Malcolm Literary Terms ________________________ English 11 Name 1. Allegory – A story with 2 levels of meaning: literal and symbolic 2. Alliteration – Repetition of a consonant sound at beginning of words. 3. Allusion – Reference to well-known people, places, events, work of literature, 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. Analogy – The comparison 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. Antagonist – Character or force in conflict with the main character. (The Joker, The Green Goblin) 9. Antanaclasis – Stylistic repetition of a word utilizing different definitions of the word each time (“We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang together.”) 10.Antithesis – The use of phrases with opposite meanings in close conjunction. (“One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”) 11.Aphorism – 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 writer directly addresses the reader or an absent/abstract idea. (Build thee more stately mansions, oh my soul.) 13.Aside – In drama, a short passage that an actor speaks to the audience 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 – poetry 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 names) 21.Caesura – Latin for “cutting/slicing.” A pause within a line of poetry 22.Canto – A sub-division in a narrative poem similar to a chapter in a novel 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.Characterization – The process of establishing personality traits in characters a. Direct - When the narrator straightforwardly tells the reader descriptions 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.Climax – Moment in a literary work in which the problem reaches its highest point and is afterward resolved 28.Colloquialism – A word or phrase 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 composition. 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 Europe & 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.Deus ex Machina – 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.Diction - A writer’s or speaker’s distinctive word choice that characterizes his/her style 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 order 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.Epic – 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 moral or theme, or give advice. (Puck’s speech to the audience at the end of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) 48.Epithet – 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.Exposition – Background information that is essential to the plot. (Learning about Abigail & John Proctor’s affair.) 53.Fable – A brief story told to illustrate general truths about human nature; many times using animals as main characters. (Tortoise & the Hare) 54.Figure of Speech – 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.Flashback – The telling/showing of events that happened before the opening of a work. 56.Foil – 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.Foreshadowing – 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 novels 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, rhetoric, history, poetry, and philosophy 63.Hyperbole – extreme exaggeration 64.Imagery – The use of words to create mental pictures 65.Innuendo – the subtle reference to inappropriate ideas 66.Irony – A contrast 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. poetic justice 67.Litotes – 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 setting, 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.Metaphor – A comparison stated in a way that suggests one thing is another. “Her smile shines like the sun.