Glossary of Literary terms
Terms
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- Denotation
- is the exact meaning of a word, without the feelings or suggestions that the word may imply.
- Dynamic Character
- is one who changes by the end of he story, learning something that changes him or her in a permanent way
- Dialogue
- two characters in conversation
- Bias
- is a partially that prevents objective construction of an issue or situation
- Falling Action
- is the series of events which take place after the climax
- Alliteration
- repetition of consonnant sounds, especially at the beginnings of words (free, form, phantom)
- Resolution
- the denouement or untying of the complication of the plot
- Flashback
- an interruption in a narrative that presents an earlier episode. (looking back)
- Personification
- is a specialized form of metaphor in which human characteristics are attributed to things or ideas.
- Imagery
- is the technique by which a writer appeals so sensory experience through description.
- Audience
- gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance
- Ballad
- a short narrative poem , especially one that is sung or recited, often in a stanza of four lines with 8,6,8,6 syllables with the second and fourth line rhyming.
- Climax
- the turning point , point of maximum interest, and ighest tension in the plot of a story, play, or film.
- Comedy
- literary work which is amusing and ends happily.
- Free Verse
- poetry in lines r irregular length that are usually un-rhythmed.
- Limited Omniscient Narrative (third person narrative)
- refers to the main character as "he" or "she" and which shows us only what one character thinks and feels, but from the perspective of someone outside the story.
- Foreshadowing
- asuggestions of what is to come
- Hyperbole
- deliberate exaggeration in order to emphasize a fact or a feeling.
- Irony
- refers to a situation or to a usage of words in which there is a discrepancy between expectation and actuality.
- Connotation
- words are associated with feelings and emotions.
- Exposition
- background information of a story, the story before the story
- First Person Point of View
- see point of view
- Protagonist
- the main character of a story
- Symbolism
- is the use of a concrete object to represent an abstract idea or concept.
- Colloquial
- refers to a type of informal diction that reflects casual, conversational language and often includes slang expressions
- Contrast
- often used by writers to define or clarify a certain idea or value judgment.
- Tone
- is the attitude of the author toward the subject he is writing about
- Lyric
- a short poem which expresses a powerful emotion or sentiment
- Atmosphere
- the emotional tone (for instance, joy or horror) in a work, often established by the setting.
- First person narrative
- features the protagonist telling his or her own story directly to the reader using the first person ("I")
- Omniscient Narrative
- reveals the minds of several or all characters, knowing and telling all from an all-seeing, God-like perspective "outside" the story.
- Speaker
- is the voice used by the author to tell a story or speak a poem.
- stanza
- refers to grouping of lines, set off by a space that usually has a set pattern of meter and rhyme.
- Aside
- an actor's speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on the stage.
- Rhyme
- can occur in various forms, and it is sometimes important to analysis of poetry to consider the kinds of rhymes used by the poetry reader to a better appreciation of the tone and purpose work
- Direct Presentation
- is when the writer tells the readers what kind of personality the character posses rather than allowing the character to show his or her personality and allow readers to draw to their own conclusions.
- Sonnet
- is a fourteen line lyric poem.
- Description
- in any careful detailing of a person, place, or thing, or event.
- Chronological order
- is the order in which events happen in time
- Character
- an imaginary person in a work of fiction
- Allusion
- brief reference to a person, event or thing that the writer assumes the reader will recognize. References may come from history, current events, the Bible, mythology, or literature. Allusions occur in many forms of communication including everyday conversation.
- Point of view
- the perspective from which a story is told
- Foil
- a character who makes a contrast with another, especially a minor character who helps off a major character
- Metaphor
- involves a comparison between two essentially unlike elements without using like or as.
- Persuasion
- is a type of speaking or writing that is intended to make its audience adopt a certain opinion or persue an action or do both.
- Theme
- the central idea of the story, usually implied rather than directly stated.
- Compare
- examine and note the similarites or differences of.
- Rhythm
- in poetry, pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds
- Onomatopoeia
- is a figure of speech in which a word used closely resembles the sound to which it refers. ex. buzz buzz buz goes the alarm clock
- Flat character
- a one dimentional character( for instance, the figure who is only and always the jealous husband or flirtatious wife) as opposed to a round or many sided character
- Antagonist
- a character or force that opposes (literally, "wrestles") the main character
- Paradox
- is a statement that reads as being contradictory but upon closer examination reveals some truth. ex. I lived in poverty and died rich.
- Mood
- the atmosphere of a poem or short story
- Refrain
- a repeated phrase, line, group of lines in a poem, especially in a ballad
- Figurative Language
- is language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or subject. ex. metophor, similie, alliteration
- Simile
- is a comparison between two essentially unlike things using the words "like" or "as".
- Cliche
- a type of figurative language ontaining an overused expression or saying that is no longer considered original.