ELA literary terms

Question 1

Allegory

Answer 1

a method of representation in which a person, abstract idea, or event stands for itself and for something else.

ex: Animal Farm, by George Orwell. On its surface, Animal Farm is a story about farm animals that rebel against their farmer. The underlying story, however, concerns Orwell’s disillusionment with the Bolshevik Revolution and is an indictment of the Russian government.

Question 2

Alliteration

Answer 2

the repetition of initial consonant sounds.

ex: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

Question 3

Allusion

Answer 3

in a work of literature, is a brief reference, explicit or indirect, to a person, place, event, or to another literary work or passage. The writer expects the reader to recognize the reference. Generally, there are four types of allusion; historical (he met his Waterloo), mythological (to have an Achilles’ heel), literary (Steinbeck’s title Of Mice and Men),
and Biblical (a ‘Daniel came to judgment’).

ex: Chocolate is his Kryptonite. In this example, the word “kryptonite” alludes to, or hints at, the hero Superman.

Question 4

Analogy

Answer 4

An analogy is saying something is like something else to make some sort of explanatory point

ex: “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.”

Question 5

Anecdote

Answer 5

in writing, an anecdote is a short narrative episode, usually included to introduce a subject or to make a point.

Question 6

Antihero

Answer 6

a character that lacks the qualities needed for heroism. He/she is not noble in life or mind and does not have an attitude marked by high purpose or lofty aims.

Question 7

Antagonist

Answer 7

the antagonist is the major character or force that opposes the protagonist

Question 8

Anticlimax

Answer 8

this is an event or conclusion that is an abrupt shift from the important to the comical or trivial.

Question 9

Antithesis

Answer 9

a figure of speech in which contrary ideas are expressed in a balanced phrase: “Man proposes, God disposes”.

Question 10

Apostrophe

Answer 10

a figure of speech in which a person not present or a personified non-human object is addressed (spoken to). An apostrophe contains an Old English “thou”, “thy”, or “thee” and has within it an exclamation mark. For example, Shakespeare’s Hamlet has the following apostrophe: “Frailty, thy name is woman!”

Question 11

Aside

Answer 11

a stage convention used to indicate words spoken by a character but heard only by the audience and not by other characters on stage.

Question 12

Assonance

Answer 12

the repetition of internal vowel sounds in words.

“His tender heir might bear his memory” (William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 1”). The “eh” sound in “tender,” “heir,” “bear,” and “memory” is an assonant sound.

Question 13

Atmosphere

Answer 13

the pervading tone or mood of a place, situation, or work of art.

“the hotel is famous for its friendly, welcoming atmosphere”

Question 14

Audience

Answer 14

in writing, the particular individual or group that a work seems to address or appeal to.

Question 15

Ballad

Answer 15

A slow sentimental or romantic song.

Question 16

Blank Verse

Answer 16

verse without rhyme, especially that which uses iambic pentameter.

Question 17

Cacophony

Answer 17

a discordant mixture of harsh, unpleasant sounds.

Question 18

Character

Answer 18

this is a term used to describe the fictional persons who carry out the action a story. It also refers to the
personality and moral attitudes of a fictional person. Characters may be classified as any of the following:

a) Dynamic/Developing Character: this character, often the protagonist, undergoes a significant, lasting
change, usually in his or her outlook on life.

b) Static Character: this is a character that does not change in the course of a story. Often protagonists
who are static characters fail to achieve their goals or are defeated by their unwillingness to change or adapt.

c) Round Character: a round character is a realistic character having several sides to his/her nature

d) Flat Character: this is a limited character; usually a minor character who has only one apparent quality.

e) Stock Character: the stereotyped figure who has occurred so often in fiction that his/her nature is immediately known.
EG the strong, silent sheriff, the brilliant detective, the mad scientist

f) Character Foil: a character foil is a character whose behaviour, attitudes and opinions are in contrast to those of the protagonist. He/she helps the reader to understand better the character of the protagonist.

Question 19

Characterization

Answer 19

this is a method of presenting the special qualities or features of a character in a literary work.

a) direct characterization: this is character revelation through the author’s or narrator’s comments

b) indirect characterization: this is character revelation through what the character says, does, thinks, and
how he reacts. The reader is left to infer from these details what the character is like.

