LITERARY TERMS AP ENGLISH

Drama
Note: 1. Terms denoted with an asterisk (*) indicate terms that are applicable to both plays
and fiction. 2. An asterisk (*) next to a term in a definition indicates that the term is
defined elsewhere.
Act a major division in the action of the play, comprising one or more *scenes. A break
between acts often coincides with a point at which the plot jumps ahead in time.
*Antagonist the most prominent of the characters who oppose the *protagonist or
hero(ine) in a dramatic or narrative work. The antagonist is often a villain seeking to
frustrate a heroine or hero; but in those works in which the protagonist is represented
as evil, the antagonist will often be a virtuous or sympathetic character, as Macduff is
in Macbeth.
Aside a short speech or remark spoken by a character in a drama, directed either to the
audience or to another character, which by *convention is supposed to be inaudible to
the other characters on stage. See also soliloquy.
*Catastrophe the final resolution or *denouement of the plot in a *tragedy, usually
involving the death of the *protagonist.
*Catharsis the effect of purgation or purification achieved by tragic drama, according to
Aristotles argument in his Poetics (4th century BC). Aristotle wrote that a *tragedy
should succeed in arousing pity and fear in such a way as to accomplish a catharsis
of such emotions. There has been much dispute about his meaning, but Aristotle
seems to be rejecting Platos hostile view of poetry as an unhealthy emotional
stimulant. His metaphor of emotional cleansing has been read as a solution to the
puzzle of audiences pleasure or relief in witnessing the disturbing events enacted in
tragedies. Another interpretation is that it is the *protagonists guilt that is purged,
rather than the audiences feeling of terror. Adjective: cathartic.
*Character (1) any of the persons involved in a story (sense 1). (2) The distinguishing
moral qualities and personal traits of a character (sense 2).
Flat character a character (1) whose character (2) is summed up in one or two
traits.
Round character a character (1) whose character (2) is complex and many-sided.
Stock character A stereotyped character: one whose nature is familiar to us from
prototypes in previous fiction.
Dynamic character a character that is changed by the actions in which he or she is
involved.
Static character a character that remains unchanged or little changed throughout
the course of the story.
*Climax the turning point or high point in a plots action.
*Comic Relief the interruption of a serious work, especially a *tragedy, by a short
humorous episode that relieves emotional tension.
*Conflict A clash of actions, desires, ideas, or goals in the plot of a story. Conflict may
exist between the main character and some other person or persons (man vs. man),
between the main character and some external force physical nature, society, or
fate (man vs. nature), or between the main character and some destructive element
in his own nature (man vs. himself).
*Crisis a decisive point in the plot of a play or story, upon which the outcome of the
remaining action depends, and which ultimately precipitates the *catastrophe or
denouement.
*Denouement the portion of a plot that reveals the final outcome of its conflicts or the
solution of its mysteries.
*Deus ex machina (god from the machine). The resolution of a plot by use of a highly
improbable chance, coincidence or artificial device that solves some difficult problem
or crisis.
*Epilogue a concluding section of any written work during which the characters
subsequent fates are briefly outlined.
*Exposition the setting forth of a systematic explanation of or argument about any subject;
or the opening part of a play or story, in which we are introduced to the characters and
their situation, often by reference to preceding events. Adjective: expository. Verb:
expound.
*Falling Action The segment of the plot that comes between the climax and the
conclusion.
*Foil a character whose qualities or actions serve to emphasize those of the *protagonist
(or of some other character) by providing a strong contrast with them.

*Hamartia the Greek word for error or failure, used by Aristotle in his Poetics (4th century
BC) to designate the false step that leads the *protagonist in a *tragedy to his or her
downfall. The term should not be confused with tragic flaw which is a defect in
character. Hamartia is the action that the character takes.
*Hero or Heroine the main character in a narrative or dramatic work. The term
protagonist is preferable since the leading character may not be morally or otherwise
superior. When our expectations of heroic qualities are strikingly disappointed, the
central character may be known as an anti-hero or anti-heroine.
*Hubris the Greek word for insolence or affront, applied to the arrogance or pride of the
*protagonist in a *tragedy in which he or she defies moral laws or the prohibitions of
the gods. The protagonists transgression or *hamartia leads eventually to his or her
downfall, which may be understood as divine retribution. In proverbial terms, hubris is
thus the pride that comes before a fall. Adjective: hubristic.
In medias res. in the middle of things; the technique of beginning a story in the middle of
the action.
Monologue an extended speech uttered by one speaker, either to others or as if alone.
See also soliloquy.
*Narrator the teller of a story. See also point of view.
Reliable narrator trustworthy
Unreliable narrator - untrustworthy
Nave narrator - is uncomprehending (child, simple-minded adult) who narrates the
story without realizing its true implications.
Intrusive narrator keeps interrupting the narrative to address the reader
*Plot The careful arrangement by an author of incidents in a narrative to achieve a desired
effect.
*Prologue an introductory section of a literary work or an introductory speech in a play.
*Protagonist The central character in a story.
*Rising Action The part of a plot that leads through a series of events of increasing
interest and power to the climax or turning point. The rising action begins with an
inciting moment, an action or event that sets a conflict of opposing forces into motion,
and moves through complication(s), an entangling of the affairs of the characters in a
conflict, toward the climax, the major crisis that brings about a change in the fortunes
of the protagonist.
Scene a subdivision of an act or of a play not divided into acts. A scene normally
represents actions happening in one place at one time, and is marked off from the
next scene by a curtain, a black-out, or a brief emptying of the stage.
*Setting the general locale, time in history, or social milieu in which the action of a literary
work takes place.
Soliloquy a dramatic speech uttered by one character speaking aloud while alone on
stage, or while under the impression of being alone. The soliloquist thus reveals his
or her inner thoughts and feelings to the audience, either in supposed self-communion
or in a consciously direct address.
Stage directions the information provided in addition to the dialogue to help a reader
visualize the setting, characters, and action. Usually in italics, are intended for the
director, actors, etc.
*Tragedy a type of drama in which the protagonist, a person of unusual moral or
intellectual stature or outstanding abilities, suffers a fall in fortune due to some error of
judgment or flaw in his or her nature.
*Tragic Flaw the defect of character that brings about the protagonists downfall in a
*tragedy.
Turning Point the point in the plot where the protagonists situation changes for the better
or the worse; after this the action begins its movement toward a final resolution.
*Villain the principal evil character in a play or story. The villain is usually the antagonist
opposed to the protagonist, but in some cases may be the protagonist himself/herself.

