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Home , Characterization, Figure of speech, Pen name

Malcolm Literary Terms ______English 11

1. – A story with 2 levels of : literal and symbolic

2. – Repetition of a consonant sound at beginning of words.

3. – Reference to well-known people, places, events, work of , etc.

4. Ambiguity – When a statement contains 2 or more possible meanings. (“I promise I’ll give you a ring tomorrow.”)

5. Ambivalence – The state of having 2 opposing feelings toward a person or thing at the same time. (“Can’t live with you, can’t live without you.”)

6. – The of a new idea to a well-known idea to aid in comprehension

7. Anecdote – A brief story about an interesting, unusual, or humorous event

8. – or force in conflict with the main character. (The Joker, The Green Goblin)

9. – Stylistic repetition of a word utilizing different definitions of the word each time (“ must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang together.”)

10.Antithesis – The use of with opposite meanings in close conjunction. (“One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”)

11. – A general truth or observation about life, often witty. (An apple a day keeps the doctor away.)

12.Apostrophe – figure of speech in which the directly addresses the reader or an absent/abstract idea. (Build thee more stately mansions, oh my soul.)

13.Aside – In , a short passage that an actor speaks to the and the other characters pretend they cannot hear.

14.Assonance – repetition of vowel sounds. (Ashley asked for applesauce after her anchovies.)

15.Autobiography – Work of nonfiction in which the author writes about his/her own life.

16.Ballad – A songlike poem that tells a story; often adventurous or romantic. Types: Traditional Ballad, Folk Ballad, Popular Ballad

17.Bias - Prejudice either toward or against one thing or idea which is usually considered to be unfair !1 18.Biography – Work of nonfiction in which the author tells the life story of another person

19.Blank Verse – written in unrhymed iambic pentameter: U / U / U / U / U /

20.Cacophony – Greek for “bad sound.” Words that do not have pleasing sounds – D’s, G’s, Ch’s, K’s, T’s, X’s. (Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll) (Tolkien’s )

21.Caesura – Latin for “cutting/slicing.” A pause within a line of poetry

22.Canto – A sub-division in a poem similar to a chapter in a

23.Catalog – The creation of a long list for poetic or rhetorical effect (Dec. of Independence = “He has…”)

24.Character – any representation of an individual being presented in a narrative work a. Static Character – a character that does not change through the story b. Dynamic Character – a character that goes through emotional changes throughout the story – (Reverend Hale)

25. – The process of establishing personality traits in characters a. Direct - When the narrator straightforwardly tells the reader of the character(s) b. Indirect - When the author shows, rather than tells, the reader qualities of the character(s) through use of other characters’ behaviors, words, or thoughts about the them. Based on the reader’s ability to make inferences.

26.Classical – Refers to works of art, architecture, philosophy, and literature produced by Ancient Greeks or Ancient Romans

27. – Moment in a literary work in which the problem reaches its highest point and is afterward resolved

28.Colloquialism – A word or using everyday, common speech – rarely to be used in formal writing. (Swag)

29.Conceit – An elaborate or unusual comparison. EX: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? EX: Life is like a box of chocolates

30.Conflict – The opposition between 2 forces in any literary . a. External Conflict: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Nature b. Internal Conflict: Man vs. Self

31.Connotation – the range of different meanings or feelings a word can have. house/ home, horse/steed

!2 32.Consonance – Repetition of 2 or more consonant sounds separated by different vowel sounds. (pitter/patter, live/love)

33.Criticism – the studies concerned with defining, classifying, interpreting, and evaluating literature.

34.Deism – late 1600’s-late 1700’s Religious revival during the Enlightenment in & American colonies. Main Points: a. God created the universe & man b. God was an observer only c. Rejected dogma (traditionally believed “truths”) d. No miracles e. Reason based on observation

35.Denotation – the primary definition of a word disregarding any emotion

36.Denouement – French word meaning “unknotting.” The resolution and solving of problems after the climax of a literary work

37. – Latin for “a god from a machine.” An unlikely solution to all problems at the end of a work. (Jurassic Park. Dodgeball.)

38.Dialogue - The conversations spoken between 2 or more characters in a work of literature.