Question 20

Character Sketch

Answer 20

a description of a character’s moral and personality qualities, written in paragraph form and with specific examples and quotations from the story. It does not normally describe the character’s physical appearance or dress.

Question 21

Chorus

Answer 21

a group of singers and dancers who participate in dramatic performances and comment on the deeds of characters and interpret the significance of events for the audience.

Question 22

Chronological

Answer 22

organized according to time; in order of occurrence.

Question 23

Cliché

Answer 23

a trite or overused expression or idea. i.e. cold as ice.

Question 24

Colloquial Language

Answer 24

suited to spoken language or to informal writing, unique expressions which cannot often be literally translated. i.e. He really ticks me off. This is accepted in informal conversation
but not in formal writing. Falls between proper English and slang.

Question 25

Contrast or Juxtaposition

Answer 25

refers to the overlap or mixing of opposite or different situations, characters, settings, moods, or points of view in order to clarify meaning, purpose, or character, or to heighten certain moods, especially humour, horror, and suspense.

Question 26

Couplet

Answer 26

two lines, one following the other, which rhyme.

Question 27

Diction

Answer 27

a style of speaking or writing resulting from a deliberate choice and arrangement of words in a story. Each writer uses diction appropriate to his or her purpose, subject, story type, characters, and style.

Question 28

Dissonance

Answer 28

a harsh, disagreeable combination of sounds.

Question 29

Double Rhyme

Answer 29

a rhyme of two syllables; the second is unstressed, such as in ‘motion notion’. An example of double rhyme appears in these lines by Ogden Nash: “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”

Question 30

Dramatic Monologue

Answer 30

a poetic form in which a single character, specking to a silent listener at a critical moment, reveals both a dramatic situation and his/her own character.

Question 31

Elegy

Answer 31

a mournful, melancholy poem, especially a song of lament for the dead.

Question 32

End Rhyme

Answer 32

rhyme which comes at the ends of lines.

Question 33

Endings

Answer 33

he resolutions of stories may be classified as follows: A) Happy Ending – The protagonist is successful in achieving his/her goals. B) Sad Ending – the protagonist is unsuccessful in achieving his/her goals and might be destroyed emotionally, financially or physically. C) Indeterminate Ending – A story ending in which there is no clear outcome or result. D) Surprise Ending – This is the sudden twist in the direction of a story, producing a conclusion which surprises the reader and often the story’s characters as well. This ending is foreshadowed by unanticipated. E) Full Circle – this is the type of story which begins and ends in the same situation or place.

Question 34

Epic

Answer 34

a lengthy, narrative poem in which action, characters and language are on a heroic level and style is exalted and even majestic.

Question 35

Epigram

Answer 35

a witty, ingenious and pointed saying that is expressed tersely.

Question 36

Epitaph

Answer 36

a brief poem or other form or writing praising a deceased person; a commemorative inscription on a tomb or monument.

Question 37

Eulogy

Answer 37

a speech in praise of someone who died.

Question 38

Euphemism

Answer 38

the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague term for a harsh or offensive reality. EG Using “He passed away” instead of “he died”.

Question 39

Extended Metaphor

Answer 39

this is an implied comparison between two things which are essentially no alike. These points of comparison are continued throughout the selection so that the comparison becomes an analogy. (see also analogy.)

Question 40

Fable

Answer 40

a short narrative making a point and often employing animal characters that act like human beings.

Question 41

Fantasy

Answer 41

a highly exaggerated or improbable story. As a rule, events, characters and settings in a fantasy would not be possible or found in real life.

Question 42

Figurative Language

Answer 42

language used in such a way as to force words out of their literal meanings and, by emphasizing their connotations, to bring new insight and feeling to the subject desired. (i.e. figures of speech, such as simile, metaphor and personification).

Question 43

Foot

Answer 43

a group of syllables constituting a metrical unit of verse, a set pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds.

Question 44

Foreshadowing

Answer 44

gives a hint of what is to happen later in the story. It prepares the reader for the climax, the resolution and for changes, or lack of changes, in character’s attitudes.

Question 45

Free Verse

Answer 45

verse that lacks regular meter and line length but relies upon natural rhythms. Free verse is “free” from fixed metrical patterns, but does reveal the cadences that result from alternation of stressed and unstressed syllables.