Juxtaposition the side by side comparison of two or more objects or ideals for the
purpose of highlighting similarities or differences.
Elements of Style (A writers way of saying things, or a philosophy that influences the
authors viewpoint; his/her unique way of saying things.)

Local Color the use of the physical setting, dialect, customs and attitudes that typify a
particular region.

Aestheticism reverence for beauty; movement that held beautiful form is to be valued
more than instructive content.

Malapropism the comic substitution of one word for another similar in sound, but different
in meaning. Functions to make characters look ignorant or amusingly uneducated. I
would have her instructed in geometry that she might know of contagious countries.
The Rivals by Sheridan

Ambiguity A word, phrase or attitude that has double or even multiple meanings, resulting
in multiple interpretations.
Atmosphere the pervasive *mood or *tone of a literary work gloom, foreboding, joyful
expectation, etc.
Attitude the authors viewpoint regarding his subject matter. Attitude can usually be
detected in authors tone.
Baroque a grand and exuberantly ornamental style

Narrative Pace the speed at which an author tells a story; the movement from one point or
section to another.
Naturalism style of writing that rejects idealized portrayals of life and attempts complete
accuracy, disinterested objectivity, and frankness in depicting life as a brutal struggle
for survival.
Mood the prevailing emotional attitude in a literary work, for example, regret, hopefulness,
bitterness, etc.

Classicism an adherence to the principals of Greek and Roman literature.

Pantheism The identification of God with the universe.
Colloquialisms words or phrases that are used in everyday conversation or informal
writing which are usually considered inappropriate for a formal essay.
Connotation the range of further associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition
to its straightforward dictionary meaning.
Convention a device of style or subject matter so often used that it becomes a recognized
means of expression. For example, a conventional lover cannot eat or sleep. An
author who mocks the convention might create an overweight lover who sleeps a lot.
Denotation the precise, literal meaning of a word, without emotional associations or
overtones.
Determinism philosophy that suggests peoples actions and all other events are
determined by forces over which human beings have no control.
Dialect the version of a language spoken by people of a particular region or social group.

Primitivism the belief that nature provides a truer and more healthful model than culture;
the noble savage.
Pseudonym pen name, nom de plume, alias; a fictitious name assumed by a writer who
wished to remain anonymous or who chooses not to use her/his real name
professionally.
Realism an authors use of accuracy in the portrayal of life or reality.
Regionalism the tendency in literature to focus on a specific geographical region or
locality, re-creating as accurately as possible its unique setting, speech, customs,
manners, beliefs and history.
Romanticism literature depicting emotional matter in an imaginative form. Characteristics
include: individuality, subjectivity, spontaneity, freedom from rules, solitary life vs. life in
society, the belief that imagination is superior to reason, devotion to beauty, worship of
nature, fascination with the past, etc.

Dialogue The conversation of two or more people as represented in writing.

Sarcasm harsh, cutting, personal remarks to or about someone, not necessarily ironic.
Diatribe violently bitter verbal attack.
Diction the choice of words used in a literary work.
Digression A portion of a written work that interrupts or pauses the development of the
theme or plot.
Epigraph the use of a quotation at the beginning of a work that hints at its theme.
Existentialism a philosophical movement that focuses on the individual human beings
experience of, recognition of, and triumph over the meaninglessness of existence.
Expressionism presents life not as it appears on the surface, but as it is passionately felt
to be by an author or character.
Feminism the view that women are inherently equal to men and deserve equal rights and
opportunities.
Flashback a way of presenting scenes or incidents that took place before the opening
scene.
Hedonism the pursuit of pleasure above all else.

Satire any form of literature that blends ironic humor and wit with criticism directed at a
particular folly, vice or stupidity. Satire seeks to correct, improve, or reform through
ridicule.
Stream-of-consciousness a technique that allows the reader to see the continuous,
chaotic flow of half-formed and discontinuous thoughts, memories, sense impressions,
random associations, images, feelings and reflections that constitute a characters
consciousness.
Surrealism employs illogical, dreamlike images and events to suggest the unconscious.
Tone the reflection in a work of the authors attitude toward his or her subject. Tone in
writing is comparable to tone of voice in speech, and may be described as brusque,
friendly, imperious, insinuating, teasing, etc.
Transcendentalism the American version of romanticism; held that there was something
in human beings that transcended human nature a spark of divinity. This philosophy
stood in opposition to the pessimism of Puritanism
Unity the quality of oneness in a literary work, in which all parts are related by some
principle or organization so that they form an organic whole, complete and
independent in itself.

Inference a conclusion the reader can draw based upon details presented by the author.
Invective direct denunciation or name-calling.
Irony in its broadest sense, the incongruity, or difference, between reality (what is) and
appearance (what seems
to be).
Dramatic irony a situation in which the audience knows more about a characters
situation than the character does, forseeing an outcome contrary to the characters
expectations.
Situational irony the contrast between what is intended or expected and what
actually occurs.
Verbal irony a contrast between what is said and what is actually meant.
Jargon the special language of a profession or group.

Voice the sense a written work conveys to a reader of the writers attitude, personality and
character.
Wit ingenuity in connecting amusingly incongruous ideas; intellect, humor.
Fiction Terms
Note: 1. Terms denoted with an asterisk (*) indicate terms that are applicable to both plays
and fiction. 2. An asterisk (*) next to a term in a definition indicates that the term is
defined elsewhere.
*Anticlimax an effect that spoils a climax. Adjective: Anticlimactic.

*Archetype A pattern or model of an action, a character type, or an image that recurs

consistently enough in life and literature to be considered universal.
Characterization the method by which an author creates the appearance and personality
of imaginary persons. The author may choose to tell the reader what a character is like
through narration, show what a character is like through actions and dialogue, or have
the character reveal him/herself through inner thoughts.
*Confidant/confidante someone that the protagonist talks to, enabling the audience or
reader to become aware of the protagonists motivation.
Dystopia an undesirable imaginary society. Orwells 1984 or Huxleys Brave New World.

