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English Terms > Terms Test( Section 1 out of five) Literary Terms > Flashcards

Terms Test( Section 1 out of five) Literary Terms Flashcards

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1
Q

Allegory

A

a highly symbolic work that uses devices,such as extended metaphors to teach a moral,political,or spiritual messages. In allegorical novels,characters and events may be used to symbolize “bigger” concepts
Ex. Animal Farm by George Orwell

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2
Q

Alliteration

A

A poetic device using the repetition of an initial consonant sound in a line of verse,to create a specific effect. Ex, She sells sea shells…

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3
Q

Allusion

A

a reference in one literary work to another literary work to another literary work, mythology, history,scriptures, or popular culture. Allusions help to clarify concepts by referring to something with which the reader or viewer is familiar.

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4
Q

Analogy

A

Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar; a comparison based on such a similarity. Analogies often move from the familiar to the unfamiliar to make a point.

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5
Q

Anecdote

A

a usually short narrative of an amusing,interesting, or biographical incident.

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6
Q

Antagonist

A

a character, group of characters,or force that oppose the main character (protagonist) and create the conflict in a work.

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7
Q

Apostrophe

A

a figure of speech in which someone is absent, inanimate or dead is addressed as if they were alive,present, and able to respond.
Ex. Hello Darkness, my old friend..

Death, be not proud…

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8
Q

assonance

A

repetition of vowel sounds in a line of verse,to create internal rhyme

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9
Q

atmosphere

A

the over-all feeling or emotion that emanates from or surrounds a work; often created by the setting.

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10
Q

cacophony

A

unpleasant,harsh sounds in a line of verse or in a piece of prose.

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11
Q

character

A

a person or a force presented as a person in a literary work

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12
Q

characterization

A

Characterization is the methods a writer uses to reveal the personality of a character in a literary work: Methods may include

(1) what the character says about himself or herself
(2) By what others,including the narrator, reveal about the character
(3) by the character’s own actions

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13
Q

climax

A

the decisive moment in a drama of fiction, the climax is the turning point of the play to which the rising action leads. This is the crucial part of the drama, the part that determines the outcome of the conflict.

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14
Q

complication

A

is a dilemma, difficulty, or obstacle in the plot that creates a problem in the resolution of the conflict.

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15
Q

conflict

A

the struggle between opposing or antagonistic forces in a literary work. Conflict is essential in fiction.

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16
Q

connotation

A

a meaning that comes to be associated with a word over time; not the literal “dictionary” meaning of a word

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17
Q

consonance

A

the repetition of consonant sounds within or at the ends of words in a line of verse

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18
Q

denotation

A

the standard accepted dictionary definition of a word

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19
Q

diction

A

word choice; deliberate use of specific words,phrases, sentence structures, and figurative language, which combine to help create meaning.

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20
Q

Dominant impression

A

the feature or image that creates the most pronounced or striking impression in the reader or viewer.

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21
Q

epiphany

A

a sudden deep realization or “awakening” within a character,usually occurring in an ordinary situation

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22
Q

eulogy

A

a respectful and commemorative speech delivered in praise of the decreased at a funeral

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23
Q

euphony

A

Harmonious, pleasant sounding words

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24
Q

extended metaphor

A

a well developed metaphor that is expanded upon over several sentences or phrases or even throughout the entire library piece; for impact