Question 46

Hero or Heroine

Answer 46

the principal male or female character in a story who possesses heroic qualities or virtues. The terms “hero” and “heroine” are not interchangeable with the more general term “protagonist”.

Question 47

Hyperbole

Answer 47

this is exaggeration in the service of truth. This is also called an overstatement. If you say, “I’m starved” you do not literally expect to be believed; you are merely adding emphasis to what you really mean.

Question 48

Imagery

Answer 48

language which appeals to the senses and creates a mental image. It is something seen in the “mind’s eye”. Visual imagery is the most common, but an image may also represent a sound, a smell, a taste or a tactile experience, such as cold, hunger, etc.

Question 49

Images

Answer 49

images are concrete details and figures of speech that help the reader to form vivid sense impressions of what is being described.

Question 50

Internal Rhyme

Answer 50

rhyme which comes within lines.

Question 51

Irony

Answer 51

a literary device which reveals concealed or contradictory meaning. There are three forms: A) Dramatic Irony – this irony occurs when the author shares with the reader information not know by a character. As a result, the reader becomes aware that a character’s actions may be inappropriate for the actual circumstances, that what is to come is the reverse of what a character expect, or that a character has unknowingly made a comment which anticipates the outcome. B) Irony of Situation or Situational Irony – this occurs when a set of circumstances turn out differently from what was expected or considered appropriate. C) Verbal Irony – this occurs when a contrast is evident between what a character says and what that character actually means. Usually the opposite is stated for emphasis. See also sarcasm, which is not quite the same.

Question 52

Juxtaposition

Answer 52

the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

Question 53

Literal Language

Answer 53

what is said is based exactly in reality without the comparisons used in figurative language.

Question 54

Memoir

Answer 54

an account of an author’s personal experiences, an autobiography.

Question 55

lyric

Answer 55

any short poem intended mainly to express a state of mind or feeling.

Question 56

Metaphor

Answer 56

a comparison between two things which are essentially dissimilar. The comparison is implied rather than directly stated.

Question 57

Meter

Answer 57

any regular pattern of rhythm. Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter.

Question 58

Metonymy

Answer 58

use of a closely related idea for the idea itself. “ The kettle is boiling” – really means the water in the kettle boils, not the kettle itself. “The pen is mightier that the sword” meaning words are more powerful than violence and also “the bottle” may refer to strong drink.

Question 59

Mood

Answer 59

the mood of a work of art/literature is the emotional features of it, or the way it makes you feel

Question 60

Moral

Answer 60

the implied or stated lesson of a story is called the moral. Viewed in isolation, a moral is a relatively unimportant part of a story and should not be confused with a more significant fictional element, the theme.

Question 61

Narrative

Answer 61

this is another word for story. Narratives have the following elements: plot, conflict, characters, setting, point of view and theme. Narratives may be fictional or non-fictional, and include novels and (auto) biographies as well as short stories and anecdotes.

Question 62

Octave

Answer 62

an eight line stanza or the first eight lines in an Italian or Petrarchan sonnet.

Question 63

Ode

Answer 63

a form of lyric poem with a dignified theme that is phrased in a formal, elevated style and is usually a statement of praise for someone.

Question 64

Onomatopoeia

Answer 64

the use of words which sound like what they mean. Sizzle sounds like bacon in a frying pan.

Question 65

Oxymoron

Answer 65

two words placed close together that are contradictory yet have truth in them i.e. Jumbo Shrimp, pretty awful.

Question 66

Paradox

Answer 66

this is a statement in which there is an apparent contradiction which is actually true.

Question 67

Paraphrase

Answer 67

the rewording of a passage giving the meaning in another form.

Question 68

Parody

Answer 68

a literary work that imitates the characteristic style of an author or work for comic effect or ridicule; a humorous, satirical or off-beat imitation or a person, event or serious work of literature.

Question 69

Pathos

Answer 69

this is taken from the Greek root word for suffering or deep feeling. It occurs when the audience experiences the emotions of pity, tenderness or sorrow.

Question 70

Pentameter

Answer 70

a line of five metrical feet. Pentameter, from Greek words meaning ‘five’ and ‘measure’, is more widely used in poetry in English than any other length of line.

