A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
Parody
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
Allegory
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sounds
Allusion
A reference to another work of literature, person, or event
anachronism
something out of place in time
analogy
A comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
Anthropomorphism
the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object.
antecedent
the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers
Antihero
Central character who lacks all the qualities traditionally associated with heroes. may lack courage, grace, intelligence, or moral scruples.
apostrophe
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.
Assonance
Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity
anticlimax
a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events
Aphorism
A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.
Catharsis
a release of emotional tension
conceit
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.
Consonance
Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity.
ballad
A poem or song narrating a story in short stanzas
cadence
rhythmic flow of a sequence of sounds or words
Colloquialism
A word or phrase (including slang) used in everyday conversation and informal writing but that is often inappropriate in formal writing (y'all, ain't)
connotation
an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
Denotation
the literal meaning of a word
dissonance
harsh, inharmonious, or discordant sounds
dramatic monologue
when a single speaker in literature says something to a silent audience
enjambment
A run-on line of poetry in which logical and grammatical sense carries over from one line into the next.
epitaph
(n.) a brief statement written on a tomb or gravestone
euphony
pleasant, harmonious sound
free verse
Poetry that does not have a regular meter or rhyme scheme
Hyperbole
extreme exaggeration
inversion
inverted order of words in a sentence (variation of the subject-verb-object order)
metaphor
A comparison without using like or as
motif
A recurring theme, subject or idea
opposition
a resistance; a disagreement
parable
A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson
parallelism
similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or clauses
pastoral
A work of literature dealing with rural life
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told
requiem
a religious service or song for the deceased
diction
A writer's or speaker's choice of words
dramatic irony
Irony that occurs when the meaning of the situation is understood by the audience but not by the characters in the play.
elegy
a sorrowful poem or speech
Epic
long narrative poem
Euphemism
An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
foot
A metrical unit composed of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Hubris
excessive pride or self-confidence
in medias res
in or into the middle of a plot; into the middle of things
irony
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
Metonymy
A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it
onomatopeia
formation or use of words that imitate sounds of the actions they refer to
oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.
Satire
A literary work that criticizes human misconduct and ridicules vices, stupidities, and follies.
Soliquily
an act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.
Symbolism
A device in literature where an object represents an idea.
Theme
Central idea of a work of literature
Unreliable narrator
a narrator whose account of events appears to be faulty, misleadingly biased, or otherwise distorted
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
refrain
A line or set of lines repeated several times over the course of a poem.
rhapsody
speech or writing expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm
Simile
A comparison using "like" or "as
stream of consciousness
a style of writing that portrays the inner (often chaotic) workings of a character's mind.
Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa
Theme
Central idea of a work of literature
tragic flaw
A weakness or limitation of character, resulting in the fall of the tragic hero.
Aside
a remark or passage by a character in a play that is intended to be heard by the audience but unheard by the other characters in the play.
Ancedote
a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
Grounding