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Grade 7-10 Literary Terms
N/A
75
English
12th Grade
09/12/2010

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Cards

Term
ALLITERATION
Definition
the repetition of sounds in nearby words, usually involving the first consonant sounds
Term
ANTAGONIST
Definition

The force opposing the main character in a story (could be a person, thing, nature etc.)

ex: Joker is Batman's antagonist

Term
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Definition
A person's account of his or her own life
Term
BIOGRAPHY
Definition
a detailed accout if a person's life written by another person
Term
BLANK VERSE
Definition

Unrhymed (10 beats/line, every second syllable stressed) Found in much of Shakespeares work

ex: so long as men can breathe or eyes can see

so long lives thins and this gives life to thee

Term
STATIC CHARACTER
Definition
doesn't change in the course of the story
Term
DYNAMIC CHARACTER
Definition
changes, he/she is affected by the events in the story
Term
FLAT CHARACTER
Definition
is one who is presented as having only one single side/trait and whose behaviour is predectable
Term
ROUND CHARACTER
Definition
portrayed as many-sided and therefore as believeable, as a person in real life
Term
STOCK CHARACTER
Definition
familiar steryotypical figure who appears regularly in literature, such as - the wicked landlord, the dumb blond, the scientist etc.
Term
CONSISTENT CHARACTER
Definition
one whos continuous actions conform to what the author has already revealed about him/her
Term
CLIMAX
Definition
the point of greatest intensity, interest or suspense in a story.
Term
CONCRETE POEM
Definition
a poem written in a special shape, usually suggests the poem's subject
Term
CONFLICT
Definition

struggle between two opposing forces or characters. May be external,internal and may take the form of

 

person vs. person

person vs. society

person vs. nature

two elements within a person struggling for mastery

Term
COUPLET
Definition
two consecutive lines of poetry that connect together usually by rhyme
Term
DENOUEMENT
Definition
final unravelling of the plot following the mahor climax where mysteries are cleared up etc.
Term
DIALOGUE
Definition
spoken words between two or more characters in a story
Term
EPIC
Definition
a long narrative poem telling about the deeds of a great hero and reflecting the values of the society from with it originated
Term
FLASHBACK
Definition
a scene in a piece of literature that interrupts the action to show an event that happened earlier
Term
FORESHADOWING
Definition
an indication of something that may happen later in the story
Term
FREE VERSE
Definition
poetry which has no regular patterns of rhyme, meter or line length
Term
VERBAL IRONY
Definition
a difference between what is said and what is meant. The speaker says the opposite of what is meant
Term
SITUATIONAL IRONY
Definition
a differnce vetween what happens adn what was expected to happen
Term
DRAMATIC IRONY
Definition
the difference between what the audience knows and what the character knows to be true
Term
METAPOHOR
Definition
the comparison of two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'
Term
MYTH
Definition
usually a story about a god, or gods that is intended to explain something unknowable
Term
NARRATIVE POEM
Definition
a poen that tells a story (balls and epics)
Term
NARRATOR
Definition
the person who tells the story.
Term
ONOMATOPOEIA
Definition

word that suggests is meaning

ex: ouch, buzz, snarl, groan

Term
PERSONIFICATION
Definition
giving non-human things human characteristics
Term
PLOT
Definition
the events that hapeen in a story
Term
POINT OF VIEW - FIRST PERSON
Definition
person tells his/her own story directly
Term

POINT OF VIEW - THIRD PERSON

OMNISCIENT

LIMITED

Definition

someone outside the story tells it, referring to main characters as 'he' or 'she'

 

all knowing, can tell all bout all characters actions and thoughts

 

tell story from the limited point of view only one person in the story

Term
PROSE
Definition
writing in normal sentences and paragraphs
Term
PROTAGONIST
Definition
main character of the story
Term
RHYME
Definition
the placing fo words with similar end sounds reasonably close together to emphasize the similarity of their sounds.
Term
RHYME SCHEME
Definition
pattern of rhyme within a stanza or poem, usually shown by marking each similar sounnd witht he same letter of alphabet
Term
SETTING
Definition
the time and place which the events in a story occur
Term
SIMILE
Definition
comparison of 2 unlike things using 'like' or 'as'
Term
SOLILOQUY
Definition
speech delivered to character alone on stage
Term
SONNET
Definition

lyrical poem consisting of 14 lines there are 2 different kinds

 

a) English/Shakespearean: 3 4 line stnzas abab cdcd efef gg

 

b)Italian (Petrarchan)

