Glossary of Literary Terms and Concepts

Ian Poulin

September 6th 2011

Literary Term or Concept allusion analogy alliteration allegory anecdote antagonist antithesis aside cliche colloquial language connotation context denotation dramatic monologue expository euphemism figurative language foil foreshadow form

Definition or Explanation an implied reference to a person, event in history, literature, pop culture intended to enhance meaning or tone a comparison between two things that are similar or parallel repetition of consonants at the beginning of words a story with double-meaning, surface level meaning and symbolic meaning of something larger; closely related to fable and parable a brief account or story of a person or incident often used to support an idea or argument the character who opposes the protagonist juxtaposition of contrasting or opposing ideas in balanced phrases/clauses in drama, an actor speaks private thoughts intended only for the audience to hear a trite, over-use expression that has lost most of its meaning plain, everyday use of language, not academic, and sometimes vague or ambiguous the social and emotional meaning attached to words situation in time and space the dictionary definition of a word; the most literal meaning of a word a type of writing or oral text meant to give information, describe, inform (to expose) substitution of a gentler or more agreeable word for a harsh or disagreeable term (connotation is more positive in a euphemism) language that uses figures of speech such as metaphor, simile, alliteration a character in a narrative that contrasts with another a technique of arranging events in a narrative to suggest what will occur later the structure of a text

genre hyperbole imagery irony juxtaposition metaphor

a literary type of class eg: Gothic, tragedy, comedy a figure of speech that exaggerates for emphasis the use of language to represent objects, actions, feelings, thoughts, ideas, states of mind, or any sensory experience incongruity between actions and results, appearance and reality; verbal, situational, or dramatic irony the placing of words, ideas, events side by side for contrast, comparison, or emphasis an implied comparison; figurative language the feeling created in the reader by narrative elements; also known as atmosphere a recurrent image or verbal pattern in a narrative connected to theme a figure of speech combining contradictory words for special effect eg: an honest thief seemingly contradictory ideas that reveal some truth a form of imitation using words, style, attitude, tone to make the subject matter seem ridiculous extraordinary or false appearances, whereby human feelings are transferred to the inanimate the attribution of human qualities to inanimate objects a form of writing meant to sway a readers' beliefs, feelings, and/or actions the plan or design of events in a narrative the principal character in a narrative a question not expecting an answer the art of using language for persuasion a literary form meant to censure or expose, to ridicule time and place in a narrative a comparison using "like" or "as" a speech given alone by a character in a drama, whereby they reveal thoughts and feelings an object that stands for something else sentence construction the central idea of a work of fiction

mood motif oxymoron paradox parody pathetic fallacy personification persuasion plot protagonist rhetorical question rhetoric satire setting simile soliloquy symbol syntax theme

thesis tone tragedy tragic hero voice

the position or opinion in a work of non-fiction the writer's attitude a literary form concerned with fortunes and misfortunes an author or narrator's manner or style of expression