Download Common Literary Terms 1. Abstract- a general term, referring to a

Common Literary Terms
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Abstract- a general term, referring to a broad concept
Absurdity- Writing that is silly or ridiculous and contrary to reason
Adjective- a word that qualifies, describes, defines, or limits a noun or a pronoun
Adventure story- a story that centers on exciting action and/or danger (Most Dangerous Game;
Treasure Island)
Alliteration- the repetition of the same initial consonant sounds
Allusion- a reference to another work of literature, art, history, current event, famous person,
or place
Analogy- a comparison between two seemingly dissimilar things. Usually used to introduce
something unfamiliar
Anaphora- repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or
lines to add emphasis
Anecdote- a brief story used to illustrate a point or claim
Annotation- the act of noting observations directly on a text, especially anything striking or
confusing, in order to record ideas and impressions for later
Antagonist- the person or force that works against the hero
Antithesis- opposition, or contrast, of ideas or words in a parallel construction (We
shall…support any friend, oppose any foe…)
Aside- In drama, where actors speak briefly to the audience, supposedly without being heard by
the other actors on stage
Assonance- the repletion of vowel sounds in a sequence of words (That church so lone, the logbuilt one,/That echoed to many a parting groan/And natural prayer/Of dying foeman mingled
there.)
Atmosphere- The feeling created for the reader by a work of literature. Atmosphere can be
created by many things, but especially style, tone, and setting. Synonymous with mood.
Audience- the listener, viewer, or reader of a text.
Autobiography- an account of a person’s life or event in their life written by that person
Ballad- a sung poem, usually recounting a dramatic story
Biography- an account of a person’s life written by someone else
Blank verse- unrhymed iambic pentameter (u/u/u/u/u/), most commonly used verse form in
English because it is the verse form that comes closest to natural patterns of speaking in
English. (This is my son, mine own Telemachus,/To whom I leave the scepter and the isle--/ Wellloved of me, discerning to fulfill)
Blog- a portmanteau of the term web log, is a journal, discussion, or informational site
published on the World Wide Web
Character- a person depicted in a narrative
Main character- the most important character in the story, often the protagonist
Minor character- Other characters who interact with the main character and help move
the story along
Dynamic character- a character who changes because of what happens to him/her
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Static character- a character who stays the same throughout a story; does not grow;
also called a flat character
Round character- a character exhibiting a range of emotions and who evolves over the
course of the story; also called a dynamic character
Flat character- a character embodying only one or two traits and who lacks character
development; also called a static character
Stock character- a type of flat character who falls into an immediately recognizable
category or type (absent-minded professor); often used for humor or satire
Secondary character- a supporting character; while not prominent or central as the
main character, he or she is important to the events of the story or play
Tragic character- a character who possesses a flaw or commits an error in judgment that
leads to his or her downfall and/or a reversal of fortune
Characterization- creation and development of a character; often the reader learns about the
character through description, dialogue, actions, or reactions. Basically, there are three
methods of characterization:
Direct description- of physical appearance and explanation of character traits and
attributes. This description may occur either in an introduction or in statements
distributed throughout the work. Essentially, the author tells the reader what sort of
person the character is.
Presentation of the character- in action, without interpretive comment by the author.
Essentially, the author shows the reader what sort of person the character is through
what the character says and does and what is said and done by other characters.
Representation of the character’s inner self. The author describes the thoughts and
emotions triggered in the character, usually a result of the author’s choice of point of
view.
