Rhetorical or Definition Related Concepts

Literary Term

Abstract Conceptual, on a very high order; often, general Concrete

Allegory Work that works on a symbolic level Symbol

allusion Reference to a well-known person, place, event, or

work of art. An allusion brings to mind complex
ideas simply and easily and brings the energy of
the alluded work to the allusion.
Analogy Literary device that compares, usually involving a Simile, metaphor
comparison between two different items.
anecdote Brief story about an interesting event.
antagonist Character who opposes the protagonist. protagonist, hero/heroine
Antecedent The noun or phrase to which a pronoun refers
Anthropomorphism Ascribing human forms or emotions to animals or personification
inanimate objects
anticlimax Unexpected letdown at the point where the reader climax, situational irony,
usually expects the climax. plot
Antithesis Direct contrast; opposition. In Hegelian scheme, a Thesis, synthesis
thesis countered by an antithesis results in a
synthesis.
archetype Patterns, designs, or images recurring in a variety myth
of cultures, including myths and dreams.
Argumentation One of the four types of composition with a Exposition, description,
purpose of validating or invalidating a position. narration
atmosphere Mood, or feeling created in a reader by a literary mood, tone
passage.
Binary opposition Balanced, contrary pairing
character Person who takes part in the action of a literary protagonist, antagonist, flat
work. character, round character,
dynamic character, static
character
characterization Creation or development of a literary character. direct characterization,
indirect characterization
Classical appeals The means by which an argument enhances the Rhetoric, rhetorical
credibility of the writer (ethos), uses emotional appeals, ethos, pathos,
cues to the audience (pathos), and addresses the logos
form and content of the argument (logos).
climax High point of interest or suspense in a work. anticlimax, plot
comedy In drama, a work that ends happily for the tragedy
characters, often with a marriage, signaling
making peace with society.
complications Events that create problems for the main
(plot) characters in a work.
Concrete Specific, detailed abstract
conflict Struggle between opposing forces, usually foil, external conflict,
characters. Conflicts often develop plots. internal conflict
connotation Loose definition of a word, based on ideas denotation
associated with the word.
Deduction argument that moves from the general to the induction
specific
denotation Dictionary definition of word, independent of connotation
other associations that the word brings to mind.
denouement Events occurring after the resolution of the central plot
conflict.
Description A rhetorical mode that visually presents a person, Exposition, narration,
place, event, or action. Also, one of the four types argumentation
of composition with a purpose of depicting a
setting.
dialogue Conversation between characters. monologue
diction Word choice that determines a writer’s style and tone, style
tone.
Didactic Focusing on moral or instructive concerns imaginative
direct Creation or development of a literary character indirect characterization
characterization through direct statement of the character’s traits.
drama Story written to be performed by actors. genre
dramatic irony Difference or distance between what a character in irony, situational irony,
a work knows and what the audience or reader verbal irony
knows.
dynamic character Character who changes in the course of the work. static character
epic Long narrative or narrative poem about the deeds genre
of gods or heroes.
epiphany Moment of insight when a character recognizes
some truth.
Ethos The quality or character of a speaker or writer; Pathos, logos, classical
credibility appeals
Euphemism More acceptable, more pleasant way to express an
uncomfortable or inappropriate subject
exposition Writing or speech that explains or informs. In Plot; argumentation,
literature, exposition often conveys background description, narration
information. Also, one of the four types of
composition with a purpose of explaining.
external conflict Struggle between a character and another character plot, internal conflict
or force.
fable Brief story that teaches a lesson or moral. parable
falling action Events that follow the climax. rising action
fantasy Imaginative writing containing elements not found science fiction
in real life.
fiction Prose writing about imaginary characters and genre
events.

