Download Literary and Poetry Terms for English 8

Literary and Poetry Terms for English 8
Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds.
Example: lady lounges lazily, dark deep dread crept in
Allusion is a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. An allusion
may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion.
Example: “Franny came down the stairs dressed like a Disney princess ready for the ball.”
Analogy is a comparison in which the subject is compared point by point to something far different,
usually with the idea of clarifying the subject by comparing it to something familiar.
Example: hot is to cold as fire is to ice
Anaphora is the deliberate repetition, in which the same phrase is repeated at the beginning of two or
more lines.
Example: And so she goes,
Down the road yonder
And so she goes,
With her thoughts to ponder.
Antagonist is the force that works against the protagonist; it does not have to be a person, and there can
be multiple antagonists in any story.
Examples: Thunder or snow storm, villain of the story, illness, addictions, finances, etc.
Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds.
Example: fleet feet sweep by sleeping geeks.
Characterization is the method used by a writer to develop a character. The method includes (1) showing
the character's appearance, (2) displaying the character's actions, (3) revealing the character's thoughts, (4)
letting the character speak, and (5) getting the reactions of others.
Climax is the point in the story where the conflict is at its peak, when the conflict has reached its crisis
and one of the two forces “wins”.
Examples: when Harry Potter fights Lord Voldemort or the scene at Mount Doom in Lord of the
Rings.
Conflict is the struggle between two forces. Conflict may be internal or external and is: (1) Man vs.
another Man (2) Man vs. Nature; (3) Man vs. self. (4) Man vs. Society (5) Man vs. Supernatural (6) Man vs.
technology
Examples: (1) The protagonist arguing with the villain. (2) A thunderstorm that is slowing down
the protagonist. (3) The protagonist struggling with an alcohol addiction. (4) The protagonist
struggling with societal norms. (5) The protagonist battling a fire breathing dragon. (6) The villain
destroying all communication devices of the protagonist.
Euphemism is the substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may
offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener. (politically correct)
Examples: He kicked the bucket, or she passed away = he/she died. He's a little thin on top = he
is going bald. She is fun size = she is short/tiny.
Flashback is action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time which is necessary to
better understanding.
Foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story.
Hyperbole is exaggeration or overstatement.
Example: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse. He's as big as a house.
Imagery is language that evokes one or all of the five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching.
Examples:
sight - orange glare; a ginger cat, very tall and thin
smell - sweaty clothes, dusty odor of the dry earth
taste - pink sweetness of the watermelon
touch - hot July sun, damp jeans
sound -crackling underbush
Infer is to reach a conclusion based on known facts, or to form an opinion from evidence.
Example: Looking around the room, she could infer that he would be considered a suspect.
Internal Rhyme rhymes within a line.
Example: He ran with the man through the sand.
Irony is an implied discrepancy between what is said or written and what is meant.
Three kinds of irony:
1. verbal irony is when an author says one thing and means something else.
2. dramatic irony is when an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not
know.
3. irony of situation is a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results.
Mood is the feeling of the atmosphere the author is describing, and the emotions you feel while reading.
The setting and characterization can contribute to creating mood.
Example: He opened his door to the howling wind and blackest of nights.
Narrator is the voice that tells the story. Sometimes it’s a character in the story, other times it is an outside
voice created by the author. The narrator IS NOT the same as the author.
Oxymoron is putting two contradictory words together.
Examples: hot ice, cold fire, wise fool, sad joy, eloquent silence, military intelligence
Point of View:
First-person point of view is in use when a character narrates the story with I-me-my-mine in his or
her speech. The advantage of this point of view is that you get to hear the thoughts of the
narrator and see the world depicted in the story through his or her eyes.
Third-person point of view is that of an outsider looking at the action.
 Third-person omniscient, in which the thoughts of every character are open to the reader
 Third-person limited, in which the reader enters only one character's mind, either throughout the
entire work or in a specific section
Protagonist is the main character of the story; the one experiencing the conflict. Not always the ‘good
guy’.
Resolution is the conclusion of the story, the unfolding of the theme, the ‘happy ending’, or the tying
together of all loose ends.
Rhetoric is the art of persuasive speech or writing.
Examples: Arostotle was known for his rhetoric. Salespeople often use rhetoric.
Rhyme is a pattern of words that contain similar sounds.
Example: go/show/glow/know/though
Rhyme Scheme is rhymed words at the ends of lines. ABAB
Example: Roses are neat/Violets are blue/Sugar is sweet/And so are you
Satire is a literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, often with the intent of
correcting, or changing, the subject of the satiric attack.
Setting is determining time (when) and place (where) in fiction.
Sonnet is a poem of strict form: fourteen lines of iambic pentameter; English or Shakespearean, with the
rhyme scheme of: ABABCDCDEFEFGG
Stanza is a unified group of lines in poetry.
Example: Candy is delicious
Candy is sweet
Candy is scrumpscious
A great tasty treat!
Symbolism is when an author uses symbols to mean something more or different than its literal meaning.
Examples: The antagonist sees the bird of night flying over his head as he creeps through the
darkened forest (owl is a symbol of death). The scar on Harry's head = the most powerful
protective charm; his mother's love
Theme is the general idea or insight that forms the underlying message of a story. A simple theme can
often be stated in a single sentence.
Example: "After reading (this book, poem, essay), I think the author wants me to understand......."
Tone is the manner, feeling, or atmosphere the author has intended for the story, situation, or character.
It can be discovered through the author's choice of words and can be described with words such as:
serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic, satirical, or solemn.
Example: “Since when do you listen to her, I'm your best friend?”
Unreliable Narrator is one who tells a story or interprets events in a way that makes the reader doubt
what he or she is saying. He or she is usually a character in the story.
Example: he or she may not have all the facts or he or she may be too young to truly understand
the situation.
34 terms 6/2015