Reading And Literature Terms

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Biography

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is a written account of the life of a particular person from birth to death.

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Autobiography

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A writer’s story of his or her
own life.
EX.Who I am in life.

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Fable

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A short story that often uses talking animals
as the main characters teaches an explicit
moral or lesson.
EX.

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Narrative

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retelling, often in words,of something that happened
EX.

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Legend

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a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
EX.

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Personal Narrative

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is a film which documents one person’s experience as a way of understanding a historical event or era.
EX.

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Tall Tale

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an improbable (unusual or incredible or fanciful) story

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Editorial

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an article in a newspaper or other periodical presenting the opinion of the publisher, editor, or editors.

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Nonfiction

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the branch of literature comprising works of narrative prose dealing with or offering opinions or conjectures upon facts and reality, including biography, history, and the essay

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Allegory

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loosely describes any writing in verse or prose that has a double meaning.

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Satire

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An attack on or criticism of any stupidity or vice in the form of scathing humor, or a critique of what the author sees as dangerous religious, political, moral, or social standards.

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Rhetorical Question

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Often the question is asked in order to get a definite answer from the reader--usually, "no,"

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Parallelism

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agreement in direction, tendency, or character; the state or condition of being parallel.

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Hyperbole

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the trope of exaggeration or overstatement
EX.This is your brain on drugs

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Understatement

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A form of meiosis using a negative statement.
EX.I was somewhat worried when the psychopath ran toward me with a chainsaw." (i.e., I was terrified)

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Paradox

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Using contradiction in a manner that oddly makes sense on a deeper level
EX.Cowards die many times before their deaths"

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Pun

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A play on two words similar in sound but different in meaning.
EX.Shakespeare's poetic speaker also puns upon his first name (Will) and his lover's desire (her will) in the sonnets

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Symbolism

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Frequent use of words, places, characters, or objects that mean something beyond what they are on a literal level.

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personification

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which abstractions, animals, ideas, and inanimate objects are given human character, traits, abilities, or reactions.
EX.in which the moon "is a face in its own right

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Imagery

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A common term of variable meaning, imagery includes the "mental pictures" that readers experience with a passage of literature.
Ex. Here are the opening lines to "Above the Dock":

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Irony

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saying/doing one thing and meaning another
EX.Football player doing ballet

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Situational Irony

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an outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected, the difference between what is expected to happen and what actually does

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Dramatic Irony

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leading an audience to understand an incongruity between a situation and the accompanying speeches, while the characters in the play remain unaware of the incongruity.

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Verbal Irony

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a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

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Allusion

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a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication: an allusion to Shakespeare.

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Foreshadowing

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To present an indication or a suggestion of beforehand; presage

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Flashback

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which an event or scene taking place before the present time in the narrative is inserted into the chronological structure of the work.

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Metaphor

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figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.” Compare mixed metaphor, simile (def. 1).

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Simile

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a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, as in “she is like a rose.” Compare metaphor.

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oxymoron

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a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”

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Narrator

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to give an account or tell the story of (events, experiences, etc.).

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Plot

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secret plan or scheme to accomplish some purpose, esp. a hostile, unlawful, or evil purpose: a plot to overthrow the government.

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Theme

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a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; topic: The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.

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Point of View

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the position of the narrator in relation to the story, as indicated by the narrator's outlook from which the events are depicted and by the attitude toward the characters.

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1st Person

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is a literary technique in which the story is na by one character, who explicitly refers to him or herself in the first person, that is, using words and phrases involving "I" (referred to as the first-person singular) and "we" (referred to as the first-person plural).

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3rd Person

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narration in the third person. The participants in the narrative are understood to be distinct from the person telling the story and the person to whom, or by whom, it is read.

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Limited

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Third person limited is where the narrator knows only the thoughts and feelings of him/her/it/self, while other characters are presented externally.

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Omniscent

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An omniscient narrator, as in more limited third-person forms, is also disembodied; it takes no actions and has no physical form in or out of the story.

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Setting

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the surroundings or environment of anything

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Conflict

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a fight, battle, or struggle, esp. a prolonged struggle; strife.

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Climax

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the highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of something; culmination: His career reached its climax when he was elected president.

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Dialogue

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conversation between two or more persons.

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Characterization

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portrayal; description: the actor's characterization of a politician.

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Foil

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to prevent the success of; frustrate; balk: Loyal troops foiled his attempt to overthrow the government.

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Protagonist

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the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.

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Antagonist

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a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary.

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Mood

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a state or quality of feeling at a particular time: What's the boss' mood today?

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Plagiarism

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the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one's own original work.

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Problem/Solution

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is a variation of column notes. It helps students focus on the four areas critical to problem-solving: identifying the problem, listing the consequences or results of that problem, isolating the causes, and proposing solutions. It is a great tool to use in social studies, but you can imagine how it might be every bit as useful in areas

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Time Sequence

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sequence of time in a story

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Chronological

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arranged in the order of time: a chronological list of events.

