Allegory

A story in which people or things or actions represent an idea or a generalization about life. Allegories usually have a strong lesson or moral.

Alliteration

The repetition of inital consonant sounds in words, such as "Peter Piper picked a pech of pickled peppers."

Allusion

A reference to a familiar person, place, thing or event--for example, Don Juan, brave new world, Everyman, Machiavellian, utopia.

Analogy

A comparison of objects or ideas that appear to be different but are alike in some important way.

Anapestic meter

Meter that is composed of feet that are short short long or unaccented unaccented accented, usually used in light or whimsical poetry, such as a limerick.

Anecdote

A brief story that illustrates or makes a point.

Aphorism

A wise saying, usually shor and written.

Apostrophe

A turn from the general audience to address a specific group of persons or a personified abstraction who is present or absent. For example, in a recent performance of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hamlet turned to the audience and spoke directly to one woman about his father's death.

Assonance

A repetition of the same sound in words close to one another--for example, white stripes.

Blank Verse

Unrhymed verse, often occuring in iambic pentameter.

Caesura

A break in rhythm of language, particularly a natural pause in a line of verse, marked in prosody by a double vertical line. (``)

Characterization

A method an author uses to let readers know more about the characters and their personal traits.