figurative language Writing or speech not meant to be interpreted literal language, metaphor,
literally. Writing or speech that is structured for a personification, simile,
certain rhetorical effect. metaphor, synecdoche,
metonymy
first-person point of Perspective of a story as told by one of the point of view
view characters.
flashback Interruption of the plot sequence to recount an foreshadowing
event or thought from an earlier time.
flat character One-dimensional character. round character
foil Character, often minor, who contrasts with character
another, often major, character; the contrast helps
define, by negation, the major character.
foreshadowing Use of clues to suggest events yet to occur. flashback
genre Type of literature, such as poetry, prose, or drama. subgenre
hero/heroine Major character of a work whose actions are character
inspiring or noble.
Hyperbole Exaggeration; in an extreme form, hyperbole can understatement
be humorous or ironic.
image Word or phrase appealing to one of the senses. imagery
imagery Descriptive language used to reflect and re-create image, tone
sensory experience.
Implication Conveying or suggesting a thought or idea without inference
stating it outright
indirect Development of a literary character through his or direct characterization
characterization her actions, thoughts, feelings, words, and
appearance, or through another character’s
observations and reactions.
Induction Argument that moves from the specific to the deduction
general
Inference General conclusion drawn from details Implication
internal conflict Struggle within a character. external conflict
irony Difference or distance between appearance and dramatic irony, situational
reality, expectation and result, meaning and irony, verbal irony,
intention. Socratic irony, binary
limited third-person Perspective of story told by an outsider whose first-person point of view,
point of view knowledge is confined. omniscient third-person
point of view
literal language Words used in their ordinary, denotative senses. figurative language
literary tradition Written tradition of literature, distinguished from oral tradition
oral tradition.
Litotes Understatement that affirms a position by denying Hyperbole; understatement
its opposite (e.g., “not a bad idea” = “good idea”)
logos The rational appeal of an argument Ethos, pathos, classical
appeals
metaphor 1. Figure of speech figurative language, simile
2. Figuratively implying a comparison between
two unlike elements, without using ​like o​ r​ as​.
Metonymy Figure of speech where a substituted term synecdoche
represents an object closely associated with that
term: e.g., White House for President; table for
teacher
monologue Speech by one character in a drama or poem. dialogue, soliloquy
mood Atmosphere, or feeling created in a reader by a atmosphere, tone
literary passage.
moral Lesson taught by a literary work. theme
Motif A unifying image or idea that develops theme or Recurring motif
characters
motivation Explanation of a character’s thoughts, feelings, character
actions, or speech.
myth Tale that explains the actions of gods or the causes archetype
of natural phenomena.
narration Writing that tells a story. Also, one of the four Exposition, description,
types of composition with a purpose of recounting argumentation
an event or series of events.
narrative Story told in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama.
narrator Speaker or character who tells a story.
novel Long work of fiction with a plot that explores genre
characters in detail.
omniscient Perspective of story told by an outsider whose first-person point of view,
third-person point knowledge is extends to the internal states of all limited third-person point
of view characters in the work. of view
oral tradition Passing of songs, poems, and stories from literary tradition
generation to generation by word of mouth.
Oxymoron Self-contradictory combination of words: e.g., Irony, binary opposition
“bittersweet” or “oxymoron” (Greek, sharp-dull)
parable Simple, brief narrative teaching a lesson by using fable
characters and events to stand for abstract ideas.
Pathos The quality in a work that evokes emotional Ethos, logos, classical
responses, like sympathy, empathy, sorrow or pity appeals
personification Figurative language in which a nonhuman subject anthropomorphism
is given human characteristics or form.
plot Sequence of events in a literary work. exposition, development,
rising action, climax,
falling action, resolution,
denouement
point of view Perspective or vantage point from which a story is first person, omniscient
told. third person, limited third
person
protagonist Main character in a work antagonist

Qualifier Limit, modification, or restriction of an argument, qualification

sometimes by contrast or counterexample
resolution End of the central conflict, often following the plot
climax.
Rhetoric The process of persuasion; the art of using Rhetorical modes, classical
language to persuade others appeals
Rhetorical modes Causation, definition, comparison, Rhetoric, classical appeals
exemplification, description, division and
classification, process analysis
rising action Events that lead up to the climax. falling action
round character Complex, multifaceted, realistic character. flat character
Sarcasm Ridiculing by caustic disapproval, often using irony
verbal irony to seem to praise
satire Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or
expose folly.
science fiction Writing that tells about imaginary events involving fantasy
science or technology.
sensory language Writing or speech appealing to one or more of the image
senses.
setting Time and place of a literary work.
short story Brief work of fiction. novel
simile Figure of speech comparing two basically figurative language,
dissimilar elements using ​like o​ r​ as.​ metaphor
situational irony Difference or distance between an expected irony, dramatic irony,
situation (often the ending) and the situation that verbal irony, denouement
occurs.
Socratic irony Claiming ignorance while questioning in search of Irony
the truth
soliloquy Monologue in drama, addressed only to audience. monologue
speaker Voice of narrator of story or poem, not to be narrator
confused with the author of the work.
stage directions Information in a play about costumes, lighting, drama
scenery, properties, setting, or characters’
movements, speech, and motivations.
static character Character who does not change in the course of the dynamic character
story.
style Writer’s way of writing, determined by factors
such as diction, imagery, syntax, tone, and
organization.
subgenre Subdivision of a genre; fiction’s subgenres are genre
novel, novella, short story, and short short story.
surprise ending Conclusion that violates the expectations of the situational irony
reader.
suspense Feeling of growing uncertainty about the outcome
of events.
Syllogism Format of argument consisting of major premise, enthymeme
minor premise, and conclusion
symbol Object that stands for something else.
Synecdoche Figure of speech where the part stands for the metonymy
whole (or occasionally, the whole for the part)
Syntax Grammatical structure of sentence—ordering, style
grouping, and placing
thematic topic Important quality expressed in a work, usually theme
expressed as a word or phrase.
theme Central message or insight about life in a work, moral, thematic topic
usually expressed as a sentence.
Thesis Main idea of a piece of writing; the author’s theme
assertion or claim
tone Writer’s attitude toward his or her subject and irony, atmosphere, diction,
audience: e.g., formal or informal, serious or imagery
playful, bitter or sympathetic, straightforward or
ironic.
tragedy Literary work, often a play, that ends unhappily or comedy, tragic hero, tragic
catastrophically for the main character, isolating flaw
him or her from society.
tragic flaw Character weakness that causes a hero’s downfall. tragedy, tragic hero
tragic hero Character, usually of high state, who ends up tragedy, tragic flaw
disastrously, isolated from society.
Understatement Figure of speech where the language falls short of Hyperbole; litotes
the magnitude of the intention; restraint of
expression for rhetorical or artistic effect
verbal irony Difference or distance between what a word or irony
phrase means and what it ordinarily means.
Voice 1. The “sound,” the manner of a writer’s style style
or expression.
2. Relationship between subject and verb (in
active voice, the subject acts; in passive
voice, the subject is acted upon)