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Compare/Contrast

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Use to analyze similarities and differences between two things

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Spatial Layout

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of or pertaining to space

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Cause and Effect

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noting a relationship between actions or events such that one or more are the result of the other or others.

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Thesis

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a proposition stated or put forward for consideration, esp. one to be discussed and proved or to be maintained against objections: He vigorously defended his thesis on the causes of war.

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Works cited

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page telling where you got your information from

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Citation

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A quoting of an authoritative source for substantiation

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Documentation

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the use of documentary evidence.

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Diction

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style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words: good diction.

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Tone

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any sound considered with reference to its quality, pitch, strength, source, etc.: shrill tones.

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Sarcasm

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a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark: a review full of sarcasms.

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Figurative

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of the nature of or involving a figure of speech, esp. a metaphor; metaphorical; not literal: a figurative expression

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Literal

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in accordance with, involving, or being the primary or strict meaning of the word or words; not figurative or metaphorical: the literal meaning of a word.

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Objective

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something that one's efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target: the objective of a military attack; the objective of a fund-raising drive.

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Style

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a particular kind, sort, or type, as with reference to form, appearance, or character: the baroque style; The style of the house was too austere for their liking.

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syntax

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the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language.

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Dialect

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a variety of a language that is distinguished from other varieties of the same language by features of phonology, grammar, and vocabulary, and by its use by a group of speakers who are set off from others geographically or socially.

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Cliche'

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trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.

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Connotation

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the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning: A possible connotation of “home” is “a place of warmth,

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Denotation

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the explicit or direct meaning or set of meanings of a word or expression, as distinguished from the ideas or meanings associated with it or suggested by it; the association or set of associations that a word usually elicits for most speakers of a language, as distinguished from those elicited for any individual speaker because of personal experience. Compare

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Colonial

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of, concerning, or pertaining to a colony or colonies: the colonial policies of France.

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Puritan

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a member of a group of Protestants that arose in the 16th century within the Church of England, demanding the simplification of doctrine and worship, and greater strictness in religious discipline: during part of the 17th century the Puritans became a powerful political party.

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Rationalism/Revolutionary

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the principle or habit of accepting reason as the supreme authority in matters of opinion, belief, or conduct.

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Romanticism

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romantic spirit or tendency.

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Transcendentalism

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transcendental character, thought, or language.

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Regionalism

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the theory or practice of emphasizing the regional characteristics of locale or setting, as by stressing local speech.

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Realism

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interest in or concern for the actual or real, as distinguished from the abstract, speculative, etc.

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Naturalism

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manner or technique of treating subject matter that presents, through volume of detail, a deterministic view of human life and actions.

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Modernism

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the movement in Roman Catholic thought that sought to interpret the teachings of the Church in the light of philosophic and scientific conceptions prevalent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries: condemned by Pope Pius X in 1907.

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Imagism

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a theory or practice of a group of poets in England and America between 1909 and 1917 who believed that poetry should employ the language of common speech, create new rhythms, have complete freedom in subject matter, and present a clear, concentrated, and precise image.

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Harlem Renaissance

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a renewal and flourishing of black literary and musical culture during the years after World War I in the Harlem section of New York City.

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postmodernism

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any of a number of trends or movements in the arts and literature developing in the 1970s in reaction to or rejection of the dogma, principles, or practices of established modernism, esp. a movement in architecture and the decorative arts running counter to the practice and influence of the International Style and encouraging the use of elements from historical vernacular styles and often playful illusion, decoration, and complexity.

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Archetype

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the original pattern or from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a or first form; prototype.

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Fool

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a person lacking in judgment or prudence

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Rugged Individualist

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roughly broken individual

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Shrew

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a woman of violent temper and speech; termagant.

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Outsider

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a person not belonging to a particular group, set, party, etc.: Society often regards the artist as an outsider.

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Hero

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a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

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Caretaker

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person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.; superintendent.

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Trickster

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a deceiver; cheat; fraud.

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Resume

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brief written account of personal, educational, and professional qualifications and experience, as that prepared by an applicant for a job.

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Transcript

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written, typewritten, or printed copy; something transcribed or made by transcribing.

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Applicant

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person who applies for or requests something; a candidate: an applicant for a position.

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Residence

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the place, esp. the house, in which a person lives or resides; dwelling place; home: Their residence is in New York City.

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Cover letter

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a letter that accompanies another letter, a package, or the like, to explain, commend, etc.

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Stage Directions

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where you are suppose to be on stage

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Aside

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part of an actor's lines supposedly not heard by others on the stage and intended only for the audience.

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monologue

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a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker: a comedian's monologue.

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Soliloquy

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an utterance or discourse by a person who is talking to himself or herself or is disregardful of or oblivious to any hearers present (often used as a device in drama to disclose a character's innermost thoughts): Hamlet's soliloquy begins with “To be or not to be.”

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Rhetorical Question

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a question asked solely to produce an effect or to make an assertion and not to elicit a reply, as “What is so rare as a day in June?”

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Parallelism

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agreement in direction, tendency, or character; the state or condition of being parallel.