Abstarct
language expressing a thought apart from any material or physical object. This type of writing allows readers to find more than one meaning from the same words.
Ex: beauty, love and freedom
Allusion
a reference to a person, place, poem,book, event,etc., which is not part of the story, that the author expects the reader will recognize.
Ex: In The Glass Menagerie, Tom speaks of "Chamberlain's umbrella," a reference to British Prime Minister Neville Cha
Characterization
the methods, incidents, speech, etc., an author uses to reveal the people in the book. Characterization is depicted by what the person says, what others say, and by his or her actions.
Cliche
a familiar word or phrase that is used so often that it is no longer fresh or meaningful, but trite.
Ex: " All's well that ends well.
Climax
the point of greatest dramatic tension or excitement in a story.
Ex: Othello's murder of Desdemona. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the person chasing Scout is killed.
Coming of Age
a novel or other work of literature in which the main characters grow, mature, or understand the world in adult terms.
Ex: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; The Cay
Concrete
language referring to something that can be perceived by the senses.
Ex: pavement, hunger, locomotive
Connotation
a meaning of a word that carries a suggested meaning different from the actual definition.
Ex: The word "fireplace" has a connotation of warm, comfort, security, and home. The actual definition, though, is a brick area in a home that contains fire.
Dialect
a particular kind of speech used members of one specific group because of its geographical location or class.
Ex: Jim, in Huckleberry Finn says" Shet de do.["shut the door"]
Dynamic Characters
people in the book that evolve, change, or surprise, the reader.
Ex: Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker.
Editorial
a piece written in a newspaper, which expresses a viewpoint, as opposed to a news article, which presents only facts.
Falling Action
additional action that follow the climax.
Ex: After the deaths near the end of Hamlet, the Prince of Norway enters, and Horatio explains what happened.
Faulty Generalization
a mistake in reasoning made by arriving at a conclusion without enough evidence,
Ex: Most of the women drivers I see do not drive well; therefore, women should not be allowed to drive.
Flat or Static Character
A one dimensional character who lacks diversity and complexity; a character who is either all good or all bad and does not change. Because the character behaves in just one way, he or she is easy to comprehend.
Ex: Sherlock homes seems to be calm, deliber
Foreshadowing
The use of hints or clues in a story to suggest what actions is to come. Foreshadowing is frequently used to create interest and build suspense.
Ex: Two small and seemingly inconsequential car accidents predict and hint at the upcoming. Important wreak in
Generalization
An idea, statement, or conclusion that is formed for an entire group or category. Generalizations can pertain to nearly anything.
Ex: Pit Bulls are vicious dogs.
Imagery
The use of words to evoke impressions and meanings that are more than just the basic, accepted definitions of the words themselves.
Ex: The quotation,"Get thee to a nunnery," from hamlet implies that Ophelia must regain her purity and chastity and does no
Inference
The act of drawing a conclusion that is not actually stated by the author.
Ex: In The Pigman, John and Lorraine are writing a " memorial epic" about Mr. Pignati. Therefore, the reader may logically assume that Mr. Pigniti dies in the book.
Irony
A perception of inconsistency, sometimes humorous, in which the significance and understanding of a statement or event is changed by its context.
Ex: The firehouse burned down.
Dramatic Irony
The audience or reader knows more about a character's situation than the character does and knows that the characters understanding is incorrect.
Ex: In Medea, Creon asks, "what atrocities could she commit to in one day?" The reader, however, knows Medea
Structural Irony
The use of a naive hero whose incorrect perceptions differ from the reader's correct ones.
Ex: Huck Finn
Verbal Irony
A discrepancy between what is said and what is really meant; sarcasm.
Ex: A large man who's nickname is "tiny.
Loss of Innocence
A story in which an innocent child or young adult lives a blissful and happy life untouched by evil or hardship. This innocence is shattered, however by the character observes or experiences about the world, which changes him or her.
Ex: A Day No Pigs Wou
Methapor
A comparison of two things that are basically dissimilar in which one is described in terms of the other.
Ex: The moon, a haunting lantern, shone through the clouds.
Monologue
An extended speech by one character, either when alone or to others.
Ex: The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock; Mark Antony's speech at Caesar's funeral.
Mood
The emotional aspect of the work, which contributes to the feelings that reader gets from the book.
Ex: Gothic novels like Frankenstein have a gloomy, dark quality to them, which the author reflects through the depiction of nature,character, and plot.
Narrator
The one who tells the story. The narrator must not be confused with "author" the one who writes the story. If the narrator is a character in the book the proper term is "first-person narration."
Ex: Moby Dick is narrated by Ishmael a crewmember. If the na
Neutral words
Words that arose little or no emotional reaction.
Ex: Calling someone "thin" or "slender" is not likely to arouse emotions, but using the word "skinny" carries negative connotations.
Plot
The pattern of events in a literacy work;what happens.
Point of view
The position or vantage point, determined by the author,from which the story seems to come to the reader. The two most common points of view are first person and third person.
Ex: First person point of view occurs in The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn; the
Protagonist
The central or main character in a story around whom the plot centers.
Ex: Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter; David Copperfield in David Copperfield.
Rising Action
The part of the story's plot that adds complications to the problem and increases the reader's interest.
Satire
Using humor to expose something or someone to ridicule.
Ex: Animal Farm; Gulliver's Travels.
Sensory Images
The use of details from any, some, or all of the five senses.
Ex: He reached behind him, felt the wall, and was more secure.
Setting
When and where the short story, play, or novel takes place.
Ex: Macbeth takes place in the 11th century in Scotland. The Old Man and The Sea has its main setting on the ocean outside Havana,Cuba, in an unspecified time in the middle- to-late 20th-century.
Stereotyping
The act of putting people into groups based on race,religion, nationality, physical appearance, social class, or some other easily identifiable characteristic.
Ex: In The Last of the Mohicans,Manga and Uncas are the stereotypical ideals of evil and good I
Stream of Consciousness
The continuous flow of sense , thoughts,feelings, and memories in the human mind;a literacy method of representing such a blending of mental processes in fictional character characters.
Ex: James Joyce's Ulysses
Style
The way an author chooses and uses words,phrases, and sentences to tell the story. For example, in an action/adventure story, the author may use simple words and short, choppy sentences, because this style moves the story along quickly. In a story about a
Symbol
An object,person, or place that has a meaning in itself and that also stands for something larger than itself, usually an idea or concept; some concrete things which represents an abstraction.
Ex: The sea can be symbolic for " the unknown." Since the sea
Theme
The central or dominant idea behind the story;the most important aspect emerges from how the book treats its subject. Sometimes theme is easy to see, but, at other times, it may be more difficult. Theme is usually expressed indirectly, as an element the r
Verisimilitude
The use of realistic elements to make literature appear truthful or accurate.
Ex: The creature in Frankenstein meets and converses with a blind man.
Verse
Another word for "poetry." In Shakespeare, the educated characters and the nobility usually speak in verse to indicate their high station in life.
Vignette
A short literacy work composed of one incident.
Willing Suspension of Disbelief
A term coined by Coleridge;the deliberate putting aside of the audience's or reader's critical beliefs in order to accept the unreal world the author creates. Even in the most realistic novels, this technique must be used.
Ex: Modern readers must accept H