Analogy a comparison of similar things, often to explain something unfamiliar with

something familiar. (the branching of a river system is often explained using a tree and
its branches.)
Aphorism A terse statement of a principal or truth; a maxim. (Life is long, reasoning
difficult, etc.)
Apostrophe a rhetorical device in which the speaker addresses a dead or absent person,
or an inanimate object or abstraction.
Clich Any expression that has been used so often it has lost its freshness. (Sharp as a
tack, the last straw, etc.)

Explication de texte the detailed analysis, or close reading of a passage of verse or

prose. Such explication seeks to make meaning clear through a painstaking
examination and explanation of style, language, symbolism, and the relationship of
parts to the whole.

Epigram any terse, witty, pointed saying. For example, She knows the cost of everything,
but the value of nothing.

*Incident an event or episode in a work of fiction that moves the plot forward or reveals
character.

Figurative language language that contains figures of speech, such as metaphor, simile,
personification, etc.

Motif a recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object or situation that appears in
various works or throughout the same work.

Hyperbole exaggeration for the sake of emphasis in a figure of speech not meant literally.
Ive been waiting here for ages.

*Motivation the psychological and moral impulses and external circumstances that cause
a character to act, think, or feel a certain way.

Kenning a metaphoric compound word or phrase used as a synonym for a common noun.
Ring-bestower for king; whale-road for sea; candle of heaven for the sun; warbrand for a sword.

*Narrative voice the attitude, personality or character of the narrator as it is revealed

through dialogue or descriptive and narrative commentary.
*Point of View the vantage point, or stance, from which a story is told; the eye and mind
through which the action is perceived and filtered, sometimes called narrative
perspective.
First person the story is told by one of its characters, using the first person pronoun
I which does not give the reader insight into other characters motives or thoughts.
Third person objective the author limits him/herself to reporting what the
characters say or do; he or she does not interpret their behavior or tell us their private
thoughts or feelings.
Third person omniscient the author knows all (godlike) and is free to tell us
anything, including what the characters are thinking or feeling and why they act as
they do.
Third person limited the author limits him/herself to a complete knowledge of one
character in the story and tells us only what that one character feels, thinks, sees or
hears.
Reliability the extent to which a narrator can be trusted or believed. The closer the
narrator is to the story, the more his judgment will be influenced by forces in the story.

Euphemism the substitution of a mild term for one more offensive or hurtful.

Litotes a figure of speech by which an affirmation is made indirectly by saying its opposite,
usually with an effect of understatement. Id not be averse to a drink.
Malapropism the comic substitution of one word for another similar in sound, but quite
different in meaning. I would have her instructed in geometry (geography) that she
might know of contagious (contiguous) countries.
Metaphor the most important and widespread figure of speech in which one thing, idea, or
action is referred to by a word or expression normally denoting another thing, idea or
action, so as to suggest some common quality (qualities) shared by the two. He is a
pig.
Extended metaphor an idea sustained throughout the work
Dead metaphor one that has been used so much it has lost its figurative
meaning and is taken literally (eye of a needle, head of the class)
Mixed metaphor a combination of two or more inconsistent metaphors in a
single expression (Hell have to take the bull by the horns to keep the business
afloat.)
Metonymy figure of speech in which a representative term is used for a larger idea. The
pen is mightier than the sword.

Stereotype a character who represents a trait generally attributed to a social or racial

group and lacks other individualizing traits (the nagging wife, the hardboiled detective,
the hot-headed Italian, etc.

Onomatopoeia the use of words that seem to imitate the sounds they refer to (whack, fizz,
crackle, etc.).

*Subplot a secondary series of events that are subordinate to the main story; a story
within a story.

Oxymoron A figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined in
a single expression. (wise fool, living death, etc.)

Suspense quality that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome
of events.

Personification the technique by which animals, abstract ideas, or inanimate objects are
referred to as if they were human. The wind howled through the trees.

Suspension of Disbelief the demand made of an audience to provide some details with
their imagination and to accept the limitations of reality and staging; also the
acceptance of the incidents of a plot by a reader.

Proverb a short saying that expresses some commonplace truth or bit of folk wisdom. A
stitch in time saves nine.

Symbol anything that stands for or represents something else beyond it, usually an idea
conventionally associated with it.
*Theme an abstract idea that emerges from a literary works treatment of its subjectmatter, or a topic recurring in a number of literary works.. Themes include love, war,
revenge, betrayal, fate, etc.
Utopia a desirable imaginary society.

Pun a form of wit, not necessarily funny, involving a play on a word with two or more
meanings.
Simile a less direct metaphor, using like or as. He is like a pig.
Syllogism A form of logical reasoning, consisting of two premises and a conclusion.
Synaesthesia The description of one kind of sensation in terms of another. He is wearing
a loud shirt.
Synecdoche figure of speech that utilizes a part as representative of the whole. (e.g.
hands for manual laborers; the law for a police officer).

Figures of Speech
Allusion an indirect or passing reference to an event, person, place or artistic work that
the author assumes the reader will understand.
Anachronism an event, object, custom, person or thing that is out of its natural order of
time. A clock strikes in Julius Caesar.

Tautology repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase or sentence. With malice

toward none, with charity for all. Abraham Lincoln.
Understatement a type of verbal irony in which something is purposely represented as
being far less important than it actually is.

Literary Forms
Allegory a story or visual image with a second distinct meaning partially hidden behind its
literal or visible meaning. An allegory may be conceived at a metaphor that is
extended into a structured system.
Anecdote a brief narrative of an entertaining and presumably true incident.
Argument discourse intended to convince or persuade through appeals to reason or
emotion.

Melodrama drama that pits unbelievably good characters against a despicably evil
character. The plot includes dire events and near disasters. Good is always
rewarded, and evil punished.
Memoir an account of a single period in a writers life, often one that coincides with
important historical events.
Metaphysical poetry intricate 17th century English poetry employing wit and unexpected
images.
Miracle Play medieval religious drama based on a miraculous event in a saints life or a
story from the Bible.

Autobiography an account of all or a part of a persons life written by that person.

Bildungsroman translated literally means development novel. A coming of age work that
follows its protagonist from youth to experience, or maturity.
Biography a written account of someones life, written by someone else, which focuses on
the character and career of the subject.
Comedy a literary work written chiefly to amuse its audience. It usually provides a happy
ending and emphasizes human limitations rather than human greatness.
High Comedy characterized by grace, elegance and wit; intellectual comedy
Low Comedy crude, boisterous comedy; slapstick and crude jokes; physical
comedy
Confessional Literature autobiographical writing in which the author discusses highly
personal and private experiences normally withheld.

