Falling action
The part of the plot that comes after the climax.
assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds within words:
ballad
A traditional poem which usually tells a store and/or involves romantic love. It follows aspecific rhythm and rhyme pattern, and includes a refrain. Nowadays, the term "ballad" is often used to describe any slow, romantic song.
blank verse
Poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter
connotation
The impression a word gives beyond its literal definition. Connotations can bepositive, negative, or associated with a specific idea.
dynamic character
A character who undergoes an important internal change over the course of atext.
direct presentation
When the author tells you something directly, without you having to guess theimplied meaning.
denotation
A word's literal definition
exposition
The first part of a narrative where the characters and setting are introduced.
figurative language
Language that conveys meaning beyond the literal definition of the words.
flat character
A one-dimensional character. Most characters in fairy tales are flat.
foil
A character who is meant to highlight certain aspects of another character by being the oppositein some ways.
foreshadowing
When a writer drops clues about something that will happen later on.
free verse
Poetry that has no fixed rhyme, rhythm, or structure.
hyperbole
An extreme exaggeration. E.g. I'm so hungry I could eat a moose.
Iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter
imagery
The use of highly descriptive language, so that the reader can imagine something clearly. An image is a specific example of the use of imagery.
indirect presentation
When an author introduces a character or event using hints ordescription, without saying directly what it's like.
lyric
A short poem that focus on a single powerful feeling of the speaker.
metaphor
Saying one thing is another thing - a comparison without using the words "like" or"as". E.g. "Love is an onion.
mood
The emotions expressed in a literary text, or felt by the reader. NOT the same as "tone"!
octave
A poetic stanza of 8 lines. Often, the first part of a sonnet is an octave.
narrative
A story. Poems, prose, and drama can all have narrative elements. a spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
oxymoron
A specific kind of juxtaposition involving two words with opposite meanings. E.g. "Fieryice.
prologue
Literally, the "before-words"; a short introduction to a longer text.
propaganda
information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause
refrain
The part of a poem or song, especially a ballad, that is repeated word-for word and withthe same melody.
rising action
The action in a story after the exposition which builds towards the climax.
round character
A character who is multi-faceted, having many different aspects to theircharacter.
sestet
A poetic stanza of six lines. Often, the second part of a sonnet is a sestet.
stanza
A section of a poem set off from other sections by blank space.
static character
A character who remains fundamentally unchanged by the end of the story.
style
A writer's unique manner of writing - his or her personality as expressed through words.
theme
The main message of a work. NOT a topic
symbol
A thing or image that represents something non-physical. E.g. A rose is a symbol of love.
suspense
When a writer deliberately leaves out information in order to maintain and increase theaudience's attention.
stereotyped character
A character who is representative of a particular group; always a flatcharacter.
speaker
The persona who is delivering the poem. The speaker is NOT the same as the poet, thoughsometimes they are very closely connected. For example, Mr. Mrak could write a poem in which the speaker is female and Jewish and from New York living in the 1920's. Obviously, Mr. Mrak (the poet) is not himself female, Jewish, from New York, nor living in the 1920's.
hyperbole
An extreme exaggeration. E.g. I'm so hungry I could eat a moose.
irony
a difference between what is said and what is meant
motif
a decorative image or design, especially a repeated one forming a pattern.
simile
a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g. as brave as a lion ). using like and as
metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
register
the formality of the text