Chronology- the use of time order to create change or make a point in prose or poetry
Cliché- an expression that has been used so often it has lost its freshness and precision
Climax - the turning point in the story; most intense or suspenseful part of the story
Comedy- a light-hearted drama; may involve a conflict, but its outcome will not be tragic; main
purpose is to make the audience laugh
Comic relief- inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise
serious work, often to relieve tension
Complication- a situation or detail of a character complicating the main thread of a plot
Concrete poem – a poem that forms a picture of the topic or follows the contours of a shape
that is suggested by the topic
Conflict- the struggle the character must overcome. It produces tension and drives the action
of the plot. There are four main types of conflict:
Man vs Man- a character struggles with one or more other characters
Man vs Nature- a character struggles with some force of nature
Man vs Self- a character struggles with his or her own personal issue(s)
Man vs Society- a character struggles with the law or some other aspects of society
Internal conflict- a conflict or struggle within a character
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External conflict- the character is pitted against an outside force, such as nature,
obstacle, or another character
Connotation- the attitudes and feelings associated with a word or phrase versus its dictionary
meaning
Consonance- a poetic device characterized by the repetition of the same consonant two or
more times in short succession(pitter patter)
Couplet- a rhyming pair of lines
Denotation- the literal definition of a word, often referred to as the “dictionary definition”
Denouement- (pronounced day-noo-moh) in this part of a story’s plot, the conflict has been
resolved and balance is restored to the story (resolution)
Description- this is writing that helps a reader to picture scenes, events, and characters. To
create descriptions writers use imagery and figurative language. The use of precise nouns,
verbs, etc. and carefully selected details create a clear description
Dialect- dialogue or narration written to simulate regional or cultural speech patterns
Dialogue- the written depiction of conversation between characters
Diary (Journal/Blog)- a written record of a person’s experiences and thoughts; usually not
created for others to read
Diction- A writer’s choice of words. In addition to choosing words with precise denotations and
connotations, an author must choose whether to use words that are abstract or concrete,
formal or informal, or literal or figurative
Drama- stories written to be performed
Edit- to prepare for publication or presentation, as correcting, revision, or adapting
Elegy- a poem on death and mortality, often written for someone who has died
Enjambment- a poetic technique in which one line ends without a pause and must continue on
to the next line to complete its meaning; also referred to as a “run-on line”
Epic- long narrative poem, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero
Epigram- a short, witty statement designed to surprise an audience or a reader
Epigraph- a quotation preceding a work of literature that helps set the text’s mood or suggests
its themes
Epiphany- a character’s transformative moment of realization
Essay- a composition that expresses an author’s opinion or analyzes a subject; expository or
persuasive
Ethos- Greek for “character.” Speakers appeal to ethos to demonstrate that they are credible
and trustworthy. Ethos is established by both who you are and what you say.
Exposition- gives the background information, tells where the story takes place, and usually
introduces the characters
Expository essay (writing)- presents facts and explains them in detail (encyclopedia entries and
books)
Fables- short stories that teach a moral lesson; mostly associated with a Greek slave named
Aesop who lived around 600 B.C.
Falling action- explains the result of the climax, puts things in place
56. Fantasy stories- contain characters and events that could not exist in real life and have no real
basis in science
57. Fiction- is written from an author’s imagination and is usually intended to entertain; short story
or novel
58. Figurative language (figure of speech)- nonliteral language, often evoking strong imagery,
figures of speech often compare on thing to another either explicitly (simile) or implicitly
(metaphor). Other forms of figurative language include personification, paradox, hyperbole,
understatement, etc.
