Allegory
A story in which an abstract idea, often a moral or lesson, is shown through characters' actions.
The story of the turtle and the hare is an allegory.
Alliteration
The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in two or more words.
"Come quickly, quietly and see the brazen beast.
Allusion
The reference within a work to another literary work, or to a familiar person, place, thing or event
Anecdote
A brief story about an interesting, amusing, or strange event used to entertain or make a point
Analogy
A comparison of 2 things suggesting that, if they are alike in some ways, they are alike in many.
"A good idea resembles a seed bearing flowers.
Antithesis
Contrasting ideas highlighted by parallel grammatical structure: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Charles Dickens
Archetype
A universal symbol, image or pattern seen in the myths, art, and literature of many cultures
Character Archetypes
Examples include: hero (epic, tragic, etc.), devil, temptress, earth mother, outcast
Situational Archetypes
Examples: a quest, death & rebirth, fall from favor
Symbol Archetypes
Examples: light and dark representing good and evil, monsters, water
Aphorism
A wise saying that reflects a general truth or observation about life
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds within different consonants, for example: the red sled in the shed.
Atmosphere (also called Mood)
The feeling created in a reader by the descriptive detail in a literary work, such as: eerie, calm or suspenseful
Flat character
One who has limited character traits (cartoonish)
Round character
One who has many realistic traits
Dynamic character
One who changes and learns through the story
Static character
One who does not show real change in the story
Connotation
The emotional associations and ideas associated with a word--a word's connotation is usually more powerful than its dictionary meaning
Denotation
The explicit, dictionary meaning of a word.
Diction
The author's word choice, which is used to connect with the reader and support purpose. Described with an adjective.
Exposition
Introduces the characters, setting, and situation and starts the plot of a story or drama
Foil
A character who provides contrast to another character to highlight character traits
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues of something that is to come later in a story
Hyperbole
A bold overstatement or exaggeration for either comic or serious affect
Imagery
Words a writer selects to paint an image or picture in the reader's mind
Irony
A twist of expectation. There are 3 types of irony: dramatic, verbal, and situational
Dramatic irony
When a character's mistakes or misunderstandings are clear to the reader but are not to the character
Verbal irony
When a word or phrase is used to suggest the opposite of its usual meaning
Situtational irony
When an event turns out the opposite of the expectations of the character, reader or audience
Metaphor
A comparison of two unlike things that doesn't use "like" or "as" (e.g., "Juliet is the sun")
Extended Metaphor
Continuation of the first metaphor through several connected comparisons
Juxtaposition
Placing ideas/words side be side to emphasize contras.
Consonance
The repetition of similar consonant sounds at the ends of words: " the sound heard around the world.
Motif
A dominant, often repeated, idea or thematic element in a literary work
First person narrator
Is part of the action of the story and tells it
Third person narrator
Is outside the story and doesn't know everything, but tells the story from more than one character's perspective
Omniscient narrator
Is "all-knowing" and can tell about all the characters and events in a story
Limited third person
Tells the thoughts/feelings of 1 character
Onomatopoeia
A word or group of words that resembles the sound it denotes, for example: hiss or buzz
Oxymoron
A combination of contradictory words, such as jumbo shrimp
Parable
Simple story that teaches a lesson using events or characters to stand for abstract ideas such as evil
Parody
A comical piece of writing that mocks the characteristics of a literary form
Personification
A phrase in which nonliving things are given human qualities
Protagonist
The main character or hero of the story
Setting
Time and place in which a story takes place. Time includes: the historical period, year, season, or time of day. Place includes: region, country, as well as social, cultural and economic environment
Simile
Comparison of 2 unlike things using "like" or "as
Symbol
Anything that stands for or represents something else
Theme
The central message(s) or insight(s) into life revealed through a literary work
Tone
The overall feeling or effect a writer creates--stated as an adjective, for example: comic, tragic
Understatement
When a situation is presented as less important than it really is, which usually results in irony
Voice
The tone in writing that conveys to the reader the sense of the author and his or her perspective
Epigram
A brief witty poem, often satirical.
Metonymy
A figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated (such as "crown" for "royalty").
Synechdoche
A figure of speech in which a part of something stands for the whole. For example, "I've got wheels" for "I have a car," or a description of a worker as a "hired hand.