Allusion
a reference to something in previous literature, history, or culture
Allegory
a narrative or description with a secondary meaning
Anecdote
clever little story or shortened version of an interesting story
Anti-hero
a protagonist who does not have typical hero qualities, opposite of what is expected
Archetype
a symbol that reoccurs often enough times in literature to be recognizable as an element of one's literary experience as a whole.
Atmosphere
emotional quality of a setting
Epiphany
a moment of insight
Eulogy
a speech given in remembrance to someone who has died
Extended Metaphor
a detailed or complex metaphor that is throughout the whole book
Foil
a character who has traits that emphasize qualities of another character
Invocation
prayer or statement that calls help from God, a god, or goddess
Irony
a discrepancy between appearance and reality (verbal, situational, dramatic)
Metaphor
comparing two dissimilar things
Mood
emotional quality of scene or setting
Motif
a reoccurring element, idea, or image
Parable
short story that teaches a lesson through example
Paradox
a situation or statement containing contradictory elements
Parody
a work of satire where an author imitates the work of another author
Soliloquy
a monologue with one character on stage with the person's thoughts
Imagery
language that appeals to the senses
Symbol
a person, place, thing or idea that represents something else
Syntax
the order of words in a sentence
Tone
the narrator's attitude towards something
Verisimilitude
the quality of literature being true to life, details are realistic and believable even if the situation is not.
Vernacular
ordinary everyday speech in a particular region
Catharsis
an emotional release (of tension)
Chorus
a group of characters that comment on but don't participate in a play
Hamartia
Tragic flaw
Hubris
excessive pride
Tragedy
is when a hero experiences a fall from natural stature
Bildungsroman
a coming of age novel where the protagonist is a child whose experiences teaches the experiences in the adult world
Dystopian
is the opposite of a perfect society and where human life is diminished
Epistolary
is a novel written in letter form by many authors; it is like the epistles
Gothic
is a dark mysterious setting with supernatural elements
Historical
is immersed in history because it fictionizes something that actually happened.
Novella
is a prose fiction shorter than a novel
Novel of Manners
is when the social customs of an era or group is highlighted
Picaresque Novel
is an episodic novel where a person of lower status has an adventure
Social Novel
is concerned with the effect of social institutions and social conditions on humanity
Utopian Novel
is an ideal society presented free from typical social problems