Term
SUSPENSE
Definition
the quality of story that makes the reader uncertain about the outcome
Term
THEME
Definition
main idea of the sotry, often expressed an insight about like in general or about human behaviour. May be expressed directly of implied;
Term
STANZA
Definition
grouping of several lines of a poem
Term
VERSE
Definition
another name for poetry (also sometimes means a stanza of a poem)
Term
CLICHE
Definition
an overused, tired expression
Term
CONNOTATION
Definition

the feeling or meanings suggested by a word

'frugal' (positive) and 'cheap' (negative)

Term
DIALECT
Definition
the speech of a particular region or area, like New York, souther USA, etc.
Term
FIGURATIVE MEANING
Definition

an understoof meaning of a phrase

'let's hit the road' is understood figuratively to mean 'lets get going'

Term
HYPERBOLE
Definition

and exaggeration not intended to deceive.

'if i don't do my homework, my mom well kill me'

'he must have weighed a ton'

Term
IMAGERY
Definition
using words to create a stron picture or image in the reader's mind.
Term
METAPHOR (EXTENDED)
Definition
a comparison that is used throughout the poem or story to continue showing added similarities betweem 2 things
Term
METAPHOR (MIXED)
Definition

where the comparison changes part way through the example

'my hockey stick was singing a beautiful tune untilt he third period, and then it went off the road into the ditch'

Term

PUN

HOMONYMS

HOMOPHONES

Definition

playing with the sound or meaning of words for humorous effect. can be created by the use of:

 

a) word for which 2 meanings can be suggested "ask me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man" (grave meaning both serious and burried)

 

b)words with similar sounds. "authorities suspect foul (fowl) play"

 

Term
SARCASM
Definition
a scornful, taunting manner of speech that uses verbal irony to achieve it's purpose
Term
ALLEGORY
Definition
objects and characters in the story represent a second level of meaning besides the surface story
Term
ANARCHRONISM
Definition
something places in an inappropriate period of time
Term
ANALOGY
Definition

showing a resemblance or comparison between 2 different things

showing how an eyeball works like camera

Term
APHORISM
Definition

short statement of truth, ususally clever and concise

'still waters run deep'

Term
ASIDE
Definition
in drama, lines spoken by a character in a lower voice, or directly to the audience. Meant to be heard by the audience only
Term
EPILOGUE
Definition
a short addition or conclusion at the end on literary work
Term
EPIGRAM
Definition

short, witty poem or statement

'i can resist everything except temptation'

Term
EPITAH
Definition
a serious or humorous poem on a gravestone
Term
ESSAY
Definition
a short composition that deals with a subject in a limited way and expresses a particular point of view
Term
EUPHEMISM
Definition

the substitution of a mild word or phrase for another felt to be too blunt or painful

ex: 'passed away' for 'died'

Term
FABLE
Definition
the pleasant, musical qualitiy produced by agreeable sounds in a line of poetry
Term
FIGURE OF SPEECH
Definition
the special use of language where a word of expression is not meant to be taken in the literal sense, often shows comparison between unlike things.
Term
FOIL
Definition
a character whose behaviour, attitudes, or opinions contrast with those of the protagonist. Helps us better understand the main character
Term
IMPLY
Definition
to suggest something without directly saying it
Term
MOTIVATION
Definition
tne conscious or uncounscious need, drive or incentive that casues a character to behave in a certain way
Term
OXYMORON
Definition

a phrase consisting of contradictory terms

'glorious pain, safe sex, jumbo shrimp'

Term
PROLOGUE
Definition
an opening section of a longer work, usually intended to introduce some significant background to the audience
Term
RHYTHM
Definition
a pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds in a poem. 4 main rhythm patterns
Term
STEROTYPE
Definition
a conventional mental image, especially a biased, gereralized image of the characteristics of an ethinic or social group
Term
WIT
Definition
a brilliance and quickness of understanding, combined with a cleverness of expression.
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