Mock Epic comically or satirically imitates the form and style of the epic, treating a trivial
subject in a lofty manner.
Morality Play allegory in dramatic form. Hero, who represents all mankind, is surrounded
by personifications of virtues, vices, angels, demons and death, who battle for
possession of the heros soul.
Myth an anonymous narrative, originating in the primitive folklore of a race or nation, that
explains natural phenomena, or recounts the deeds of heroes, passed on through
oral tradition.
Novel a lengthy fictional narrative in prose dealing with characters, incidents, and settings
that imitate those found in real life.
Novelette built on one incident; shorter than a novel, but has more development of
character and theme than a short story.

Convention an accepted or expected style or form. (Wicked step-mothers in fairy tales,

happy endings, etc.)

Novella a short novel.

Courtly Love the emotion that a knight was expected to feel toward a noble lady. A
convention of literature of the Middle Ages.

Novel of manners a novel, usually comical and satirical, whose characters and plot
emerge from and are limited by the social customs, values, habits and mores of a
particular social class in a particular time and place.

Didactic Any text whose main purpose is to teach or instruct.

Dirge a funeral song of lamentation; a short lyric of mourning.
Discourse spoken or written language.
Argument discourse intended to convince or persuade through appeals to reason or
emotion.
Description the picturing in words of people, places and activities through detailed
observations of color, sound, smell, touch and motion.
Exposition the setting forth of a systematic explanation of or argument about any
subject.
Narration the process of relation a sequence of events or another term for narrative.
Rhetoric the art of persuasion, in speaking or writing
Essay a short written composition in prose that discusses a subject or proposes an
argument without Claiming to be a complete or thorough exposition. Essays can be
formal, informal or humorous.
Epistolary a novel written in the form of correspondence between characters.
Eulogy A formal composition or speech in high praise of someone (usually dead, but dead
or alive) or something.
Exemplum brief tale told to illustrate a biblical text or to teach a lesson or moral.
Expose article exposing scandal or crime.

Paean a song of triumph or thanksgiving.

Parable a brief tale intended to be understood as an allegory illustrating some lesson or
moral.
Parody A composition that ridicules another composition by imitating and exaggerating
aspects of its content.
Pedantic writing that borders on lecturing. Scholarly, academic, and often overly difficult
and distant.
Picaresque novel a novel whose principal character is a low-born rogue who lives by
his/her wits and who becomes involved in one predicament after another.
Play a literary work written in dialogue and intended for performance before an audience
by actors on stage.
Poetry literature in its most intense, most imaginative, and most rhythmic form.
Prose in the broadest sense, all forms of ordinary writing and speech lacking the sustained
and regular rhythmic patterns found in poetry. It resembles closely everyday speech.
Psychological Novel novel that focuses on the interior lives of its characters, their
mental states and emotions, and their psychological motivations of their actions than
on the actions themselves.

Fable a brief tale that conveys a moral lesson, usually by giving human speech and
manners to animals and inanimate things.

Romance any extended work of fiction that deals with adventure, extravagant characters,
strange or exotic places, mysterious or supernatural incidents, heroic or marvelous
achievements, or passionate love.

Farce A type of drama related to comedy but emphasizing improbable situations, violent
conflicts, physical action, and coarse wit over characterization or articulated plot.

Science Fiction novels and short stories set either in the future or on some imaginary
world.

Genre a French term for a type, species, or class of composition such as novel, poem,
short story, and such sub-categories as sonnet, science fiction or mystery.

Short Story a fictional narrative in prose, short in length (500-15,000 words approx.),
usually limited to a few characters, a single setting, and a single incident.

Gothic a type of novel characterized by mystery, horror, and the supernatural, often with
haunted castles,secret passageways, grisly visions, and all of the paraphernalia of the
tale of terror.

Sociological Novel concerned primarily with social issues and problems.

Historical Novel attempts to re-create an historically significant personage or series of

events.
Homily religious sermon or discourse

Tract a formal, religious essay or pamphlet.

Poetic Terms

Imagery the making of pictures in words.

Alliteration the repetition of the same sounds, usually initial consonants, in neighboring
words.

In medias res Latin for the middle of things. The term describes the narrative practice of
beginning a story in the middle of the action to involve the reader, and then using one
or more flashbacks to fill in what led up to that point.

Assonance the repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds in neighboring words.

Ballad a form of narrative poetry that presents a single dramatic episode, which is often
tragic or violent.
Blank verse poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter, which must not be confused
with free verse.
Cacophony harsh, clashing, or dissonant sounds, often produced by combinations of
words that require clipped, explosive delivery, or words that contain a number of
plosive consonants.
Cadence the rising and falling rhythm of speech, especially that of the balanced phrases in
free verse or in prose. Also the fall or rise in pitch at the end of a phrase or sentence.

Lyric a usually short, personal poem expressing the poets emotions and thoughts rather
than telling a story.
Measure an older word for meter. The term is also used to refer to any metrical unit such
as a foot.
Meter the pattern of measured sound-units recurring more or less regularly in lines of
verse.
Octave a group of eight verse lines forming the first part of a sonnet; or a stanza of eight
lines.
Ode an elaborately formal lyric poem, often in the form of a lengthy address to a person or
abstract entity, always serious and elevated in tone.

Caesura a pause in a line of verse, often coinciding with a break between clauses or
sentences.

Pastoral a poem dealing with shepherds and rural life.

Conceit an unusually far-fetched or elaborate metaphor presenting a surprisingly apt

parallel between two apparently dissimilar things or feelings.

Pentameter a line of five feet. Iambic pentameter, normally 10 syllables, has had special
status as the standard line in many poetry forms.

Connotation see pg. 1.

Persona the assumed identity or fictional I assumed by a writer in a literary work.

Consonance the repetition of identical or similar consonants in neighboring words whose

vowel sounds are different (e.g. coming home, hot foot).

Prosody the study of sound and rhythm in poetry.

Quatrain a verse stanza of four lines, rhymed or unrhymed.

