Early American Period
period consisting of poets born in Great Britain who migrated to America, but began to see changes in themselves with regards to a new American Identity. Dealt with things like religion and love. (Anne Bradstreet, Edward Taylor, Jonathan Edwards)
Romantic Period
An artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century. Was a reaction to the Industrial Revolution, and highlighted the importance of nature. It was also a revolt against aristocratic social and poli
Transcendental Period
a religious and philosophical movement that believed man was best in nature, and that humans were inherently good. They believed in the oversoul, which was an interpretation of God. (Authors= Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson) Emerson started it, T
Anti-Tansendental Movement
said in the real world, people don't make connections, they hit walls (ex: Bartleby)
Realism
not portraying anything with embellishment, showing just how it is. Mark Twain did this.
Local Color
The culture of a specific local region. Mark Twain explored it through dialogue and speech patterns.
Naturalism
the belief that nature is unloving
Irony
An expression in which the author/speaker says one things but means the opposite.
Satire
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's/society's stupidity. (particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues).
Theme
the subject of a piece of writing.
Conceit
an extended metaphor that compares the abstract and the concrete.
Rhyme Scheme
the style of rhyme in a poem. (ex: aa, bb, cc)
Iambic Pentameter
5 syllables per line, the second syllable is stressed in every line.
Imagery
a type of figurative language that is visually descriptive and provides insight into other areas of the work like theme.
Couplet
two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit.
Point of View
the way the author allows you to "see" and "hear" what's going on; a particular attitude or way of considering a matter. (1st person, 2nd and 3rd)
Tone
the general attitude of a piece of writing.
Inverted Words/Phrases/Lines
a rearrangement of the words lines or phrases in a poem to make it rhyme better. Emily Dickinson did this.
Ambiguity
Uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language. Left open to interpretation.
Persona
The personality of a character.
Ex for Chillingworth: wicked, creepy
Paradox
something that is both and neither; a contrast. Ex: when the woman is speaking about death in the poem, yet she is dead.
Type
a duplicate, shadow or mirror of the original thing. ex) in the scarlet letter, the A is a type of Hester and Dimesdale's sin.
Symbol
a thing that represents or stands for something else, esp. a material object representing something abstract.
Setting
the central location where a story takes place.
Character Development
the way the author shows the person's growth and development with respect to certain aspects. Done through the plot.
Allusion
in a literary work, a reference to a past work or event.
Plot Construction
how the story is developed through events and problems.
Juxtaposition
the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Dialect
a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.
Picaresque Novel
Is a popular sub-genre of prose fiction which might sometimes be satirical and depicts, in humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. EX: Huck Finn
Bildungsroman
A coming of age tale in which a young protagonist goes out into the world and the world shows him/her the good and the bad. ex: Huck Finn
Lyric Poetry
typically express personal or emotional feelings, often set to music or beat.
Iambic Pentameter
5 feet of light, heavy, light, heavy syllable pattern
Common Meter
aka hymnody, iambic pentameter, comes in tetrameters, the way Emily Dickinson wrote, can sing amazing grace to it
Simile
The comparison of 2 seemingly unlike things using "like" or "as
Metaphor
the comparison of 2 seemingly unlike things without the use of like/as.
Direct Address
When the author directly addresses the reader, knows there's someone on the other side of the page.
Repetition
repeating words or phrases to give emphasis to/make a certain point
Assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds in words close together in a sentence.
Alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Who said we should stop reading after chapter 31 of Huck Finn?
Ernest Hemingway