Literary Elements

1. AllegoryLiterary work in which characters, events, objects, and ideas have secondary or symbolic meanings

One of the most popular allegories of the 20th Century was George Orwell's Animal Farm, about farm animals vying for power. On the surface, it is an entertaining story that even children can enjoy.

Beneath the surface, it is the story of ruthless Soviet totalitarianism.

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound into saucy doubts and fears. –Shakespeare

2. Alliteration

Reference to a historical event or to a mythical or literary figure

Describing someone as a "Romeo" makes an allusion to the famous young lover in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.

3. Allusion

A word, phrase, or sentence formed from another by rearranging its letters: “Angel” is an anagram of “glean.”

Example: "President Saddam Hussein" anagrams to "Human disaster dispensed".

4. Anagram

Metrical foot composed pf two short syllables followed by one long one

Example: Seventeen

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house” (Clement Clarke Moore)

5. Anapestic

6. AnaphoraRepetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the

beginning of word groups occurring one after the other

For everything there is a season . . . a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and

a time to pluck up what is planted.

–Bible, Ecclesiastes

7. AnecdoteA little story, often amusing, inserted in an essay or a speech to help reinforce the thesis

8. Antagonist

A character in a writing who goes against the hero

Provides the story’s conflict

9. AntithesisPlacement of contrasting or opposing words,

phrases, clauses, or sentences side by side

I am tall; you are short.  The world will little note nor long remember what we

say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

–Abraham Lincoln, "Gettysburg Address" 

10. ApostropheNot the punctuation markAddressing an abstraction or a thing, present

or absent; addressing an absent entity or person; addressing a deceased person.

Frailty, thy name is woman. –William Shakespeare.

11. Approximate (Near) RhymeAlso known as imperfect rhyme, near rhyme,

slant rhyme, or oblique rhyme. A term used for words in a rhyming pattern

that have some kind of sound correspondence but are not perfect rhymes. Often words at the end of lines at first LOOK like they will rhyme but are not pronounced in perfect rhyme.

Emily Dickinson’s poems are famous for her use of approximate rhyme.

12. ArchetypeA universally understood symbol or term or

pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated

Sometimes noted as stereotypeExamples

The Hero The TricksterThe Wise Old Man The Devil/Satan

Sound similarityRepetition of vowel sounds preceded and followed by different consonant sounds. Use of "bite" and "like" in a line of poetry would constitute assonance.

There are no tricks in plain and simple faith. –Shakespeare

13. Assonance

The omission of conjunctions in sentence constructions in which they would usually be used

14. Asyndeton

Personal viewSomeone’s opinions or feelings about something, especially as shown by their behavior

15. Attitude

Narrative songSong or poem, especially a traditional one or one in a traditional style, telling a story in a number of short regular stanzas, often with a refrain

16. Ballad

A four line stanza (quatrain)

Consisting of alternating four and three stress lines.

Usually only the second and fourth lines rhyme

(a/b/c/b pattern) Often used in hymns

17. Ballad Stanza

A type of poetryHas a regular meter, but no rhyme

Shakespearean plays often use this writing style

18. Blank Verse

Definition: A mix of annoying sounds; dissonance

Harsh letters/syllables arranged by a poet to make the poem sound angry and callous

19. Cacophony

20. CaesuraA pause or interruption in a line of verseUsually marked in the poem by a comma, a

semicolon, a full stop, a dash.Used to make a specific rhyming pattern or a

significant portion of the poem.

21. CaricaturePicture or description that extremely

exaggerates the peculiarities or defects of a person or thing

22. Carpe DiemMeans to “seize the day” or enjoy the dayOften used as a theme in literature

23. ColloquialCharacteristic of ordinary or familiar

conversation rather than formal speech or writing

Informal

24. ConceitIn literature, fanciful or unusual image in which apparently

dissimilar things are shown to have a relationshipPetrarchan conceit, used in love poetry, exploits a particular set of images for

comparisons with the despairing lover and his unpitying but idolized mistress the lover is a ship on a stormy sea, and his mistress "a cloud of dark disdain"; or

else the lady is a sun whose beauty and virtue shine on her lover from a distance Metaphysical conceit is characteristic of seventeenth-century writers influenced by

John Donne, and became popular again in this century after the revival of the metaphysical poets. This type of conceit draws upon a wide range of knowledge, from the commonplace to only be understood or meant for the select few who have special knowledge or interest John Donne's comparison of two souls with two bullets in "The Dissolution"

25. Connotation• An association that comes along

with a particular word• Relate not to a word's actual

meaning but rather to the ideas or qualities that are implied by that word.