Couplet two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme and that are written to the same meter,
or pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Three be the things I shall have till I die:
Laughter and hope and a sock in the eye.
~Dorothy Parker
Dactyl metrical foot of three syllables, one accented followed by two unaccented.
Dirge a funeral song of lamentation; a short lyric of mourning.
Dissonance harshness of sound and/or rhyme, either inadvertent or deliberate.
Dramatic monologue a kind of poem in which a single fictional or historical character
other than the poet speaks to a silent audience of one or more persons. Such poems
reveal not the poets own thoughts, but the mind of
the impersonated character.
Elegy an elaborately formal lyric poem lamenting the death of a friend or public figure, or
serious reflection on a serious subject.
End-stopped line a line brought to a pause at which the end of a verse line coincides with
the completion of a sentence, clause, or other independent unit of syntax. It is the
opposite of enjambment.
Enjambment the running over of the sense and grammatical structure from one verse line
or couplet to the next without a punctuated pause.
Epic a long narrative poem celebrating the great deeds of one or more legendary heroes in
a grand style.
Euphony a pleasing smoothness of sound, perceived by the ease with which the words
can be spoken in combination. Adjective: euphonious.
Extended Metaphor a metaphor that is sustained for several lines or that becomes the
controlling image of an entire poem.
Foot the basic unit of rhythmic measurement in a line of poetry.
Free Verse poetry that is free of rhyme and meter resembling natural speech.
Heroic Couplet two end-stopped iambic pentameter lines rhymed aa, bb, cc, with the
thought usually completed in the two line unit.
Hexameter a line containing six feet.
Iamb a metrical foot consisting of two syllables, an unaccented syllable followed by an
accented as in the word invade.
Image language referring to something that can be perceived through one or more of the
senses.

Refrain a line, group of lines, or part of a line repeated at regular or irregular intervals in a
poem.
Rhyme the similarity of sound between two words.
End rhyme rhyme which comes at the end of a line of poetry.
Internal rhyme rhyme which comes within the line.
Feminine rhyme two-syllable rhyme.
Forced rhyme meaning in the poem suffers because of the stilted nature of the
rhyme
Masculine rhyme one-syllable rhyme.
Exact rhyme identical rhyme between two words (feature/creature)
Slant rhyme (proximate, near) inexact rhyme between two words
Eye rhyme rhyme based on spelling rather than sound (bough/though)
Rhythm the patterned flow of sound in poetry and prose. Sound devices create rhythm.
Sprung rhythm measured by counting only the accented syllables and by varying
the number of unaccented syllables
Scansion analyzing the meter in lines of poetry by counting and marking the accented and
unaccented syllables, and dividing the lines into metrical feet.
Sestet a six-line poem or stanza.
Sonnet a fourteen-line lyric poem in iambic pentameter.
English sonnet rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg (a/k/a Shakespearean
sonnet)
Italian sonnet rhyme scheme of abba, abba, cde, cde (a/k/a Petrarchan sonnet)
Stanza a section or division of a poem, resembling paragraphs in prose.
Stress the emphasis placed on a word or syllable.
Trochee a metrical foot consisting of two syllables, an accented syllable followed by an
unaccented syllable, as in the word fortune.
Verse poetry as distinct from prose. The term is usually more neutral than poetry,
indicating that the technical requirements of rhythm and metre are present, while
poetic merit may or may not be present.
Villanelle a lyric poem made up of five stanzas of three lines, plus a final stanza of four
lines.
Volta the Italian term for the turn in the argument or mood of a sonnet, occurring between
the octave and the sestet in the 9th line.


Syntax & Grammatical Terms
Anaphora the regular repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive
phrases or clauses.
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds.
We shall fight in the fields and in the streets.
Anastrophe a rhetorical term for the inversion of the normal order of the parts of a
sentence.
After great pain a formal feeling comes
The nerves sit ceremonious like tombs.
~Emily Dickinson

Antecedent the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers.

Antithesis a figure of speech in which opposing or contrasting ideas are balanced against
each other using grammatically parallel syntax.
There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors,
And no slave who has not had a king among his.
~Helen Keller

Asyndenton conjunctions are omitted, producting a fast-paced and rapid prose.

I came. I saw. I conquered.
Chiasmus grammatical structure in which the first clause or phrase is reversed in the
second, sometimes
Repeating the same words.
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can
do for you: ask what you can do for your country.
~John F. Kennedy
Clause a group of words containing a subject and verb that may or may not be a complete
sentence.
Gerund a noun formed from a verb. (Living)
Imperative sentence structure that gives a command. Eat your spinach.
Inversion reversing the normal order of sentence parts for poetic effect.
Loose sentences modifiers follow the SVC pattern allowing the strength of the sentence
to come first.
A car hit him just as he bent over to tie his shoelace.
Paradox a statement or expression so surprisingly self-contradictory as to provoke us into
seeking another sense in which it would be true.
Success is counted sweetest
By those who neer succeed.
-Emily Dickenson
Parallelism expressing similar or related ideas in similar grammatical structure.
He tried to make the law clear, precise and equitable.
Periodic sentences the main idea comes last in the sentence, leaving the reader with a
more powerful last Impression.
Just as he bent over to tie his shoelace, a car hit him.
Polysyndenton the opposite of asyndenton. The use of many conjunctions has a slowing
effect.

Appeal to Popularity: The new UltraSkinny diet will make you feel great. No longer
be troubled by your weight. Enjoy the admiring stares of the opposite sex. Revel in
your new freedom from fat.
Appeal to Fear: You must believe that God exists. After all, if you dont accept the
existence of God, youll face the horrors of hell.
Appeal to Flattery: Might I say that this is the best class Ive ever taken. By the way,
about those two points I need to get an A. ..
Appeal to Novelty: Our company has to be on the cutting edge. That means new
ideas and new techniques have to be used. The GK method is new, so it will do better
than the old method.
Appeal to Pity: Im positive that my work will meet your requirements. I really need the
job since my grandmother is very sick.
Appeal to Ridicule: Support the ERA? Sure, when the women start paying for the
drinks!
Appeal to Spite: You cant be serious about nominating John for president. Remember
what he pulled last year?
Appeal to Tradition: I believe in God. People have believed in God for generations, so
God must exist.