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25
fable
a short allegorical narrative making a moral point,traditionally be means of animal characters who speak and act like human beings
26
figurative language
a type of language that varies from the norms of literal language,in which words mean exactly what they say. Also known as the "ornaments of language" figurative language does not mean exactly what it says,but instead forces the reader to make an imaginative leap in order to comprehend an authors point. It usually involves a comparison between two things that may not, at first, seem to relate to on another.
27
flash fiction
fictional literature that is extremely brief ,often less than 1,000 words.
28
flashback
is action that interrupts the plot to show an event that happened at an earlier time, which is necessary to better understanding
29
foil
a character who contrasts with another character( usually the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities of the other character
30
foreshadowing
hints or clues of things that will occur later in a story
31
genre
a type or form of literature,such as a short story,novel,adventure story,or science fiction
32
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration to make a point
33
imagery
language that appeals to the five senses Auditory, visual, Gustatory( taste), Olfactory ( smell), tactile ( touch) - imagery is "pictures" that are created in the mind of the reader by appealing to the senses
34
Dramatic irony
a situation ,usually in a play, where the audience has important information that characters in the play do not have.
35
situational Irony
This occurs when the outcome of events in a situation is the opposite of what might be expected
36
Verbal Irony
This occurs when the speaker actually means the opposite of what he/she says. For example, if everything is going wrong and a person says "well ,isn't this just a perfect day!", that person actually means that the day is going badly. The most common form/type of verbal irony is sarcasm
37
juxtaposition
holding up two or more ideas or concepts side-by side for the purpose of comparision
38
literal meaning
when a speaker or writer says exactly what he/she means. The listener or reader does not have to interpret the message
39
lyrics
the words to a song. This is not to be confused with lyric (singular) which is a type of poetry that is mainly concerned with the expression of feelings
40
memoir
a work written about events from the actual life of a real person. That person is telling about something significant that she of she has experienced. Night by Elie Wiesel is an example of a memoir
41
metaphor
a direct comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things. A metaphor states that one thing IS another, as in "She is an angel"
42
monolouges
a longer speech delivered by a character in a play. Monologues can be comic, tragic, or tragi-comic. They reveal something important about the character or about an incident the character has experienced.
43
mood
the emotional response that is evoked within the reader. Mood may be sad, happy,angry tense,respectful,and so forth.
44
motif
a recurring( repeated) idea,image, or symbol in a work
45
myth
an anonymous tale emerging form the traditional beliefs of a culture of social unit. Myths use supernatural explanations for natural phenomena. They may also explain comic issues like creation and death. Collection of myths ,known as mythologies,belong to the Norse, Roman and Greek mythologies
46
onomatopoeia
is a literary device wherein the sound of a word echoes the word it represents
47
oxymoron
is a combination of contradictory terms
48
parable
is a brief story ,told or written in order to teach a moral lesson
49
paradox
a situation that is an apparent contradiction
50
parody
a literary piece that imitates or mocks a genre,style,or writer
51
personification
a figure of speech in which something non-human is given human characteristics
52
Poetic Form- Ballad
a poem originally meant to be sung,has a strong rhyme scheme and strong rhythm. Usually has a refrain. Tells a story.
53
Poetic Form: Elegy
a poem of lamentation( grieving) for the dead.
54
Poetic Form : Epic
a poem about great and heroic deeds; usually quite lengthy
55
Poetic Form : Free Verse
Poetry that follows the natural rhythms of speech;does not adhere to a strict rhyme or rhythmn
56
Poetic Form: Lyric
Poetry that is mainly concerned with the expression of feelings or emotions
57
Poetic Form: Narrative
Poetry that is mainly concerned with telling a story
58
Poetic Form: Ode
A poem of praise
59
Poetic Form: Sonnet
A 14 lined poem with a strict rhyme and rhythm; has a very strict form in terms of rhyme scheme; usually about love. Different forms of the sonnet include the Elizabethan, Spenserian, and Italian sonnet
60
Point of view: First Person
first person : A perspective from which a story is told,where the speaker is telling about his or her experiences. "I.."
61
Point of view: Second person
The narrator tells the story to another character using the pronoun "you"..
62
Point of view: Third person limited
the narrator reveals the thoughts and feelings of a character that is not the narrator; uses the pronouns "he" or "she"
63
Point of view: Third person omniscient
The narrator reveals the thoughts and feelings of many characters; "all knowing"
64
protagonist
the central character in a literary work
65
proverb
a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated,which expresses a truth,based on common sense of the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical
66
pun
a play on words wherein a word is used to convey two meanings at the same time. Ex.
67
purpose
what the writer wants to accomplish with a particular piece of writing
68
refrain
a phrase repeated at intervals throughout a poem
69
sarcasm
a form of verbal irony( or as Mrs Simms has another term for verbal irony)
70
satire
a literary work that pokes fun at a situation in order to bring about change
71
setting
the time,place,and circumstances in which a work takes place
72
simile
an indirect comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things; uses "like" or "as"
73
speaker
the person or personna who is telling the story; not to be confused with the writer of the work
74
stanza
is a major subdivision in a poem. A stanza of two lines is called a tercet; a stanza of four lines is called a quatrain.
75
stereotype
is an author's method of treating or portraying a character so that the character is immediately identified with a group.
76
suspense
the manner in which a writer captures and holds the attention of the reader by creating a situation where the outcome of events is unclear but at the same time compelling,so that the reader really wants to know what the outcome will be
77
symbolism
device in literature where an object or character represents an idea
78
Thematic statement
a sentence that captures the main idea of an essay
79
thematic topic
a general topic for discussion in an essay
80
title-significance
the importance of the title in terms of how it is connected to theme,symbolism or character development within a work
81
tone
the author's attitude towards his or her subject matter. Tone can be serious, angry disappointed and so forth

English Terms (4 decks)

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