Literary Terms Test

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Ad Hominem Argument

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From the Latin meaning "to or against the man," this is an argument that appeals to emotion rather than reason, to feeling rather that intellect.

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Allegory

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The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. In some allegories, for example, an author may intend the characters to represent an abstraction like freedom or hope. The allegorical meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells"). Although the term is not used in the multiple-choice section, you can look for alliteration in any essay passage. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, and/or supply a musical sound.

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Allusion

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A direct or indirect reference to something commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, or mythical. There are, of course, many more possibilities, and a work may simultaneously use multiple layers of allusion.

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Ambiguity

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The multiple meanings, either intentional or unitentional, of a word, phrase, sentance, or passage.

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Analogy

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A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. An analogy can explain somehting unfamiliar by associating it with, or pointing out its similarity to, something more familiar. Analogies can also make writing more vivid, imaginative, and intellectually engaging.

Analogous

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Antithesis

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A figure of speech involving a seeming contradiction of ideas, words, clauses, or sentances within a balanced grammatical structure. The resulting parallelism serves to emphasise opposition of ideas. The familiar phrase "Man proposes, God disposes" is an example of an antithesis, as is "Too black for heaven, and yet too white for hell."

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Aphorism

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A terse statement of known authorship that expresses a general truth or moral principle. (If authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.) An aphorism can be a memorable summation of the author's point.

**KNOWN AUTHORSHIP**
ex) "immitation is a form of suicide" ~Emerson
"a foolish consistancy is the hob-goblin of little minds"

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Apostrophe

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A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity. William Woodsworth addresses John Milton as he writes, "Milton, thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee."

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Atmosphere

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The emotional mood created by the entirety of a literaty work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. Frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events. Similar to mood.

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Caricture

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A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which thesubject's distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately exaggerated to produce a comic or grotesque effect. Sometimes caricture can be so exaggerated that it becomes a grotesque imitation or misrepresentation. Synonymous mords include burlesque, parody, travesty, satire, lampoon.

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Colloquialism

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Slang or infomality in speech or writing. Not generally acceptable for formal writing, colloquialisms give work a conversational, familiar tone. Colloquial expressions in writing include local or regional dialects.

-recognizes that we aren't always formal

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Connotation

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The nonliteral, assosiative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning. Connotations may involve ideas, emotions, or additudes. See denotation.

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Denotation

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The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, additude, or color. See connotation.

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Diction

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Related to style, diction refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness. Diction, combined wihtsyntax, figurative language, literary devices, and so on, created an author's style. See syntax.

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Didactic

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From the Greek, "didactic" literally means "instructive." Didactic works have the primary aim of teaching or instructing, especially the teaching of morals or ethical principles.

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Euphemism

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From the Greek for "good speech," euphemisms are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for generally unpleasant words or concepts. The euphemism may be used to adhere to standards or social or political correctness, or to add humor or ironic understatement. Saying "earthly remains" instead of "corpse" is an example.

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Extended Metaphor

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A metaphor developed at great length, occuring frequently in or throughout a work.

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Figurative Language

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Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

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Generic Conventions

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Describes traditions for each genre. These conventions help to define each genre; for example, they differentiate between an essay and journalistic writing or an autobiography and political writing.

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Figure of Speech

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Device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. Includes apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, understatement.

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Genre

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The major catagory in which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama. However, "genre" is a flexible term; within these broad boundries exist many subdivisions that are often called genres themeselves. For example, prose can be divided into ficton or nonfiction. Poetry can be divided into such subcatagories such as lyric, dramatic, narrative, epic, and so on. Drama can be divided into tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, and so on.

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Homily

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This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.

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Hyperbole

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A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. Hyperboles often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible (ex. satire). Often, hyperbole produces irony at the same time.

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Imagery

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The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, pr represent abstractions. on a physical level, imagery uses terms related to the 5 senses; we refer to visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory, or olfactory imagery. On a broader and deeper level, however, one image can represent more than one thing. For example, a rose may present visual imagery while also representing the color is a woman's cheeks. An author, therefore, may use complex imagery while simultaneously employing other figures of speech, especially simile and metaphor. In addition, this term can apply to the total of all the images in a work.