The word "snake" simply denotes a reptile.  But it has the connotation of someone who can not be trusted.

26. Consonance

The repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession

Pitt patter

27. Couplet A pair of successive lines of verse that rhymeDecorator Hermit CrabThere was a little hermit crabWho thought his tank was rather drabAt first he didn't know what to doThen decorated with pink and blue.Now he is no longer crabbyWith his new home, he's rather happy!

28. Dactylic

Metrical foot consisting of one long and two short syllables or of one stressed and two unstressed syllables (as in tenderly)

29. DenotationWord that names or signifies something specific; a word’s literal meaning

The “dictionary definition”

The word "snake" simply denotes a reptile.  But it has the connotation of someone who can not be trusted.

30. DenouementIn French it means the "unraveling" or

"unknotting" of the story

The outcome or resolution of the plot, occurring after the climax

31. Dialect  A regional or social variety of a language

distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a way of speaking that differs from the standard variety of the language

South: "Y'all“ South: “Howdy”North: "You guys“ North: “Hello”

South: "Fixin' to“ South: “Twixt”North: "About to“ North: “Between”

32. DictionStyle of speaking or writing as dependent  upon choice of words

33. Dramatic MonologueWhen a character

speaks out loud that reveals his/her thoughts are feelings. Usually addressed to the reader or a presumed listener.

34. ElegyA somber poem or

song that praises or laments the dead.

35. End rhymeRhymes that occur

at the end of a verse.

DockClock

36. EnjambmentThe continuation from one line or couplet of a

poem to the next with no pause.

This you couldn’t believe. It was a manWho didn’t think for himself, and never had a

plan.

37. EpicAn epic is a narrative poem that tells the

story of a character who has heroic traits. In the lengthened poem, the hero takes on values of a society.

An example of an epic is The Odyssey by Homer.

38. EthosTerm used in argumentative/persuasive

writingEthos (Greek for 'character') refers to the

trustworthiness or credibility of the writer or speaker. Ethos is often conveyed through tone and style of the message and through the way the writer or speaker refers to differing views. It can also be affected by the writer's reputation as it exists independently from the message--his or her expertise in the field, his or her previous record or integrity, and so forth. The impact of ethos is often called the argument's 'ethical appeal' or the 'appeal from credibility.'

39. EuphonyA euphony is a series of words that are

pleasing to the ear. They are usually in harmony.

40. ExpositionAn exposition is when the reader is exposed

to the background needed to understand the novel.

It explains the setting, characters, and the problems.

41. Extended metaphorAn extended metaphor is different from a

normal metaphor because it is explained in a few lines with more than one example.

42. FableA brief story illustrating human

tendencies through animal characters. Unlike the parables, fables often include talking animals or animated objects as the principal characters. The interaction of these animals or objects reveals general truths about human nature.

“The Tortoise and the Hare” is an example of a fable.

43. Falling ActionThe sequence of events that follow the climax

and end in the resolution

44. FarceA farce is a form of low comedy designed to

provoke laughter through highly exaggerated caricatures of people in improbable or silly situations.

Traits of farce include (1) physical bustle such as slapstick(2) sexual misunderstandings and mix-ups(3) broad verbal humor such as puns

45. FlashbackA method of narration in which present

action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events--usually in the form of a character's memories, dreams, narration, or even authorial commentary

Flashback allows an author to fill in the reader about a place or a character, or it can be used to delay important details until just before a dramatic moment.

46. Foreshadowing

• The use of hints and clues in order to suggest an upcoming plot event

47. Formal Diction

• Very proper choice of words and phrases following the rules of grammar and etiquette closely. Used to convey a lofty tone

48. Free Verse

Form of poetry characterized by its natural rhythms and cadence rather than having a fixed structure

49. Genre

• Term used to classify forms of literature into respective categories

• E.g. novel, essay, comedy, etc

Definition:Is an intentional exaggeration used for effect.