39. - A writer’s or speaker’s distinctive word choice that characterizes his/her of expression

40.Didacticism – the use of literature to teach and instruct; EX: poetry that tells history. (Ireland by Frank Delaney)

41.Drama – A form of literary composition meant to be acted on stage.

42.Elegy – A formal poem that laments the death of someone

43.Empathy – the ability to transfer oneself into another person’s situation in to identify with his/her feelings

44.End-stopped – When lines of poetry end in punctuation, ending the thought & the line at the same spot

45.Enjambment – In poetry, when complete thoughts “run over” to the next line by not having punctuation at the end of a line.

46. – A long, narrative poem that tells the tale of a larger-than-life hero. (The Odyssey, Beowulf)

!3 47.Epilogue – A conclusion added to a literary work to explain, give or , or give advice. (Puck’s speech to the audience at the end of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”)

48. – An adjective or adjectival phrase used to define a distinctive quality of someone or something. (Larger-than-life hero, Silver-snarling trumpets, Fleet-footed Achilles)

49.Euphemism – An inoffensive way to say something that may be offensive or embarrassing. (“Pass away.” “Sleep with.” “Go to the restroom.”)

50.Euphony – Opposite of cacophony; use of words/language with pleasing sounds – L’s, M’s, W’s

51.Ethos - The ethical appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to persuade the audience by proving his/her own credibility & reliability

52. – Background information that is essential to the . (Learning about Abigail & John Proctor’s affair.)

53. – A brief story told to illustrate general truths about human nature; many times using animals as main characters. (Tortoise & the Hare)

54. – The use of words that differs from their standard meaning to achieve a special meaning. “I’m blue.” “He broke wind.” “Dude, she’s ripped.”

55. – The telling/showing of events that happened before the opening of a work.

56. – A character in a work that serves to stress and highlight a particular trait of another character. Bart/Lisa. Mac/PC. Parris/Hale

57.Foot – The combination of stressed & unstressed syllables that makes up 1 metric unit in a line of poetry a. Monometer – A line of poetry consisting of 1 foot of any metrical pattern b. Dimeter - A line of poetry consisting of 2 feet of any metrical pattern c. Trimeter - A line of poetry consisting of 3 feet of any metrical pattern d. Tetrameter - A line of poetry consisting of 4 feet of any metrical pattern e. Pentameter - A line of poetry consisting of 5 feet of any metrical pattern

58. – Providing hints of things yet to come.

59.Free Verse – Poetry with no meter, no fixed rhyme scheme, and varying lengths of lines. Based on natural rhythms of phrases & normal pauses.

60.Genre – A type or category of literature & film marked by certain shared features

!4 61.Gothic – from Goths – the barbaric Germanic tribes of Europe that contributed to the fall of Rome; Architecture: characterized by pointed arches and vaults, flying buttresses, stained glass, and gargoyles; Literature: poetry, short stories, or designed to thrill readers by providing mystery and blood-curdling accounts of villainy, murder, and the supernatural

62.Humanism – 1300’s-1500’s Renaissance intellectual and artistic movement that revived classical Greek and Roman studies of grammar, , history, poetry, and philosophy

63. – extreme exaggeration

64. – The use of words to create mental pictures

65.Innuendo – the subtle reference to inappropriate ideas

66. – A between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. a. Verbal – the difference in meaning between what a person says and the way it is interpreted b. Dramatic – a situation in which the audience/reader knows something that the character(s) do not know c. Situational – when accidental events occur that are oddly appropriate for what the character deserves, i.e.

67. – a figure of speech in which a negative idea is purposefully understated by expressing what it is not. (“While visiting Washington, D.C. I was approached by not a few homeless beggars.”)

68.Local Color Writing – Writing that includes detailed representations of , dialect, dress, & customs of a particular region. To Kill a Mockingbird, Their Eyes were Watching God

69.Logos - The logical appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to persuade the audience through use of logic & reasoning

70.Lyric Poetry – A short poem narrated by a single speaker expressing his/her feelings on something

71. – A comparison stated in a way that suggests one thing is another. “Her smile shines like the sun. Her smile is the sun.”

