GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS

LITERARY TERMS

acts-the parts or units in a play
almanac-a book that calculates the tide, forecasts the weather, tells phases of the moon. It also provedes advice, astrology, recipes and jokes.
alliteration-the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together.
allusion- a reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science or some other branch of culture.
analogy-is a rhetorical technique that links idea with another
anti-hero-a type of protagonist found in modern literature; is generally, disillusioned, passive and defeated by life
aphorism-a brief clever, witty statement that makes a wise observation about life.
autobiography-an account of the writer's own life
bildungsroman-a protagonist who matures socially, physiologically, and emotionally over the course of a book.
colloquial language-an informal writing style that depicts the way characters speak.
connotation-something suggested or implied by a word or thing, rather than being explicitly named or described:

“Religion” has always had a negative connotation for me.
denotation-the explicit or direct meaning or set of meanings of a word orexpression
dialect-a language or manner of speaking particular to an individual, class or region
dialogue- conversations and speeches of the characters
drama-or play, is a story written to be performed by actors using dialogue
end rhyme-refers to rhyming words at the end of lines of poetry
figures of speech- words or phrases that compare two things that are very dissimilar. The most common ones are simile, metaphor and personification.
folklore-the storiesof a particular group of people
frame story-a story within a story
internal rhyme-is when words within the same line of poetry have repeated sounds.
imagery-is the use of language to evoke a picture of a person, thing, place or an experience. It appeals to one or more of the five senses.
irony-A contrast between what is stated and what is meant, or what is expected to happen and wat actually happens. There are three types: dramatic-is a contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows. Verbal irony -is a word or phrase that is used to suggest the opposite of its usual meaning. In situational irony, an event occurs that contradicts the expectations of the character, the reader or the audience.
metaphor- A figure of speech that compares two unlike things without using words such as "like" or "as".
motif-a recurring image, subject, symbol, theme, idea that becomes a unifying element especialy in a literary, artistic or musical work.
onomatopoeia-the use of words whose sounds immitates or suggests its meaning.
paradox-a statement that appears self-contradictory, but that reveals a kind of truth.
parallelism-or parallel structure is the repetition of grammatically similar words, phrases, clauses or sentences to emphasize a point or stir the emotions of a reader or listener.
personification- A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human characteristics, feelings, thoughts or attitudes.
plain style-is a way of writing that stresses simplicity and clarity of expression. Puritans wrote in a plain style.
plot-is the ordered sequence of events in a play
rhetorical question-questions to which the answer is obvious or implied by the author
rhyme-see internal rhyme and end rhyme
scene-small parts of acts in a play
setting-the time and location where a story takes place
shadow-negative experiences in a human's life
simile- A figure of speech which compares two unlike things using words such as "like" or "as".
stage directions-are notes (usually written in italics) that describe sets, costumes, lighting, sound, props and the way the characters feel and behave.
sunshine-positive feelings and experiences
symbol-a person, place, thing or event that has meaning in itself and also represents for something more than itself
tableau-a scene or picture stopped; relating a moment frozen in time
Thanatopsis-a romantic poem by William Cullen Bryant. The term refers to a way of looking at and thinking about death.
theme-an insight about human life that is revealed in a literary work. Themes are rarely stated directly in a text; instead a work is analyzed. Themes are not single words, but stated in a complete sentence.
tone- the frame of mind and attitude the author conveys in a literary work; tone can express anger, fear, sarcasm, pleasure, excitement, or any other human emotion or characteristic.