59. Flashback- a scene in a narrative that is set in an earlier time than the main action
60. Foil- a contrasting character who allows the protagonist to stand out more distinctly
61. Folklore- the traditional songs, legends, literature, beliefs, crafts, and customs of a people
usually passed from one generation to the next by word of mouth and not written down until
collected by a scholar
62. Folk tales- are stories from long ago, usually passed on by word of mouth
63. Form- the way a poem is laid out on the page, length, placement and grouping of lines
64. Foreshadowing- a plot device in which future events are hinted at
65. Free verse- a form of poetry that does not have a regular rhythm or rhyme scheme
66. Genre- a literary type or form. Drama is a genre of literature
67. Gothic- a form of literature characterized by mystery, horror, and the supernatural (Gothic
novel, gothic short story, Southern gothic)
68. Haiku- a lyric poem originating in Japan, usually three lines long, containing exactly 17 syllables
(line one- five syllables, line two- seven syllables, line three- five syllables)
69. Historical fiction- is based on actual people, events, or periods in history, but they may contain
made-up characters
70. History- a written, factual record of the past
71. Hubris- the Greek word for pride or insolence. It usually leads to a hero’s tragic downfall
72. Humor- anything that causes laughter or amusement
73. Hyperbole- exaggeration or overstatement; not intended to be taken literally
74. Iambic pentameter- a line of poetry consisting of five iambic feet ( u / u / u / u / u /)
75. Idiom- an expression peculiar to a language, it won’t translate literally
76. Image- language referring to something that can be perceived through one or more of the five
senses- sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch
77. Imagery- language that appeals to the senses, a mental picture
78. Incident- an event or episode in a work of fiction that moves the plot forward and reveals
character
79. Inference- a general conclusion drawn from particulars/events
80. Innuendo- an insinuation; hint of something derogatory; satire
81. Irony-a contrast between appearances and reality- usually one in which reality is the opposite
of what is expected; a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing
but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected
Dramatic irony- tension created by the contrast between what a character says or
thinks and what the audience or readers know to be true, as a result of this technique,
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some words and actions in a story or play take on a different meaning for the reader
than they do for the characters
Situational irony- a pointed discrepancy between what seems fitting or expected in a
story and what actually happens
Verbal irony- a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing
but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected,
creating a noticeable incongruity. Sarcasm involves verbal irony.
Juxtaposition- placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences
Limerick- a five lined poem, usually humorous. Consisting of the first, second, and fifth lines
rhyming, while the third and fourth lines rhyme
Line- one single unit of poetry
Logos- Greek for “embodied thought.” Speakers appeal to logos, or reason, by offering clear,
rational ideas and using specific details, examples, facts, statistics, or expert testimony to back
them up
Lyric poetry- a poem that expresses emotions or thought
Metaphor-a figure of speech that compares two or more things without using like or as
Meter- the reoccurrence of a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
Anapestic- a metrical foot consisting of three syllables, two unaccented followed by on
accented syllable (uu/)
Dactylic-foot of three syllables, accented on the first (/ u u)
Iambic- a metrical foot consisting of two syllables, an unaccented syllable followed by
an accented syllable (u /)
Trochaic- foot of two syllables, accented on the first (/ u)
Metonymy- figure of speech in which something is represented by another thing that is related
or emblematic of it (the pen is mightier than the sword)
Monologue (soliloquy)-In a play, a speech given by one person
Mood- the feeling the reader gets from the story. It is created by the author’s use of specific
words. Does not necessarily have to do with the feelings of the characters
Motif- a recurring pattern of images, words, or symbols that reveals a theme in a work of
literature
Motivation- the instance or reason to act in a particular manner
Mysteries- stories based on puzzling crimes; must use common sense and intelligence to solve
the crime
Myths- stories from long ago used to explain natural occurrences that were puzzling to people
long ago; involves gods, goddesses, heroes, and fierce creatures
Narrative- a story, can be written in prose or verse
Narrative poetry- a poem that tells a story. Can be plot mapped (exposition, rising action,
climax, falling action, resolution, characters, setting, conflict, etc)
Narrator- the character or persona that the author uses to tell a narrative or story. Narrators
may tell stories from several points of view
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Objective narrator- a narrator/character who recounts only what characters say
and do, offering no insight to their thinking or analysis of events. All
interpretation is left to the reader (The Lottery by Shirley Jackson)
Unreliable narrator- a narrator who is biased and doesn’t give a full or accurate
picture of the events in a narrative. A character can be unreliable because of
youth, inexperience, madness, intention or unintentional bias, or even a lack of
morals. Authors often use this technique to distinguish the character’s point of
view from their own. Sometimes an author will use an unreliable narrator to
make a point.