Bandwagon Threat of rejection from ones peers replaces evidence in an argument. I

realize prejudice is wrong, but we dont allow African Americans or Women in our
group. You understand.
Begging the Question taking for granted something that needs proving. Free all political
prisoners.
Biased Sample drawing a conclusion about a population based on a sample that is biased
or prejudiced. In determining the populations stance on gun control, polling only NRA
members would be a biased sample.
Circular Reasoning trying to prove one idea with another idea that is too similar to the
first. A writer is a person who writes.
Confusing Cause & Effect A and B regularly occur together. Therefore A is the cause of
B.
Hasty Generalization drawing a general and premature conclusion on the basis of only
one or two cases. All dogs should be muzzled because a golden retriever disturbed
the peace in the park.
Middle Ground Position A and B are too extreme. C rests in between A and B. Therefore
C is the correct one.
Motivational Appeal an attempt to reach an audience by recognizing their needs and
values and how these contribute to their decision making.
Non Sequitur It does not follow; an inference or conclusion that does not follow
established evidence or premises. Hes the most popular; therefore he should be
president.
Poisoning the Well Unfavorable information about person A is presented (true or false).
Therefore, any claims made by person A will be false.
Post Hoc After this, therefore because of this; assuming that an incident that precedes
another is the cause of the second. Andy worked on his science paper longer than
his English paper, therefore he felt he should earn an A.
Propaganda writing or images that seek to persuade through emotional appeal rather than
through logical proof; written or visual texts that describe or depict using highly
connotative words or images without justification.

Rhetorical question questions that do not require an answer.

Red Herring (Or Wild Goose Chase) - diverting attention from the issue by introducing a
new point

Logical Fallacies (Errors in Reasoning) in Argumentation

Reductio ad Absurdum to reduce to the absurd. It reduces an argument to an either/or

choice. The possession of firearms should be completely banned or completely legal.

Ad Hominem against the man; attacking the arguer rather than the argument or issue.
Ad Populum to the crowd; the misconception that because a great number of people do
something, it is therefore correct. The parents of Sylvias friends allow their daughters
to stay out until 2:00 am, therefore Sylvias parents should let Sylvia stay out until 2:00
am as well.
Appeal to Authority Person A is (or claims to be) an authority on subject S. Person A
makes claim C about subject S. Therefore, C is true.
Appeal to Belief Most people believe that X is true, therefore X is true.
Appeal to Emotion when the arguer manipulates emotions in order to get people to
accept a claim as being
true.

Slippery Slope predicting without justification that one step in a process will lead
unavoidably to a second, generally undesirable step.
Straw Man disputing a view similar to, but not the same as, that of the arguers opponent
Two Wrongs Make a Right Bill has borrowed Janes pen, but found he didnt return it. He
tells himself that it is okay to keep it, since she would have done the same.

Rhetorical Techniques & Strategies

Antithesis Against the thesis; the statement of the opposing viewpoint
Argument a single assertion or a series of assertions presented and defended by the
writer.
Concession an admission in an argument that the opposing side has points; to grant,
allow or yield to a point.

Schemes of unusual or inverted work order

Anastrophe inversion of the natural or usual word order. This deviation can emphasize
a point of it can just sound awkward. It is most effective if the author rarely writes awkwardly,
because when set among well-structured sentences it emphasizes the inverted phrase.
a.
As the saint of old sweetly sang, I was glad when they said unto me, let us go
into the house of the lord; so ought we to be glad when any opportunity of doing
good is presented to us.Cotton Mather The Reward of Well-Doing
b.
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your
country.John F. Kennedy, Inaugural speech.

Credibility the audiences belief in the arguers trustworthiness.

Deduction the process of moving from a general rule to a specific example.
Details facts that support the thesis or assertion in a piece of writing.
Ethos appeal to the credentials of the person speaking; character, goodwill,
trustworthiness, intelligence, etc.

Parenthesis insertion of some verbal unit in a position that interrupts the normal
syntactical flow of the sentence. One obvious way to use parenthesis is to use the
punctuation mark (parenthesis). However, there are other ways to insert a comment into a
sentence. One might use commas, or dashes, for example. The parenthetical remark,
however, is off on a tangent, cut off from the thrust of the sentence and grammatically unrelated
to the sentence.
a.

Induction the process of moving from a given series of specifics to a generalization.

Logic the process of reasoning.
b.
Logos appeal to logic.
Pathos appeal to emotion.
Persuasion type of argument that has as its goal an action on the part of the audience.
Repetition - the deliberate use of any element of language more than once; repeating
words or phrases for effect
Rhetoric the entire process of effective written communication.
Rhetorical shift a change or movement in a piece from one point, idea, concept, etc. to
another; signaled by words such as but, then, however, etc.

Those two spots are among the darkest of our whole civilizationpardon me, our
whole culture (an important distinction, Ive heard) which might sound like a hoax,
or a contradiction, but that (by contradiction, I mean) is how the world moves: not
like an arrow, but a boomerang.Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
And they went further and further from her, being attached to her by a thin thread
(since they had lunched with her) which would stretch and stretch, get thinner and
thinner as they walked across London; as if ones friends were attached to ones
body, after lunching with them, by a thin thread, which (as she dozed there)
became hazy with the sound of bells, striking the hour or ringing to service, as a
single spiders thread is blotted with rain-drops, and burdened, sags down. So she
slept.Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway

Apposition placing side by side two coordinate elements, the second of which serves
as an explanation or modification of the first. In grammar, this is the appositive or verbal
cluster.
a.
The mountain was the earth, her home.--Rudolfo Anaya, Albuquerque
b.
Here was the source of the mistaken strategythe reason why activists could
also easily ignore class and could consider race alone a sufficient measure of
social oppression.Richard Rodriguez, The Hunger of Memory

Thesis the main idea of a piece of writing.

