Literary Terms

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Anachronism

Back 1

Event or detail that is inappropriate for the time period.

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Anecdote

Back 2

Very brief account of a particular incident.

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Aside

Back 3

In a play, words spoken by a character directly to the audience or to another character but not overheard by others onstage.

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Assonance

Back 4

Repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different constant sounds in words that are close together.

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Connotations

Back 5

All the meanings, associations, or emotions that a word suggests.

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Diction

Back 6

Writer's or speakers choice of words.

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Didactic literature

Back 7

Writing that aims primarily to teach.

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Foil

Back 8

character who serves as a contrast to another character.

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Inversion

Back 9

Reversal of the normal word order in a sentence.

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Onomatopoeia

Back 10

Use of a word whose sound imitates or suggests its meaning. In poetry, onomatopoeia reinforces meaning and creates evocative and musical sound effects.

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Parable

Back 11

Brief story that teaches a lesson about life.

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Refrain

Back 12

Repeated word, phrase, line, or group of lines.

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Satire

Back 13

Type of writing that ridicules human weakness, vice, or folly in order to bring about social reform.

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Soliloquy

Back 14

Long speech in which a character who is alone on stage expresses private thoughts or feelings.