Non-fiction- is factual writing which provides information about a particular topic
Novel- a long (book length) fictional story; plot and characters are usually more
complicated
Novella- a short novel, from the Italian word meaning “story”
Ode-a lyric poem typically of elaborate or irregular metrical form and expressive of
exalted or enthusiastic emotion. 2. (originally) a poem intended to be sung
Onomatopoeia- the formation of a word , as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by
imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent
Oxymoron- a figure of speech in which a paradox is made of two seemingly
contradictory words (jumbo shrimp, peaceful revolution)
Paradox- a statement that seem contradictory but actually is not
Parallel structure (parallelism)-This term refers to the repeated use of similar
grammatical structure (words, phrases, or clauses) for the purpose of emphasis
Parody- a comic or satiric imitation of a particular literary work or style
Passive voice- a sentence uses passive voice when the subject doesn’t act but is acted
on
Pastoral- literature that employs a romanticized description of leisurely farm or rural life
Pathos- Greek for “suffering” or “experience.” Speakers appeal to pathos to emotionally
motivate their audience. More specific appeals to pathos might play on the audience’s
values, desires, and hopes, on one hand, or fears and prejudices, on the other.
Pattern poem (concrete)- verse that is arranged in an unusual shape on the page so as
to suggest some object or movement matching the ideas or mood
Persuasive essay (writing)- an attempt to convince readers to agree with the author’s
opinion or point of view (editorials and reviews)
Personification-a figure of speech in which an animal or an inanimate object is imbued
with human qualities
Plot- events that occur in a story
Poem- a composition in usually in verse, especially one that is characterized by a highly
developed artistic form and by the use of heightened language and rhythm to express
feelings or emotions; compact writing containing one or more poetic elements
Poetic elements- devices used to create a poem (metaphor, simile, personification,
imagery, alliteration, etc. )
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Poetry-literary works usually written in verse, in particular verse writing of high quality,
great beauty, emotional sincerity or intensity, or profound insight
Dramatic poetry-a form of writing that expresses emotional feelings, usually
meant to be spoken or sung aloud
Lyrical poetry- a poem that expresses personal or emotional feelings, usually in
the present tense
Narrative poetry- a poem that tells a story; it can be plot mapped
Prose poetry- a blending of prose and poetry, usually resembling prose in its use
of sentences without line breaks, and poetry in its use of poetic devices
Point-of-view- the perspective from which a story, work, is told
1st person- Told by a narrator who is a character in the story and who refers to
him or herself as “I”
1st person unreliable- a narrator who is biased and doesn’t give a full or
accurate picture of the events in a narrative. A character can be unreliable
because of youth, inexperience, madness, intention or unintentional bias, or
even a lack of morals. Authors often use this technique to distinguish the
character’s point of view from their own. Sometimes an author will use an
unreliable narrator to make a point
2nd person- Though rare, some stories are told using second-person pronouns
(you). This casts the reader as a character in the story.
3rd person limited- told by the narrator who relates the action using third
person pronouns (he, she, it). This narrator is usually privy to the thoughts and
actions of only one character.
3rd person omniscient- told by the narrator using third person pronouns. This
narrator is privy to the thoughts and actions of all the characters in the story
Objective narrator- a narrator/character who recounts only what characters say
and do, offering no insight to their thinking or analysis of events. All
interpretation is left to the reader (The Lottery by Shirley Jackson)
Prop (Theatrical Property)- any object used onstage by an actor
Propaganda- the spread of ideas and information to further a cause. In its negative
sense, it is the use of rumors, lies, disinformation, and scare tactics in or to damage or
promote a cause
Prose- the ordinary form of spoken or written language , without metrical structure, as
distinguished from poetry or verse
Protagonist- the hero or main character of the story
Pun- a play on words
Qualifier- words like usually, probably, maybe, in most cases, and most likely to make a
claim less absolute
Quatrain- a type of stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four lines
Realism- literary technique that makes the work feel true, immediate, natural and/or
realistic
Refrain- a line, lines, or stanza in a poem that repeat(s) at intervals
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Repetition (anaphora)- repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive
phrases, clauses, or lines to add emphasis
Resolution (denouement)- where the problems or conflicts are solved
Reversal- when the protagonist’s fortunes, luck, etc take an unforeseen turn
Rhetoric-the art of finding ways to persuade an audience
Rhetorical question- a question asked for stylistic effect and emphasis to make a point.