72.Metaphysical Poetry – Early 1600’s British poetry about abstract subjects using a highly complex structure

!5 73.Meter – The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry. a. Anapest – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of U U / b. Dactyl - In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of / U U c. Iamb – In a line of poetry, the metrical unit of U / d. Trochee – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of / U e. Pyrrhic – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of U U f. Spondee – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of / /

74. – Using an to represent a larger idea. (“You will be serving the crown.” “The pen is mightier than the sword.”)

75.Monologue - A long speech by a character delivered to others in a or movie.

76. – The overall feeling or predominate atmosphere of a literary work

77. – A purposefully recurring element in a work of literature or in many works of literature; EX: Romeo and Juliet situation

78.Muse - The nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who had the power to inspire artists, poets, singers, and ; “You are my muse.”

79. – An unverifiable tale that explains the actions of gods and heroes or the causes of natural phenomena. “Echo and Narcissus.” a. Creation Myth: Explains how the world or its inhabitants came to be. “Navajo Origin .” Never say that they are fiction or untrue.

80.Narrative Poetry – Poetry that tells a story – has plots, themes, setting, characters

81.Naturalism – Mid 1800’s American literary movement seeking to depict life as accurately as possible. Preceded Realism - very similar, but more philosophical. Tried to show how humans can be studied through their relationship with their surroundings.

82.Neoclassical – Style of art, literature, and music that stresses reason, balance, and order in imitation of Ancient Greek and Roman art

83.Nobel Prize – An international, annual prize started in 1901 awarding Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Literature, and Peace

84.Nom de Plume – French for “name of the pen.” A fictitious name that an author uses to conceal his/her identity. AKA: Pen name. Diedrich Knickerbocker, Mark Twain, Silence Dogood

85.Novel – An extended work of fictional featuring major and minor characters in a complicated plot

86.Ode – A long, elaborate poem written for or dedicated to a specific and treating it reverently

!6 87.Omniscient Point of View – 3rd person point of view. The telling of a story from the perspective of someone who knows everything. The narrator is not one of the characters, but seems to be looking on everything from above.

88.Onomatopoeia – The use of words that are similar to the sound they represent. Buzz, click, grunt, Bam!

89.Oxymoron – a statement that contradicts itself; Icy Hot, Jumbo Shrimp, Smart Jock

90. – A story designed to teach a moral lesson

91.Paradox – The use of contradiction that actually makes sense. “Without laws, we can have no freedom.” “Cowards die many times before their deaths.”

92. – An imitation of the style of a particular work in hopes of making fun of it. Scary Movie, SpaceBalls

93.Pathos - The emotional appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to persuade the audience through the use of emotion - usually sadness

94.Personification – Giving human characteristics to non-human things

95. – Accidental or intentional intellectual theft in which any writer or speaker steals an original idea from someone else and presents it as his/her own.

96.Plain Style – A style of expression characterized by its clarity, simplicity, straightforwardness, and lack of ornamentation – appealed to Puritans and Quakers

97.Plot – The structure and sequence of events in a literary work

98.Poet Laureate – A poet officially appointed by a national government (or organization) expected to compose poems for the nation (or organization) for special occasions

99.Point of View – The vantage point from which a story is told; 1st person or 3rd person.

100.Primary Source – the main work of literature that a student is analyzing

101.Prologue - a section of any introductory material before the first chapter or the main material of a work

102.Prose – Any composition of writing that is not poetry or drama. AKA: “Normal” writing.

103. – The main character in a literary work who is the primary focus of attention

104. – (Greek) A fictitious name that an author uses to conceal his/her identity. AKA: Nom de plume, pen name

!7 105.Psychological Novel - work of fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of the characters are of greater interest than the external of the story

106.Pulitzer Prize - an American regarded as the highest honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical compositions. Administered by Columbia University in New York City. 13 each year.

107. – A that exploits the different possible meanings a word can have; EX: Romeo and Juliet: “Romeo’s vile death.” (vile=vial)

108.Realism – 1800’s – 1900’s: A literary movement in America & Europe that developed out of Naturalism; portrays life in a faithful, accurate manner, unclouded by false ideals

109.Refrain - A repeating line or set of lines at the end of stanzas or sections of a poem

110.Renaissance – 1300’s – 1500’s: An intellectual and artistic “rebirth” in Europe. Sought to rediscover the Classic culture and art of Ancient Rome and Greece.