Question 71

Personification

Answer 71

giving the attributes of a human being to an animal, an object or an idea. It is really a subtype of metaphor, implying a comparison between two dissimilar things.

Question 72

Plot

Answer 72

The storyline or organization of incidents in a story is called the plot. It consists of episodes and conflict. Plots usually have rising and falling action. See below: A) Rising Action – consists of the events preceding the climax. During this stage of the story, background information is given, conflicts are introduced, and suspense is built up. There may even be moments of crisis. Because it accomplishes so much, the rising action is always longer than the falling actions of a story. B) Exposition and Antecedent Action or Introduction – the background information provided by the author to further the plot, conflict, setting and characterization is called exposition. Antecedent action is the significant action which has taken place before the story actually begins. C) Inciting Force or Initial Incident or Activating Circumstance – this is the incident that initiates or begins the main conflict of the story. D) Complication or Conflict – a conflict is a struggle between opposing characters or forces, usually between the protagonist and someone or something else. All conflicts are either external (physical) or internal (emotional, moral, psychological). There are three main conflicts discussed below: 1) Person versus Environment – this is a conflict between a character and his or her environment, whether this is nature, society or circumstances. 2) Person versus Person – this is a conflict between two characters. The struggle may be physical, emotional, moral or psychological 3) Person versus Self – the character experiences a conflict in emotion or thought. E) Crisis – the crisis is a moment of intense conflict leading up to the climax. F) Falling Action or Conclusion – the part of a story immediately following a climax and lasting until the end of the story is the falling action. G) Resolution – the solving of all of the conflicts in the story. H) Denouement – (day-NEW-mah) is a French term to describe the ‘unknotting’ of plot or conflict following a climax. The final episode or incident in which the unexplained facts are finally revealed. There is also an element of foreshadowing for the future, beyond the end of the story.

Question 73

Poetic License

Answer 73

liberty taken by a poet to produce a desired effect by deviating from conventional rules of syntax, spelling, capitalization, punctuation and so on.

Question 74

Point of View

Answer 74

as applied to fiction, this term describes the vantage points from which the author relates the story. There are four points of view: A) First Person – features the protagonist telling his or her own story directly to the reader using the first person (I, me my, we, us, our) pronouns. This point of view tells us what the main character thinks and feels from a vantage point ‘inside’ the story and the protagonist him or herself. B) Objective – the narrator is similar to a television camera in that he/she only reports what is seen and heard without entering the minds of characters or presenting the author’s ideas and observations. C) Omniscient – this narrator reveals the minds of several or all characters, knowing and telling all from an all-seeing, God-like perspective ‘outside’ the story. D) Limited Omniscient – this refers to the main character as ‘he’ or ‘she’ and shows us only what one character thinks and feels, but from the perspective of someone ‘outside’ the story.

Question 75

Prologue

Answer 75

this is an introductory speech preceding the action of a play or scene.

Question 76

Protagonist

Answer 76

The main character in a story. While some protagonists may be heroes or heroines, more typically they are like people we meet in real life: they have a mixture of characteristics, some of which may be weaknesses.

Question 77

Pun

Answer 77

this is a play on words in which a word or phrase can be taken to mean more than one thing.

Question 78

Quatrain

Answer 78

a stanza of four lines. The quatrain in the most common stanzaic form of poetry written in English. Shakespearean sonnets contain three quatrains and a couplet.

Question 79

Refrain

Answer 79

a line, or part of a line, or a group of lines which is repeated in the course of a poem, sometimes with slight changes, and usually at the end of each stanza.

Question 80

Repetition

Answer 80

the repeated use of key words, phrases, stanzas or sounds in a poem.

Question 81

Rhetoric

Answer 81

the art of expressing ideas effectively. Rhetoric embraces the rules of good writing and speaking, but goes beyond mere correctness by being concerned with such areas as word choice, arrangement of ideas, paragraphing and organization. It is more than expressing ideas clearly; it is the use of principles to express those ideas as effectively as possible. On another secondary level, rhetoric referees to writing which is intended to influence or persuade.

Question 82

Rhyme Scheme

Answer 82

any pattern of rhymes in poetry. Each new sound is assigned the next letter in the alphabet. The rhyme scheme for a Shakespearean sonnet is abab cdcd efef gg.

