abate
(v) become less in amount or intensity
balk
(v) refuse to comply
calamity
(n) an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
debase
(v) corrupt, debase, or make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance; often by replacing valuable ingredients with inferior ones
fallacious
(adj) containing or based on fallacy
theme
(n) the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
mood
(n) a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary state of feeling)
imagery
(n) the ability to form mental images of things or events
structure
(n) a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts
connotation
(n) an idea that is implied or suggested
indirect characterization
(n) a correlation in which large values of one variable are associated with small values of the other; the correlation coefficient is between 0 and -1
direct characterization
(n) the act of describing distinctive characteristics or essential features