Rhetorical Devices
Schemes of Construction
Schemes of Balance
Parallelism: similarity of structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or
clauses. This basic principle of grammar and rhetoric demands that equivalent things be set
forth in coordinate grammatical structures: nouns with nouns, infinitives with infinitives, and
adverb clauses with adverb clauses.
a.
for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of
Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes, and our sacred HonorThe Declaration of Independence
b.
the love of liberty, jury trial, the writ of habeas corpus, and all the
blessings of free government.John Randolph of Roanoke, Speech on
the Greek Cause.
c.
So Janey waited a bloom time, and a green time and an orange time.
Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
d.
It will be long before our larger life interprets itself in such imagination as
Hawthornes, such wisdom as Emersons, such poetry as Longfellows, such
prophecy as Whittiers, such grace as Holmess, such humor and humanity
as Lowells.William Dean Howells
Isocolon is a scheme of parallel structure which occurs when the parallel elements are similar
not only in grammatical structure but also in length (number of words or even number of
syllables). This is very effective, but a little goes a long way.
a.
His purpose was to impress the ignorant, to perplex the dubious, and to confound
the scrupulous.
b.
An envious heart makes a treacherous ear.Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes
Were Watching God
Antithesis the juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure. The
contrast may be in words or in ideas or both. When used well, antithesis can be very effective,
even witty.
a.
What if I am rich, and another is poorstrong, and he is weakintelligent, and he
is benightedelevated, and he is depraved? Have we not one Father? Hath not
one God created us?William Lloyd Garrison, No Compromise with Slavery
b.
Your forefathers crossed the great water and landed on this island. Their
numbers were small. They found friends and not enemies. They told us they had
fled from their own country for fear of wicked men, and had come here to enjoy
their religion. They asked for a small seat. We took pity on them, granted their
request; and they sat down amongst us. We gave them corn and meat; they gave
us poison in return.Red Jacket, 1805

Schemes of Omission
Ellipsis deliberate omission of a word or of words which are readily implied by the
context. While this can make clear, economical sentences; if the understood words are
grammatically incompatible, the resulting sentence may be awkward.
a.
So singularly clear was the water that when it was only twenty or thirty feet deep
the bottom seemed floating on the air! Yes, where it was even eighty feet deep.
Every little pebble was distinct, every speckled trout, every hands breadth of
sand.Mark Twain Roughing It
b.
And he to England shall along with you.Shakespeare, Hamlet III, iii
Asyndeton deliberate omission of conjunctions between a series of related clauses.
The effect of this device is to produce a hurried rhythm in the sentence.
a.
I came, I saw, I conquered.Julius Caesar
b.
They may have it in well doing, they have it in learning, they may have it even in
criticism.Matthew Arnold
Polysyndeton deliberate use of many conjunctions. The effect of polysyndeton is to slow
down the rhythm of the sentence.
a.
I said, Who killed him? and he said, I dont know who killed him but hes dead
all right, and it was dark and there was water standing in the street and no lights
and windows broke and boats all up in the town and trees blown down and
everything all blown and I got a skiff and went out and found my boat where I had
her inside Mango Key and she was all right only she was full of water.Ernest
Hemingway, After the Storm
b.
On and on she went, across Piccadilly, and up Regent Street, ahead of him, her
cloak, her gloves, her shoulders combining with the fringes and the laces and the
feather boas in the windows to make the spirit of finery and whimsy which
dwindled out of the shops on to the pavement, as the light of a lamp goes
wavering at night over hedges in the darkness.Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway
Schemes of Repetition
Alliteration repetition of initial or medial consonants in two or more adjacent words.
Used sparingly, alliteration provides emphasis. Overused, it sounds silly.
a.
Already American vessels has been searched, seized, and sank.John F.
Kennedy, Profiles in Courage
b.
It was the meanest moment of eternity.Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were
Watching God
c.
Her No Deals for Drug Dealers campaign helped rally the different
constituencies around her.Rudolfo Anaya, Alburquerque
Assonance the repetition of similar vowel sounds, preceded and followed by different
consonants, in the stressed syllables of adjacent words.
a.
Whales in the wake like capes and Alps/Quaked the sick sea and snouted
deep.Dylan Thomas, Ballad of the Long Legged Bait

b.

Refresh your zest for living.advertisement for French Line Ships

Anaphora repetition of the same word or groups of words at the beginnings of

successive clauses. This device produces a strong emotional effect, especially in speech. It
also establishes a marked change in rhythm.
a.
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight
in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills.Winston Churchill,
speech in the House of Commons, June, 1940
b.
Why should white people be running al the stores in our community? Why should
white people be running the banks of our community? Why should the economy of
our community be in the hands of the white man? Why?Malcolm X.
Epistrophe repetition of the same word or group of words at the ends of successive
clauses. Like anaphora, epistrophe produces a strong rhythm and emphasis.
a.
But to all of those who would be tempted by weakness, let us leave no doubt that
we will be as strong as we need to be for as long as we need to be.
b.
When we first came we were very many and you were very few. Red Cloud
Epanalepsis repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the
beginning of the clause. Like other schemes of repetition, epanalepsis often produces or
expresses strong emotion.
a.
Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answerd blows:/ Strength matchd with
strength, and power confronted power.William Shakespeare, King John
Anadiplosis repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following
clause.
a.
The crime was common, common be the pain.Alexander Pope, Eloise to
Abelard
b.
Aboard my ship, excellent performance is standard. Standard performance is
sub-standard. Sub-standard performance is not permitted to exist.Captain
Queeg, Herman Wouks The Caine Mutiny
c.
Trees and building rose and fell against a pale-blue clouded sky, beech changed
to elm, and elm to fir, and fir to stone; a world like lead upon a hot fire, bubbled into
varying shapes now like a flame, now like a leaf of clover.Graham Greene,
Orient Express
Climax arrangement of words, phrases, or clauses in an order of increasing
importance.
a.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces
endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and
hope does not disappoint us, because Gods love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit which has been given to use.St. Paul, Romans
Antimetabole repetition of words, in successive clauses, in reverse grammatical order.
a.
One should eat to live, not live to eat.Moliere, LAvar
b.
Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your
country.John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address
c.
The Negro needs the white man to free him from his fears. The white man needs
the Negro to free him from his guilt.Martin Luther King, Jr., from a speech
delivered in 1966
d.
The truth is the light and light is the truth.Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
Polyptoton repetition of words derived from the same root.
a.
But in this desert country they may see the land being rendered useless by
overuse.Joseph Wood Krutch, The Voice of the Desert
b.
We would like to contain the uncontainable future in a glass.Loren Eiseley,
from an article in Harpers, March 1964
Tropes
Metaphor implied comparison between two things of unlike nature
a.
The symbol of all our aspirations, one of the student leaders called her: the fruit of
our struggle.John Simpson, Tianamen Square
b.
A breeze blew through the room, blue curtains in at one end and out the other
twisting them up toward the frosted wedding-cake a ceiling, and the rippled over
the wine-colored rug, making a show on it-F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Simile explicit comparison between two things of unlike nature
a.
The night is bleeding like a cut.Bono
b.
Ah my! said Eustacia, with a laugh which unclosed her lips so that the sun shone
into her mouth as into a tulip and lent it a similar scarlet fire.Thomas Hardy, The
Return of the Native
Synecdoche figure of speech in which a part stands for the whole
a.
The British crown has been plagued by scandal.
b.
There is no word from the Pentagon on the new rumors from Afghanistan.
Metonymy substitution of some attributive or suggestive word for what is actually
meant
a.
I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.Winston Churchill, 1940
b.
In Europe, we have the cold shoulder to De Gaulle, and now he gives the warm
hand to Mao Tse-tung.Richard Nixon, 1960

