by their originators.

14

7.

narration the kind of writing or speaking that tells a story

14

8.

narrative poem a poem that tells a story

14

9.

narrator one who narrates or tells a story

15

0.

novel a fictional work that is longer than a short story. The plot, characters, and settings are much more developed in

a novel than they are in a short story.15

1.

novella

15

2.

objective writing that gives factual information without adding feelings or opinions

15

3.

occasion What caused the author to write this particular piece

15

4.

onomatopoeia the use of a word sound in some degree imitates or suggests the meaning

15

5.

oral history telling aloud or passing along information based on real events considered to be factual by the teller

15

6.

oral tradition stories told to keep the past alive, teach lessons, and reveal the values of society. Oral traditions include myths,

legends, folk tales, fairy tales, and oral histories.

15

7.

oxymoron a technique in which two words with opposite meanings are put together for a special effect

15

8.

parable

15

9.

paradox a statement that is true but that seems to be saying two opposite things. Ex: The more free time you have, the

less you get done.

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160.

parallelism the repetition of grammatical structure (words, phrases, or sentences) to give writing rhythm.

161.

passion strong emotion

162. pathos the quality in a work of literature that arouses a feeling of pity or sorrow as compassion in a reader

163.

person

164.

persona

165.

personalnarrative

writing that shares an event in the writers life

166.

personification a figure of speech in which something non-human is given human qualities

167.

persuasion the type of speaking or writing that is intended to make an audience or reader adopt a certain opinion, performan action, or do both

168.

pity feel sorry for

169.

plagiarism taking someone elses words or ideas and using them as your own

170.

plot the sequence of events or actions in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem

171.

plot line the graphic display of action or events in a story; The five basic elements in a plot line: exposition, risingaction, climax, falling action, and resolution

172.

poetry a type of literature that uses concise, colorful, and often rhythmic language to express ideas or emotions.

173.

point of view the vantage point from which a narrative is told

Participant Point of View

(First Person)

The story is told by one of the

characters in his or her own words

1. Narrator as major

character

2. Narrator as minor

character

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3. Innocent-eye narrator child or developmentally disabledindividual who is nave thus

producing a contrasting ironybetween what narrator perceives

and what reader understands4. Stream of consciousness

(interior monologue)

author tells the story in an

unbroken flow of thought andawareness, trying to capture

exactly what is going on in the

mind of a character

5. Different times in a

characters life

ex. Scout in To Kill aMockingbird

Non-participant point of view

Third Person

the narrator is not a character in

the story at all

1. Omniscient All-knowing observer whodescribes and comments on all thecharacters and actions in a story:

describes what characters arefeeling and thinking as well as

tells what they do

may comment on events orcharacters and explain their

significance to the reader

2. Selected or limited

omniscient

records what can be seen without

author knows everything abouta particular character

story is told only through the

eyes of one character and onlyone characters thoughts are

known

3. Camera or Objective

Point of View readers perceptions are

influenced more subtlythrough diction and detail as

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the reader infers throughobserving dialogue and

external action

12

3.

prediction a decision of what might happen in the future based on information gathered in the text

12

4.

process a method of doing something that involves steps or stages

12

5.

prologue

12

6.

protagonist the central character of a drama, novel, short story, or narrative poem

12

7.

prose writing or speaking in the usual sentence form; prose becomes poetry when it takes on rhyme and rhythm

12

8.

proverb

12

9.

pun a play on words based on different meanings of words that sound alike. Three types of puns:

1. Repetition of a single word in two different senses

But if we dont hang together, we will hang separately.

Benjamin Franklin2. A play on words that sound alike, but are different in meaning

He couldnt get his bearings straight in the Bering Strait.

3. Use of a single word with two different meanings within the context of a sentence

The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen.

The photograph, which appeared in the London Times, caused a royal flush

130.

purpose The specific reason a person has for writing:Persuade/convinceInform/educateExpress

DescribeInspire

Entertain

13 realism writing that shows life as it really is

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13

2.

refute successfully argue against a p oint

13

3.

relevant appropriately related to the topic

13

4.

repetition the use, more than once, of any element of languagea sound, a word, a phrases, a sentence, a grammatical

pattern, or a rhythmical pattern

13

5.

resolution (Also called denouement) the portion of the play or story where the problem is solved. It comes after the

climax and falling action and is intended to bring the story to a satisfactory end.

13

6.

revision making changes in a piece of writing to improve its completeness and clarity

13

7.

rhetorical shift a change from one tone, attitude to another

13

8.

rhetorical

strategies

schemes, tropes

13

9.

rising action the series of conflicts or struggles that build a story or play toward a climax; where the conflict becomes clear

and the action rises and the obstacles are presented

14

0.

rhyme the repetition of sounds in two or more words or phrases that appear close to each other in a poem

end rhyme occurring at the end of a line

internal rhyme occurring within a line

14

1.

rhyme scheme the pattern of end rhymes

14

2.

rule of three the occurrences of three identical events or motions in oral traditions

143.

sarcasm the use of praise to make fun of, or put down, someone or something. The praise is not sincere and isactually intended to mean the opposite thing.

14

4.

satire using sarcasm, irony, or humor to make fun of peoples habits or ideas. Satire is often used to raise questions

about a current event or political decision.

14

5.

scene subdivision of an act of a play

14

6.

science fiction fiction that often takes place in the future and is based on real or imaginary scientific developments.

