a mental position from which things are viewed; the perspective or angle from which a story is told
point of view
words that have opposite meanings
antonym
A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant
verbal irony
the writer reveals information about a character and his personality through that character's thoughts, words, and actions
indirect characterization
a central message or insight into life revealed through a literary work
theme
the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures
parallel structure
words or phrases appealing to one or more of the five senses in order to create a mental picture
imagery
A question asked solely to pose an idea for consideration (not to be answered)
rhetorical question
words that have similar meanings
synonyms
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
personification
a narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted
unreliable narrator
a character's incentive or reason for behaving in a certain manner; that which impels a character to act
motivation
the overall emotion created by a work of literature
mood
opposition between or among characters or forces in a literary work that spurs or motivates the action of a plot (internal, external; person vs. person, self, nature, society)
conflict
repeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis
repetition
A recurring symbol, character, landscape, or event found in myth and literature across different cultures and eras (hero, journey to the underworld, creation, etc.)
archetype
a group of lines in a poem or song that constitute a division (in prose: paragraph)
stanza
the pattern of rhyme in a poem
rhyme scheme
a figure of speech wherein the author groups two apparently contradictory terms. "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness."
oxymoron
the dictionary definition of a word
denotation
the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words
alliteration
From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively
rhetoric
a scene or event from the past that appears in a narrative out of chronological order, to fill in information or explain something in the present
flashback
is the author's reason for writing or speaking: to inform, to entertain, to persuade, to praise, to celebrate, to warn.
purpose
character that shows qualities that are in contrast with the qualities of another character with the objective to highlight the traits
foil
the author explains through direct statements what the character is like (kind, evil, etc.).
direct characterization
The way a story's events are assembled, or the form a poem or play takes
structure
a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor
hyperbole
a (usually long) dramatic speech given by a character alone on stage
soliloquy
a joke that results from multiple word meanings
pun
appeal to emotion
pathos
A recurring symbol, character, landscape, or event found in myth and literature across different cultures and eras (hero, journey to the underworld, creation, etc.)
main idea / central idea
a word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning (ex. "actions speak louder than words" or "costs an arm and a leg")
idiom
writing that tells a story
narrative
a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with 'like' or 'as')
simile
the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences; word order
syntax
A kind of rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery designed to appeal to our emotions and imagination.
poetry
The time and place of a story
setting
the lines spoken by characters in drama or fiction
dialogue
methods a writer uses to develop characters
characterization
A reference to something literary, mythological, or historical to enhance the meaning of an idea
allusion
A story or brief episode told by the writer or a character to illustrate a point.
anecdote
a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
paradox
Comparison of two similar but different things, used to clarify an action or a relationship. Ex: Shells were to ancient cultures as dollar bills are to modern American culture.
analogy
an overstatement; the act of making something seem greater than it is
exaggeration
a figure of speech comparing to unlike things without using like or as
metaphor
two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme
couplets
the feelings or emotions surrounding/associated with a word, beyond its literal meaning. Generally positive or negative in nature.
connotation
the opposite of hyperbole. It Is a kind of irony that deliberately represents something as being much less that it really is. Ex. "I think I can
understatement
a regularly repeated line or group of lines in a poem or song
refrain
an appeal based on logic or reason
logos
The attitude of the author toward the audience and characters (e.g., serious or humorous).
tone
the use of words that imitate sounds
onomatopoeia
an author's choice of words, which combine to help create meaning and tone.
diction
an appeal based on the character/reputation/ credibility of the speaker.
ethos
a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character
dramatic irony
Writing or speech that is used to create vivid impressions by setting up comparisons between dissimilar things
figurative language
A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation
dialect
a figure of speech characterized by strongly contrasting words, clauses, sentences, or ideas; the direct opposite
antithesis
an author's use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in the story
foreshadowing
a conclusion one can draw from the presented details
inference
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