Antanaclasis repetition of a word in two different senses

a.
Your argument is sound, nothing but sound.Benjamin Franklin
b.
If we dont hang together, well hang separately.Benjamin Franklin
Paronomasia use of words alike in sound but different in meaning
a.
Ask for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man.William Shakespeare,
Romeo and Juliet
b.
The Bustle: A Deceitful Seatful.---Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita
Syllepsis use of a word understand differently in relation to two or more other words,
which it modifies or governs
a.
There is a certain type of woman whod rather press grapes than clothes.
Advertisement for Peck & Peck
b.
The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen.Student paper
Anthimeria substitution of one part of speech for another
a.
Ill unhair thy head.William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra
b.
Me, dictionarying heavily, Where was the one they were watching?Earnest
Hemingway, The Green Hills of Africa
Periphrasis (autonomasia) substitution of a descriptive word of phrase for a proper
name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name
a.
They do not escape Jim Crow; they merely encounter another, not less deadly
variety.James Baldwin, Nobody Knows My Name
b.
In his later years, he became in fact the most scarifying of his own creatures: a
Quixote of the Cotswolds Time, referring to Evelyn Waugh
Personification (prosopesis) investing abstractions or inanimate objects with human
qualities
a.
The night comes crawling in on all fours.David Lowery
b.
And indeed there will be time/For the yellow smoke that slides along the
street,/Rubbing its back upon the window panes.T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J.
Alfred Prufrock
Hyperbole the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened
effect.
a.
It rained for four years, eleven months, and two days.Gabriel Garcia Marquez,
One Hundred Years of Solitude
b.
We walked along a road in Cumberland and stooped, because the sky hung so
low.Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward, Angel
Litotes- deliberate use of understatement
a.
Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered
her appearance for the worse.Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub
Rhetorical question asking a question, not for the purpose of eliciting an answer but
for the purpose of asserting or denying something obliquely
a.
Isnt it interesting that this person to whom you set on your knees in your most
private sessions at night and you pray, doesnt even look like you?Malcolm X
b.
Wasnt the cult of James a revealing symbol and symbol of an age and society
which wanted to swell like him in some false world or false art and falso
culture?Maxwell Geismar, Henry James and His Cult
c.
You say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. IF there is but
one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it?Red Jacket, 1805
speech
Irony use of a word in such a way as to convey a meaning opposite to the literal
meaning of the word
a.
This plan means that one generation pays for another. Now thats just dandy.
Huey P. Long
b.
By Spring, if God was good, all the proud privileges of trench lice, mustard gas,
spattered brains, punctured lungs, ripped guts, asphyxiation, mud and gangrene
might be his.Thomas Wolfe, Look Homeward Angel
Onomatapoeia use of words whose sound echoes the sense
a.
Snap, crackle, pop!Commercial
b.
From the clamor and the clangor of the bells!Edgar Allan Poe, The Bells
Oxymoron the yoking of two terms which are ordinarily contradictory
a.
The unheard sounds come through, each melodic line existed of itself, stood out
clearly from all rest, and its piece, and waiting patiently for the other voices to
speak.Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
b.
Still waking sleep, that is not what it is!/This love I feel, that feel no love is this.
William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
Paradox an apparently contradictory statement that nevertheless contains a measure
of truth
a.
And yet, it was a strangely satisfying experience for an invisible man to hear the
silence of sound.Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man
b.
Art is a form of lying in order to tell the truth.Pablo Picasso

Modes of Rhetorical Discourse

Cause and Effect reasoning that proposes one event or condition can bring about
another.
Classification identifies the subject as part of a larger group with shared features.
Compare/Contrast showing a subject more clearly by pointing out ways that it is similar, or
unlike, something else.
Definition places a subject into an appropriate group and then differentiates the subject
from the other sections of the group.
Description a mode of writing that conveys the evidence of the senses; sight, hearing,
touch, taste, smell.
Division breaking the subject into smaller segments.
Example illustration of a premise by citation of examples.
Narration the classification of discourse that tells a story or relates an event.
Persuasion a mode of writing intended to influence peoples actions by engaging their
beliefs and feelings.
Process Analysis a method of development that most often explains step by step how
something is done or how to do something.
Analysis Terminology
Analyze Concrete Details look for nouns that are tangible as opposed to abstract details
that describe concepts.
Analyze Descriptive Details look for the writers sensory description.
Analyze Devices look for the figures of speech, syntax, diction, and other stylistic
elements that collectively produce a particular artistic effect.
Analyze the Authors Language concentrate on how the elements of language combine
to form a whole how diction, syntax, figurative language and sentence structure
create a cumulative effect.
Analyze the Authors Narrative Technique/Devices look at the authors ordering of
events, building of suspense, climax, withholding of information, revelation of
information, and pacing.
Analyze the Authors Persuasive Devices look for the words in the passage that have
strong connotations, words that intensify the emotional effect. Analyze how these
words complement the writers argument as it builds logically.
Analyze Resources of Language look for diction, syntax, sentence structure and figures
of speech. The cumulative effect of a work is produced by the resources of language
a writer chooses.
Analyze Rhetorical Features the tooks of rhetoric; tone, diction, imagery, etc.
Analyze Rhetorical Structure look at how the passage is constructed; organization,
images, details or argument.
Analyze Sentence Structure look at basic sentence structure; simple, compound, and
complex. Consider variation or lack of it, any unusual devices such as repetition or
inverted word order, and any unusual word or phrase placement. Look at the effect of
the structure. For example, a series of short, terse sentences can produce a feeling of
speed and choppiness, which may suit the authors purpose.
Analyze Stylistic Devices look at diction, syntax, tone, attitude, figures of speech,
connotations and repetition.