Example:“My sister uses so much makeup, she has to

use a sandblaster to get it off at night”

Definition:of, relating to, consisting of, or using an

iamb or iambs (a foot of two syllables, the first short or unstressed, the second long or stressed.)

The da-DUM of a human heartbeat is the most common example of this rhythm

Definition: The use of vivid or figurative language

to represent objects, actions, or ideas.

Example:“From the family tree of old school hip

hop Kick off your shoes and relax your socks

The rhymes will spread just like a pox Cause the music is live like an electric shock”

--Beastie Boys

Definition:(Latin)- In or into the middle of a sequence

of events, as in a literary narrative.

Example:A murder story starts after the person is

murdered. The story then gradually reveals why and how the murder took place.

54. Informal Diction

Language that is not as structured or formal; it is more like everyday speech.

Ex. Abbreviating words or shortening them like T.V.

Using I, me, my, etc.

55. Internal Rhyme

Rhyme that occurs within a line.

Ex. The cat sat on the mat.

56. Irony

An outcome of events or words contrary to what was, or might have been, expected

There are three types: situational, dramatic, verbal

Ex. In 1912, the Titanic was said to be unsinkable, but on its maiden voyage, it sank.

57. Jargon

Jargon is the special language of a certain group or profession, such as psychological jargon, legal jargon, or medical jargon.

Ex. An example of internet jargon would be OMG or BTW.

58. Juxtaposition“Juxtaposition” literally means to place side by side. In a literary sense it has the same idea, but it is the act of

positioning close together words, phrases, or ideas in order to compare or contrast.

The purpose of this literary device is to accentuate the relationship between the two ideas and to create an insightful meaning.“Wealth and poverty, guilt and grief, orange and apple, God and Satan; let

us settle ourselves and work and wedge our feet downward through the mud and the slush of opinion, and prejudice, and tradition, and delusion, and appearance..”

--Henry David Thoreau

59. LogosUsed in argumentative/persuasive

writingLogos (Greek for 'word') refers to the

internal consistency of the message--the clarity of the claim, the logic of its reasons, and the effectiveness of its supporting evidence. The impact of logos on an audience is sometimes called the argument's logical appeal.

60. Limited point of viewA limited point of view only follows one

character, in either first or third person point of view.

Due to the limited view, the reader does not know what the other characters are thinking and can only follow the narrator.

61. Litotes (Lie-toe-tees)A figure of speech, and also a form of irony,

where an understatement is expressed by negating the opposite.

“They aren’t the happiest people around” would be an example.

62. LyricA song-like poem written mainly to express

the feelings of emotions or thought from a particular person.

Lyric poems are generally short and express vivid imagination as well as emotion.

63. MetaphorComparing one thing to an unlike thing

without using like, as or than.The assignment was a breeze.Her home is a prison.

64. Meter

In verse and poetry, meter is a recurring pattern of stressed (accented, or long) and unstressed (unaccented, or short) syllables in lines of a set length

That time | of year | thou mayst | in me | behold

iambic pentameter (5 iambs, 10 syllables)

Tell me | not in | mournful | numberstrochaic tetrameter (4 trochees, 8

syllables)

65. Metonymy [mi-ton-uh-mee]

A figure of speech in which something closely related to an object is substituted for the object itself.

• Ex.: The history department needs new blood (instead of new teachers).

66. MoodThe atmosphere or feeling that the reader experiences when reading a passage

Suggested by descriptive details

67. MotifA recurring subject, theme, idea, etc. in a literary work

68. Narrative StructureStructural framework that underlies the order and manner in which a narrative is presented to a readerLinearNonlinear

69. NarratorA person who tells the story in a certain piece

of literature

70. Occasional PoemPoem written for a particular occasion, such

as a dedication, birthday, or victory

71. OdeIn ancient Greece, a lyric poem on a serious

subject that develops its theme with dignified language intended to be sung

72. Omniscient Point of ViewOmniscient" means "all-knowing."

An omniscient narrator can see and report everything. The telling of the story can reveal actions performed by any character, tell the thoughts of any character, and show events from the perspective of any character. The reader might be able to see inside the mind and motivations of all the characters.

