Set 5 Flashcards
(31 cards)
Parallelism
When the writer establishes similar patterns of grammatical structure and length.
Parallel Plot
that the author has two plot lines going at the same time.
Example of Parrallelisim
Julius Caesar’s famous words, “I came, I saw, I conquered,” are an example
Parody
A parody imitates the serious manner and characteristic features of a particular literary work in order to make fun of those same features.
Example of Parody
Gulliver’s Travels; Virginia Woolf’s Orlando; This is Spinal Trap
Pathos
a writer or speaker’s attempt to inspire an emotional reaction in an audience–usually a deep feeling of suffering, but sometimes joy, pride, anger, humor, patriotism, or any of a dozen other emotions.
Periodic Sentence
A long sentence that is not grammatically complete (and hence not intelligible to the reader) until the reader reaches the final portion of the sentence
Example of Periodic Sentence
And pulseless and cold, with a Derringer by his side and a bullet in his heart, though still calm as in life, beneath the snow lay he who was at once the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts of Poker Flat. – Bret Harte
Persona
An external representation of oneself which might or might not accurately reflect one’s inner self, or an external representation of oneself that might be largely accurate, but involves exaggerating certain characteristics and minimizing others
Personification
A trope in which abstractions, animals, ideas, and inanimate objects are given human character, traits, abilities, or reactions
Example of Personification
The blue screen of death stared back at Shmoop with a mocking gaze.
Knock on wood that never happens.
Plot
The structure and relationship of actions and events in a work of fiction.
Point of View
The way a story gets told and who tells it. It is the method of narration that determines the position, or angle of vision, from which the story unfolds. Point of view governs the reader’s access to the story.
Polemic
an aggressive attack on or refutation of a specific opinion or doctrine
Polysyndenton
Using many conjunctions to achieve an overwhelming effect in a sentence.
Premise
A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion
Propagandistic
A work that can perceive that the characters or the author advances particular doctrines or principles.
Protagonist
The main character in a work, on whom the author focuses most of the narrative attention
Pun
A play on two words similar in sound but different in meaning.
Pun example
Shakespeare, in Romeo and Juliet, puns upon Romeo’s vile death (vile=vial, the vial of poison Romeo consumed).
Purpose
The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists
Refute
(a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove
Rhetoric
The art of persuasive argument through writing or speech–the art of eloquence and charismatic language.
Rhetoric Example
all sound and fury signifying nothing.
