allegory
a story with underlying symbols that really represent something else
alliteration
the use of a repeated consonant sound, usually at the beginning of a series of words
alusion
a reference to something or someone, usually literary
anachronism
the placement of a person or object in an inappropriate historical situation
analogy
a comparison of something to something else
anecdote
a short narrative, story, or tale
antagonist
the major character opposing the protagonist
anthropomorphism
the assignment of human attributes, such as emotions or physical characteristics, to nonhuman things
aside
a device through which the character addresses the audience directly
blank verse
an unrhymed poem with a regular meter
character
a person in a drama or novel
comedy
a play that is primariy for amusement or meant to provide laughter
diction
the author’s choice of words
elegy
a mournful and melancholy poem or song, usually to pay tribute to a deceased person
fable
a story that has a moral, usually involving animals as the main characters
farce
a satire that’s bordering on the silly or ridiculous
figurative language
language characterized by figures of speech, such as metaphors and similes, as well as elaborate expression through imagery
form
the rhyme scheme of a poem
free verse
a poem without regualr meter or line length
genre
a type, or category, of fiction or nonfiction
hyperbole
a deliberate exaggeration
indirect dialogue
language which communicates what was expressed in the dialogue, without using a direct quotation
irony
an expression of meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning
metaphor
a comparison that does not use the words “like” or “as”
meter
the rhythm of a poem
monologue
a long passage during which only one person talks
narrative
a literary representation of an event or story – the text itself
onomatopoeia
a word intended to simulate the actual sound of the thing or action it describes
oxymoron
a phrase in which the words are contradictory
paean
an expression of joyful praise
parable
a story that has a moral
paradox
a phrase that appears to be conmtradictory but which actually contains some basic truth that resolved the apparent contradiction
parrallelism
the repetition of sounds, meanings, or structures to create a certain style
parody
a literary work in which the style of an author is imitated for comic effect or ridicule
pastoral
a work that deals with the lives of people, especially shpeheards, in teh country or in nature (as opposed to people in the city)
pathos
something that evokes a feeling of pity or sympathy
personification
the assignment of human attributes to something nonhuman
perspective
the place from which the narrator or character sees things
plot
the events that happen in the story
point of view
the perspective from which a story is presented to a reader
protagonist
the main character, usually the hero
rhythm
the beat or meter of a poem
satire
the ridicule of a subject
simile
a comparison of two things using the words “like or “as”
soliloquy
a speech addressed to the audience where one character expounds upon his predicament
stage directions
authorial instructions inserted in parentheses to tell the actor or director how to act, move, or speak
stanza
a section of lines in a poem
style
the author’s unique manner of expressino; the author’s vice
surrealism/theather of the absurd
a style of play that doesn
tense
time perspective from which a piece is written (past, present, or future)
theme
the main idea of a piece of literature
tone
the style or manner of expression
tragedy
a play that is sad or addresses sorrowful or difficult themes
voice
the perspective from which a piece is written, most often first-person or third-person