Question 83

Rhythm

Answer 83

a series of stressed or accented syllables in a group of words, arranged so that the reader expects a similar series to follow.

Question 84

Sarcasm

Answer 84

when the opposite of what is meant is stated in order to intentionally hurt someone’s’ feelings. See also Verbal Irony.

Question 85

Satire

Answer 85

the ridicule of an idea, person, or type sometimes in order to provoke change. Satire usually mocks human vices or foibles.

Question 86

Scene

Answer 86

A unit of dramatic action in which a single point is made.

Question 87

Sestet

Answer 87

the last six lines of an Italian sonnet; any stanza of six lines.

Question 88

Setting

Answer 88

setting is most often considered to mean the time and place in which a story is placed; however, equally important aspects are the social environment or values generally shared by the society, the minor characters who form a realistic backdrop with which the main characters must act and react. Finally, setting also includes atmosphere or mood which descriptive details create.

Question 89

Simile

Answer 89

a comparison between two things which are essentially dissimilar. The comparison is directly stated through words such as like, as, than, similar to or resembles.

Question 90

Slang

Answer 90

the kind of language especially occurring in casual and playful speech, often characterized by expressions which are short lived.

Question 91

Soliloquy

Answer 91

the utterance of a character who is talking to himself or herself and who is unaware of any hearers who may be present. It is used in drama to allow the audience insight into a character’s innermost feeling or to give the audience essential information.

Question 92

Sonnet

Answer 92

a fourteen-line poem following a strict rhyme scheme and meter. The Shakespearean sonnet was rhymed abab cdcd efef gg and used iambic pentameter. The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet was rhymed.

Question 93

Stanza

Answer 93

Essentially a unit of lines in a poem, identifiable by spacing.

Question 94

Subplot

Answer 94

a subplot is a minor storyline, secondary to the main plot. Subplots may be related or unrelated to the main plot.

Question 95

Symbol

Answer 95

a symbol has two levels of meaning, a literal level and a figurative level. Characters, objects, events and settings can all by symbolic in that they represent something else beyond themselves. The dove literally is a bird, but it has come to figuratively represent peace. (symbolism)

Question 96

Theme

Answer 96

the central idea of a story, usually implied rather than directly stated. It is the author’s idea about life and can be implied or directly stated through the voice of a character or through the narrator. It should not be confused with moral or plot. A theme is traditionally stated in a sentence without reference to specific characters or events.

Question 97

Thesis

Answer 97

the main idea, position or view of the essay writer; the hypothesis at the heart of a writers work. Sometimes, the thesis is stated explicitly, usually in the opening paragraph.

Question 98

Tone

Answer 98

tone is the author’s attitude toward his/her subject or readers. It is similar to tone of voice and should not be confused with mood or atmosphere. An author’s tone might be sarcastic, sincere, apologetic, humorous, bitter, analytic, reflective, nostalgic, resigned, didactic, etc.

Question 99

Tragedy

Answer 99

this is a drama that gives the audience an experience of catharsis or cleansing of emotions. The protagonist, a person of nobility, must make a moral decision that in turn influences the outcome of the drama. The protagonist usually has a serious fault, the tragic flaw that leads to his/her downfall and death. The terror and pity felt by the audience produce catharsis, a cleansing or purifying of emotion.

Question 100

Tragic Hero

Answer 100

a tragic hero is a person of high estate who has the potential for greatness. The person is pre-eminently virtuous and just, but his/her misfortune is brought about, in part, by an error in judgment or the Greek word hubris. The tragic hero often has a flaw in his/her character which contributes to his/her destruction. Pride to excess, the Greek work hubris, is often this flaw. The downfall of the tragic hero frequently involves the element of fate. Overall, the tragic hero has the potential for greatness; however, he does not achieve this greatness. Despite this shortcoming, the tragic hero meets his/her shortcomings with dignity. Once the tragic hero has committed himself to a course of action, there is no turning back. A chain of events occurs because of this commitment, leading to his/her final destruction. The audience feels for the tragic hero because his/her misfortune is greater than he deserves.

Question 101

Versification

Answer 101

metrical structure, the art and practice of composing verse in terms of related mechanical elements.Versification involves accent, foot, meter, rhyme, rhythm and stanza form.