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Inference/ Infer

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To draw reasonable conclusion from the information presented. What a multiple-choice question asks for an inference to be drawn from the passage, the most direct, most reasonable inference is the safest answer choice. If an inference is implausible, it's unlikely to be the correct answer. Note that if the answer choise is directly stated, it is NOT inferred and is wrong.

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Invective

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An emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.

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irony/ironic

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The contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant; the difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. Irony is used for many reasons, but frequently, it's used to create poignancy or humor. Three major types in literature:
1. verbal- the words literally state the opposite of the writer's (or speaker's) true meaning
2. situational- events turn out the opposite of what is expected; what the characters and readers think ought to happen does not actually happen
3. dramatic- facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters

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juxtaposition

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Placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast

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loose sentance

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-main idea (independant clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases or clauses
-if a period were placed at the end of the independent clause, the clause would be a complete sentance
-a work containing many loose sentances often seems informal, relaxed, and conversational

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metaphor

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A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting similarity. Metaphorical language makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful.

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Metonym

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-Greek, meaning "changed label" or "substitute name"
-figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it

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Mood

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-two distinct technical meanings in English writing
1. grammatical and deals with verbal units and a speaker's additude
-indicative mood: factual sentences
-subjunctive mood: doubtful of conditional additude
-imperative mood: commands
2. literary- the pervailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work

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narrative

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The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events

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onomatopia

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A figure of speech in which natural sounds and imitated in the sounds of words.

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oxymoron

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A figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

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paradox

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A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to the common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or vadility.

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parallelism

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The gramatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentances, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

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narrative

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The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events

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narrative

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The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events

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onomatopia

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A figure of speech in which natural sounds and imitated in the sounds of words.

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onomatopia

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A figure of speech in which natural sounds and imitated in the sounds of words.

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oxymoron

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A figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

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oxymoron

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A figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox.

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paradox

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A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to the common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or vadility.

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paradox

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A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to the common sense, but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or vadility.

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parallelism

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The gramatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentances, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

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parallelism

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The gramatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentances, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

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parody

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-A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.
-Distorts, exaggerates distinctive features of the original
-Mimics work by borrowing from the original to illuminate weaknesses

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pedantic

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An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, acedemic,or bookish.

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periodic sentance

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-presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end
-preceded by independant clause that cannot stand alone

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personification

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A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by giving them human attributes or emotions.

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point-of-view

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The perspective from which a story is told: 1st person, 3rd person.

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Prose

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One of the major divisions of genre, divided into fiction and nonfiction.

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Repetition

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The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language. It links and emphasises ideas while allowing the reader the comfort of recognizing something familiar.

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rhetoric

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The principles governing the art of writing effectively.

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Rhetorical question

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A question that is asked merely for effect and does not expect a reply. The answer is assumed.

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Sarcasm

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Involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt of ridicule someone or something. May use irony.

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satire

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A work that targets human vices and follies, or social institutions and conventions, for the reform or ridicule. Style of writing, not the purpose.

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simile

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Comparison, usually using "like" "as" or "if"

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style

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Considered to evaluate authors choices in writing, or to classify author into a group, comparing them with other authors.

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syllogism

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A deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises that lead to a sound conclusion.

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symbol/ sybolism

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Anything that represents or stands for something else. Divided into Natural, Conventional, Literary.

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Syntax

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The way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentances.

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theme

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The central idea or message of a work the insight it offers into life, the "universal truth"

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thesis

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The sentance or group of sentances that directly express the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or proposition.

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tone

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Describes the author's additude toward his or her material, the audience, or both.

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transition

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A word or phrase that links different ideas.

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understatement

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The ironic minimizing of fact, presents something as less significant than it is.

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wit

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Intellectually amusing language that suprises and delights. Historically, meant basic understanding.