14 sensory details specific details that are usually perceived through the senses. They help readers see, smell, taste, and or hear

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what is being described.

14

8.

setting the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play or narrative poem take place

14

9.

shift in tone

(progression)

Often a poem or story will shift tone or attitude to help signal a realization or a theme. These shifts or changes

can be significant when analyzing a work of literature.15

0.

short story a story which can be read at a single sitting of not more than three hours with a narrative artistically presenting

characters in a struggle or complications which has a definite outcome

15

1.

simile a figure of speech comparing two essentially unlike things through the use of a specific word of comparison

such as like, as, than, orresembles.

15

2.

slang informal words or phrases used by particular groups of people when they talk to each other.

15

3.

soliloquy

15

4.

spontaneous writing or speaking that is not planned or thought-out in advance

15

5.

speaker Is the person speaking in the piece the same as the writer? If not, why was that speaker chosen?

15

6.

stanza the unit of a poem that is longer than a single line

15

7.

structure the form or organization a writer uses for her or his literary work. There are a great number of possible forms

used regularly in literature: parable, fable, romance, satire, farce, etc.

15

8.

struggle a character is trying to overcome some obstacle

15

9.

style a writers characteristic way of writing determined by the choice of words, the arrangement of words in

sentences, and the relationship of the sentences to one another.16

0.

subject what is the topic or issue the author has chosen to write about

16

1.

subplot

16

2.

summary writing that covers the main points without using a lot of words or details; giving a complete picture using only

a few words. A summary of a passage or paragraph includes the beginning, middle, and end.

16

3.

supporting

details

the facts or ideas that are used to make or prove a point or explain or describe a topic

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164.

surprise ending an unexpected event that comes at the end of the story

165.

suspense a feeling of curiosity or uncertainty about the outcome of events in a literary work; the quality of a short story,novel, play, or narrative poem that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events

166. symbol any object, person place, or action that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger thanitself, such as a quality, an attitude, a belief, or a value

167.

sympathy having the same feeling or similar feelings

168.

Synecdoche a form of metaphor in which a part of one thing is used to stand for the whole,

All hands on deck.

the whole represents the part

Canada beat the U.S. in the world hockey play-offs.

the container represents the thing contained within.

The pot is boiling.16

9.

synonym a word that has the same or almost the same meaning (but may have a different connotation)

17

0.

syntax the word order in a sentence; the structure or pattern of the sentence

the physical arrangement of words in a sentence

17

1.

tall tale a humorous, exaggerated story often based on the life of a real person. The story is exaggerated more and more

until the main character can seemingly do impossible things.

17

2.

theme the idea behind the story, the idea that the author intends to develop through the telling of his tale; the general

idea or central insight about life that a writer wishes to convey in a literary work (Note: a theme often makes astatement about the big topic). The theme of a literary work often reflects the culture, history, and time

period when the piece was written.Sample themes:

ambition (ambition is of no avail against fate)

angerbravery

couragefear

folk art

friendship

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hatehumility

jealousyimportance of home

love

naturepoverty and homelessness

pridequiet times

self-discovery

survivalterror

the search for communitywar

173.

thesis a statement of opinion that is the writers focus or main idea that is developed in an essay

174.

title the name of a literary work, often useful as a tool to predict what the work is about

175.

tone the attitude the writer takes toward his/her subject, characters, and readers. A Partial Vocabulary forTone:

affectionate afraid allusive

angry apologetic audacious

benevolent bitter boring

candid childish cold

complimentary condescending confusedcontemptuous didactic dramatic

dreamy emotional fanciful

flippant frivolous giddy

glib happy hollow

horrific humorous irreverent

joking listless lugubrious

mocking nostalgic objective

peaceful pitiful poignant

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proud provocative questioning

restrained sad sarcastic

seductive sentimental sharp

shocking silly somber

sweet sympathetic tiredupset urgent vexed

vibrant zealous

17

6.

topic the specific subject of a piece of writing. Usually the topic is stated in one word, or in a very few words. For

example, the topic of a paragraph might be canoeingorchoosing a CD playeri

17

7.

topic sentence the sentence that contains the main idea of a paragraph or piece of writing

17

8.

tragic flaw

17

9.

tragic hero a character who experiences an inner struggle because of a character flaw. That struggle ends in the defeat of

the hero.18

0.

tragedy drama characterized by an unhappy ending

18

1.

transition a word or phrase that connects or ties two ideas together smoothly

18

2.

trite an expression considered to an overused and ineffective way of saying something

18

3.

understatement the opposite of exaggeration. By using especially calm language, an author can bring special attention to an

object or idea.

18

4.

unity a sense of oneness in writing in which each sentence helps to develop the main idea

185.

universal a topic or idea that appeals to everyone, not just people of a particular age, race, income, or gender group

186.

valid true, having value

187.

villain the bad guy or antagonist in a story

188.

verisimilitude seeming true to life

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189.

verse

190.

voice a language style adopted by an author to create the effect of a particular speaker

Sources:

All Write: A Student Handbook for Writing and Learning.

Ross Sterling AP Vertical Team ManualDoris R. Sanders Junior High Pre-AP English from Literary Terms for Junior High by Ronda

Brandon and Jamie Stanley, GCCISD

A Guide for Advanced Placement English Vertical Teams. The College Board.

Short Stories. H.C. Schweikert, ed. Harcourt, Brace and Company, Chicago, 1937.

HAPGs from Houston Independent School District 2010

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Literary Terms Compendium