111.Rhetoric: The art of persuasive argumentation; the use of eloquent, charismatic, & strategic language

112.Rhetorical – A question asked that is not meant to be answered. Used to prove a point, get the audience to think.

113.Rhyme – the similarity of sound in 2 or more words a. Feminine Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming lines end in an unstressed syllable b. Masculine Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming lines end in a stressed syllable c. End Rhyme – when the last word of 2 or more lines rhyme d. Internal Rhyme – when words rhyme within a line of poetry e. Perfect Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming sounds are exact f. Slant Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming sounds are approximate & forced into the pattern

114.Romance - A medieval tale dealing with a hero of , common in Romance Languages (AKA: not Latin.). Ex.: King Arthur

115.Romanticism – 1800-1830: An artistic & philosophical movement in Europe that rejected the logic & reason of the Enlightenment. Stressed emotion, following instincts, imagination, and individuality; Major poets: Keats, Byron, Wordsworth; Inspired Transcendentalism in America

116.Sarcasm – The of saying one thing, but meaning the exact opposite

117. – A humorous but intelligent attack or critique of any social or cultural phenomenon that is seen as a problem in hopes of change; The Daily Show, The Simpsons, “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathon Swift (1729)

118.Scansion – The marking of stressed & unstressed syllables in poetry

!8 119.Secondary Source – any work written about the Primary source

120.Setting – The time and place of any work

121. – A comparison using the words like or as that suggests one thing is similar to another

122.Soliloquy – A character’s solo speech at a point in the play when he believes himself to be alone, often revealing thoughts, feelings, secrets, plans.

123.Sonnet – A poem consisting of 14 lines of iambic pentameter; English and Italian a. English Sonnet: “Shakespearean” - abab cdcd efef gg b. Italian Sonnet: “Petrarchan” - abba abba cde cde)

124.Stanza – a group of lines in poetry separated from others by a space; similar to a paragraph in prose a. Couplet – A 2-lined rhyming stanza b. Quatrain – A 4-line stanza c. Octave – An 8-line stanza

125. – A style of writing in which the narrative follows the flow of thoughts that a character is having. Appears random & seems to have no structure or chronology.

126.Style – The characteristic way an author uses words to create a desired effect

127.Suspension of Disbelief - Simply enjoying a work of fiction by setting aside your doubt of the believability of unrealistic elements. “Just go with it.”

128.Symbol – An object or character that represents itself and something greater; EX: the eagle in The Iroquois Constitution, traffic lights

129. – A figure of speech in which an object is represented by a part of it. (“All hands on deck!” “Get your butt over here!” Football announcer – “…brought down by a whole host of blue jerseys.”)

130.Synesthesia - A figure of speech in which one sense is used to describe an experience that should appeal to a different sense. EX: “The scent of the rose rang like a bell through the garden.” “The house was absent of flavor.”

131.Tall Tale – A story told about a hero who solves problems in a humorous way. The character is identifiable to everyday people. Details are exaggerated to describe things to be greater than they are. EX: Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, John Henry

132.Tautology – Saying the same thing twice in different ways so that it appears accidental; “I saw it with my own eyes.” “PIN Number.” “HIV Virus”

133.Theme – the central idea or lesson to be learned of a work of literature

!9 134. – The author’s attitude toward his/her subject. (Playful, sarcastic, optimistic)

135.Tony Award - various annual US prizes given for the highest achievements in theater

136.Transcendentalism – Early 1800s: An American literary, artistic, and philosophical movement equivalent to the Romantic Period in Europe. Stressed emotion, instincts, “back to basics,” imagination, individuality, non-conformity, and nature

137. - A narrator of a story whose perception of reality cannot be trusted due to ignorance, illness, or emotional imbalance. The author expects the alert reader to notice inconsistencies.

138.Verse – A composition written in meter (a.k.a. poetry)

139.Zeugma – An expression in which 1 word applies to 2 phrases with slightly different meanings. (She stole my heart and my cat.) (My teeth and ambitions are bared.)(Are you getting fit or having one?)

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