73. OnomatopoeiaFigure of speech in which

(1) a word mimics a sound (2) an arrangement of words in a rhythmic

pattern suggests a sound or an image burp, varoom, oink, crackle, moo, hiss, gong,

thud, splash, zip, creak, boom, slurp, crunch, quack, twitter, honk, hoot, squeak, buzz, and zoom

74. Oxymoron & 76. ParadoxThese two terms are closely related and often

confused.It’s like telling the difference between a crocodile

and an alligator. Follow the definitions and examples of these two

terms to be able to note the difference

74. OxymoronPhrases that often contradict themselvesAlmost always consist of at least two wordsLook at the first word and then the second and see

if they mean two completely different things

Jumbo ShrimpReal Imitation Leather

ICY HOT

76. ParadoxParadoxes are much, much different, in that they

often require many words, even a whole paragraph to explain them.

A self-contradictory and false proposition

"If there is an exception to every rule, then every rule must have at least one exception; the exception to this one being that it has no exception."

75. ParableA short allegorical story designed to illustrate or

teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson

The Good Samaritan

77. Parallel StructureUses the same patterns of words to show that two

or more ideas have the same level of importance.

Usual way to join parallel structures is with the use of coordinating conjunctions such as “and” or “or”.

768. Parody

A humorous or ironic imitation of a serious piece of literature or writing

Weird Al Yankovich’s song “Eat It” poked fun at Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”

79. PathosUsed in argumentative/persuasive writing [P]athos (Greek for 'suffering' or 'experience') is often

associated with emotional appeal. But a better equivalent might be 'appeal to the audience's sympathies and imagination.' An appeal to pathos causes an audience not just to respond emotionally but to identify with the writer's point of view--to feel what the writer feels. In this sense, pathos evokes a meaning implicit in the verb 'to suffer'--to feel pain imaginatively.... Perhaps the most common way of conveying a pathetic appeal is through narrative or story, which can turn the abstractions of logic into something palpable and present. The values, beliefs, and understandings of the writer are implicit in the story and conveyed imaginatively to the reader. Pathos thus refers to both the emotional and the imaginative impact of the message on an audience, the power with which the writer's message moves the audience to decision or action.

80. PentameterA line of verse containing five metrical feet

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?....1.............. 2.................3..............4................ 5

Shall.I..|..com.PARE..|..thee.TO..|..a.SUM..|..mer’s DAY?

81. Persona the narrator of or a character in a literary

work, sometimes identified with the author

82. PersonificationA figure of speech (generally considered a

type of metaphor) in which an inanimate object or abstraction is given human qualities or abilities.

"Unseen, in the background, Fate was quietly slipping the lead into the boxing gloves."(P.G. Wodehouse)

"Oreo: Milk’s favorite cookie."

83. Plot

RISING ACTIO

N

CLIMAXFALLING ACTION

RESOLUTION/ DENOUMENT

EXPOSITION

The events that unfold in a story; the action and direction of a story; the story line.

84. ProtagonistThe leader characterA hero or heroine of a drama or other literary

work

85. QuatrainStanza or poem of four lines, usually with alternate

rhymesUsually has a rhyme scheme, such as abab, abba, or

abcb

The Mountain (Donna Brock)

The mountain frames the skyAs a shadow of an eagle flies by.With clouds hanging at its edgeA climber proves his courage on its rocky

ledge.

86. RealismA literature movement that stressed the

presentation of life as it is, without embellishment or idealization

Chiefly concerned with the commonplaces of everyday life among the middle and lower classes, where character is a product of social factors and environment is the integral element in the dramatic complications

87. Refrain Group of words repeated at key intervals in a poem

The Cruel SisterThere lived a lady by the North Sea shore,

Lay the bent to the bonny broom Two daughters were the babes she bore.

Fa la la la la la la la la. As one grew bright as is the sun,

Lay the bent to the bonny broom So coal black grew the other one.

Fa la la la la la la la.

88. RHETORICAL QUESTION

DEFINTION: A question that is not expected to be answered.

EXAMPLES: “Who knows?” “Do bears live in the woods?”

“Is the Pope Catholic?”

89. Rhyme SchemeDEFINTION:

A pattern established by the arrangement of rhymes in a stanza of a poem or a song.