The person asking the question is not really expecting an answer
Rhyme-the repetition of the same (or similar) sounds or constructions.
End rhyme- a rhyme at the end of two or more lines
Exact (perfect or true) rhyme- uses words with identical final sounds
Eye (sight) rhyme- a rhyme that only works because the words look the same is
Internal rhyme- a rhyme that occurs within the same line
Near (Slant) rhyme- a rhyme that pairs sounds that are similar but not exactly
the same
Rhyme scheme- A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyme between lines of a poem or
song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme
Rhythm (meter)- the general pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
Rising action- reveals the problem or conflict in the story
Satire- a literary work that uses irony to critique society or an individual
Scansion- the process of marking the metrical pattern of a poem
Scene- a subdivision of a play
Science fiction- uses science and technology to create extraordinary plots in which the
seemingly impossible becomes believable
Setting- where and/or when the story takes place
Short story- a short fictional narrative; plots are generally brief and uncomplicated
Simile- a comparison using like or as
SOAPS- a mnemonic device that stands for Subject, Object, Audience, Purpose, and
Speaker. It is a handy way to remember the various elements that make up the
rhetorical situation.
Soliloquy (monologue)- In a play, a speech given by one person
Sonnet- a fourteen-line poem usually written in iambic pentameter
Speaker-Most often used in drama and poetry. In poetry, the speaker is the person who
is expressing a point of view in a poem. In drama, the speaker is the character who is
currently delivering the lines
Stage Directions- any notes in the script of a play written by the author that set
guidelines for the performance
Stanza-lines in a poem that the poet has chosen to group together, usually separated
for other lines with a space (couplet-two; tercet-three; quatrain-four; sestet-six; oceteight)
Style-The way a literary work is written. Style is produced by an author’s choices in
diction, syntax, imagery, figurative language and other literary elements
Suspense- a literary device that uses tension to make the plot more exciting
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Symbol/ Symbolism- - a character, an action, or an object representing something else
( a rose=love)
Synesthesia-the description of one sense by another
Syntax- the arrangement of words into phrases, clauses, and sentences. This includes
word order; length and structure of sentence; and such schemes as parallelism,
juxtaposition, and antithesis
Tall tale- humorous story where the characters have exaggerated abilities
Theme- the central idea or lesson about life that an author conveys in a piece of
literature; sometimes the theme is obvious, in most stories the theme is not directly
stated. It is conveyed through the character’s thoughts, actions, or sequence of events
Thesis Statement- the chief claim that a writer makes in any argumentative piece of
writing, usually stated in one sentence; guiding statement in a research/persuasive
paper
Tone-expresses the author’s attitude toward his or her subject. Usually shown through
the author’s stylistic choices. (Tone is often confused with another element of style,
mood, which describes the feeling created by the work) Along with mood, tone provides
the emotional coloring of a work and is created by some combination of the other
elements of style.
Tragedy- serious drama in which the hero struggles against some form of evil; the evil
can be another character, something in society, or nature; the hero often loses the
struggle because of a character flaw or error in judgment
Verse- a broad term that refers to a piece of writing that is metered and rhythmic (free
verse being the exception)
Vignette- a short narrative scene or description, often one in a series. If a story or novel
is composed of a series of vignettes, it often relies on a theme, rather than a plot driven
structure