Literary Terms

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Allegory

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story/poem where characters, settings, and events stand for other people/events or abstract ideas/qualities

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Alliteration

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repetition of consonant sounds in words spaced closely together

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Allusion

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reference to someone/something known from history, religion, literature, politics, sports, other cultures, etc.

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Ambiguity

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deliberately suggesting two or more different or conflicting ideas for an event (it can be interpreted in more than one way); this is done so on purpose, or the author risks vagueness

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Diction

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style-related; refers to author's word choice, specifically with regard to cleanliness, validity, or effectiveness

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Juxtaposition

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two words/phrases placed close together for comparison/contrast

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Paradox

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a statement appearing to be self-contradictory, or against common sense, but upon inspection contains some degree of truth/validity

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Pedantic

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adjective describing words, phrases, or general tone which is overly academic, bookish, or scholarly

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Syntax

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the way an author joins words into phrases, clauses, or sentences - the grammatical makeup of writing

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Parallelism

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also called parallel construction or parallel structure; refers to grammatical/rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity

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Personification

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figure of speech; author endows animals, concepts, or inanimate objects with human attributes/emotions

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Tone

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describes author's attitude toward material and/or audience - considering how it would sound if read aloud can help identify tone

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Transition

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a word/phrase that links different ideas (especially shifting from one to another)

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Hyperbole

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figure of speech - deliberate overstatement or exaggeration; usually has comic effect, but can be serious, often induces irony

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Understatement

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ironic minimalizing of fact; presenting something less significantly than it is - frequently humorous

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Theme

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central idea/message of a text (its life insight); unstated in fiction, but usually stated in nonfiction such as expository or argumentative

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Euphemism

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more agreeable/less offensive substitute for an unpleasant word/concept; could follow social/political standards or add humor/irony

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Connotation

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non-literal, associative meaning of a word (suggested/implied meaning); involves ideas, emotions, attitudes

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Denotation

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literal definition of a word, devoid of emotion/attitude

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Polysyndeton

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series of conjunctions (FANBOYS) not normally found in successive words, phrases, or clauses: deliberate and excessive use for emphasis

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Asyndeton

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list which omits conjunctions, bringing a sense of unrehearsed multiplicity to the subject

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Oxymoron

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figure of speech; author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest paradoxes (e.g. "cruel kindness")

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Figurative Language

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inaccurate words or phrases when viewed literally, these are symbolic descriptors (e.g. metaphors or similes)

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Style

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evaluation of the sum of an author's use of diction, syntax, and figurative language choices

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Anecdote

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a brief story told to illustrate a point or serve as an example

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Local Color

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the uniqueness of a setting; developed by highlighting this setting: customs, clothing, dialect, landscape, etc.

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Metonymy

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noun is referred to by something closely associated with it (e.g. white house = government)

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Synecdoche

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part represents the whole (e.g. wheels = car)

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Anaphora

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deliberate repetition of the first part of a sentence (has artistic effect)

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Analogy

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comparison of two unlike things: aims to explain one with the other

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Synesthesia

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depiction of a strong connection between different senses (e.g. smelling a color)

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Cacophony

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use of strong words/phrases which imply strong/harsh sounds; jarring, dissonant feel creates a disturbing, objectionable atmosphere

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Stream of Consciousness

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person's thoughts and reactions to events perceived and written as a continuous flow

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Author Bias

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author displays a personal (sometimes unreasonable) judgment

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Implications

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writing conveys, suggests, or hints at something without directly stating it

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Motif

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recurring subject, theme, or idea, especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work

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Epistrophe

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repeating the end of multiple lines, clauses, or sentences (similar to anaphora)

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Apostrophe

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directly addressing an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, as something that cannot answer

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Colloquialism

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use of slang or informal tone in writing; has a conversational effect, such as in local or regional dialect

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Antithesis

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using contrary phrases close to each other in a sentence; when done well, it creates a balanced sentence