FOR EXAMPLE: ABAB indicates a four line stanza where the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth rhyme.

Bid me to weep, While I have eyes to see. And having none, yet I will keep.A heart to weep for thee.

90. Rhythm DEFINTION:

A continuous and reoccurring beat Rhythm is most the most important element in

music. Shows significance in poems because poetry is

intense and sometimes emotional.

91. Rising Action DEFINITION:

A series of events that lead to the climax of a story

Usually the conflicts of the protagonist

92. Sarcasm - - - An ironic remark used to mock or taunt

Example:

“Oh, a sarcasm detector. That’s a really useful

invention!”(Comic Book Guy, The Simpsons)

93. Satire - - - A play, novel, etc. that uses irony to ridicule

Example:

Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 ridicules things such

as war, military, and communism.

94. Scansion- - - Identifying a poem’s rhyme and

meter

Example:

Rhythms: Monometer, Dimeter, Trimeter, Tetrameter, Pentameter, Hexameter, Heptameter, or Octometer

Meters: Iambic, Anapest, Trochaic, Dactyl

95. SentimentalityA flaw in a literary work or film in which the

author relies on tear-jerking or heart-wrenching scenes rather than writing talent or cinematic skill to evoke a response in readers

96. SestinaDefinition: a poem of six, six-line stanzas and a three-line

envoy, originally without rhyme, in which each stanza repeats the end words of the lines of the first stanza, but in different order, the envoy using the six words again, three in the middle of the lines and three at the end.

Example:“Homes” by Charlotte Anna Perkins Gilman

97. SettingDefinition:the locale or period in which the action of a

novel, play, film, etc., takes place

Example:The foggy air made the malevolent mood of the

night carry out through the mysterious woods.

98. Shaped VerseDefinition:A verse shaped in a way that it works with the

other verses to make a physical object

Example:

99. SimileDefinition:Figure of speech in which two unlike things are

explicitly compared using “like” or “as”

Example:Joseph’s cheeks turned red like the skin on an

apple.

100. Soliloquy

Recitation in a play in which a character reveals his thoughts to the audience but not to other characters in the play

101. Sonnet

Form of lyric poetry invented in Italy that has 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme

102. Speaker

Person who tells the story to the audience

Term usually associated with poetry

103. StanzaLines that form a division or unit of a poemIt is like a paragraph of a poem

104. StereotypeCharacter who thinks or acts according to

certain unvarying patterns simply because of his or her racial, ethnic, religious, or social background

Usually an image that society projects or imposes on every member of a group as a result of prejudice or faulty information

105. Stock CharacterA familiar character who is the same type in

every playThese characters are based on what it has

done or said in a previous play

The hero, the villain, the clever servant, the fool, and the heroine are expected to look and act the same in every play

106. StructureFramework of a work of literature; the

organization or over-all design of a work

107. StyleThe way an author writes a literary work

The choice of words and phrases The structure of sentences The length of paragraphs The tone of the work, etc.

108. SymbolismPerson, place, thing or idea that represents

something else Snake (evil) Eagle (strength) Flag (patriotism) Sea (life)

109. Synecdoche [si-nek-duh-kee]

The substitution of a part for the whole (or vice versa).

Ex.: Five hundred hands were needed to build the bridge.

109. Syntax

The study of the patterns of formation of sentences and phrases from words

111. Theme

Idea or message about life, society, or human nature

Rarely stated; mostly implied

112. Tone

The attitude that an author takes toward the audience, the subject, or the character

Conveyed through the author's words and details

113. Tragedy

Verse drama written in elevated language in which a noble protagonist falls to ruin during a struggle caused by a flaw in his character or an error in his rulings or judgments

114. Trochaic

A kind of metrical foot. A trochee (the adjective is "trochaic") is a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one: Róund abóut the cáuldron gó,

Ín the póisoned éntrails thrów.

115. Villanelle

A verse form of French origin consisting of 19 lines arranged in five tercets and a quatrain.

The first and third lines of the first tercet reoccur alternately at the end of each subsequent tercet and both together at the end of the quatrain

Example: “The House on the Hill”

Edgar Arlington Robinson

116. Voice

Voice is the author's style, the quality that makes his or her writing unique, and which conveys the author's attitude, personality, and character