Download Glossary of Literary Terms

Glossary of Literary Terms
Allegory- a narrative in which abstract concepts are represented by persons, objects, or
events. Often, the characters of allegory represent abstract vices or virtues such
as greed, charity, or innocence.
Alliteration- the repetition of the initial letter or sound in two or more words in a line of
verse. Ex: “sessions of sweet silent thought”
Allusion- An incidental reference to history, classical mythology, another work of
literature and so forth, which has a certain built-in emotional association. Ex: In
The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is referred to as Trimalchio. The literary allusion
refers to an ostentations multi-millionaire in Petronius’ Satyricon. Gatsby, like
Trimalchio, gave colossal and extravagant banquets.
Antithesis- a balancing or contrasting of one term against another. Ex: “Fair is foul, and
foul is fair.” (Shakespeare)
Apostrophe- the addressing of someone or something, usually not present, as though
present. Ex: “O Captain! My Captain! Our fearful trip is done.” (Walt
Whitman)
Chronology- the clock or calendar of events presented in the story. Chronology may be
straightforward- running from the earliest to the latest point in time- or
complicated- starting somewhere in the middle and leapfrogging backward
or forward.
Climax- the point of greatest intensity and complication in the plot. That point at which
the reader can see what the complication(s) were leading to. Often the climax is
a decisive encounter between characters who have been in conflict. Also referred
to as the “turning point.”
Complication- the part of the plot which makes relationships more complex and leads
directly to the climax. Also referred to as the “rising action.”
Conflict- the active opposition of characters, ideas, ways of life. The conflict creates
tension in the plot. It is often considered the soul of fiction, since it gives rise to
suspense, drama, and the emotional tension that sharpens our intuitions about
characters and the values they are contending for. The conflict is always the
result of the protagonist opposing the antagonist.
Convention- a characteristic of a literary genre which has, over time, become expected of
it. In poetry, for instance, rhyme was a convention that was rarely
challenged until the end of the nineteenth century.
Denouement- a French term indicating the “unraveling” of the plot. A synonym for
resolution.
Diction- the author’s choice of words or patterns of words. “Levels” of diction refers to
the choices an author has ranging from the pompous to the vulgar. Every written
or spoken statement contains diction of some kind. The following terms describe
certain aspects of diction: Standard English, Nonstandard English, slang,
colloquial expressions, regional terms, dialect and archaisms.
Didactic- in literature, referring to works which openly espouse certain causes or points
of view and seek to “teach” the reader something. At its most extreme, the
didactic works becomes propagandistic.
Exposition- that part of the story- frequently at the beginning or near it- which gives
information about the characters and their situation before the action begins
to change them. The exposition is that part which tells the audience what it
needs to know about the past, the antecedent action.
Flashback- a break in the chronological sequence of a story made to deal with earlier
events.
Foreshadowing- a hint of what is to come as the plot develops. Foreshadowing may be
accomplished by a prophetic episode, by the author’s language, or by
dialogue.
Genre- an established literary form, such as a stage comedy, the epic, the sonnet, and so
forth.
Hyperbole- a willful exaggeration for the sake of emphasis and is not to be taken literally.
Imagery- often described as “mental pictures.” Images are verbal representations of
something capable of being visualized. Images not only convey what they look
like, but direct us, by their pattern of associated and involved feelings, in our
reactions to what is being represented.
Irony- A discrepancy between what is expected and what is revealed. It may be found
either in language usage or in the working out of the action of a story. There are
three main types of irony:
1. dramatic irony- the character says something which has one meaning
for him but quite another for the privileged audience.
2. situational irony- involves a discrepancy between what is and what
should be.
3. verbal irony- involves the use of word to indicate that what is said is
different from what is meant.
Litotes- an understatement achieved by saying the opposite of what one means or by
making an affirmation by stating the fact in the negative. It can be considered the
opposite of hyperbole. An example would be to call a fat boy Skinny.
Metaphor- (from the Greek transfer) an implied comparison between two usually
unrelated things indicating a likeness or analogy between attributes in both
things. A metaphor, unlike a simile, does not use like or as to indicate the
comparison. Ex: Love is a red rose.
Metonymy- the substitution of a word naming an object for another word closely
associated with it. Ex. The White House has decided to delay the debate.
(White House = President)
Onomatopoeia- the use of words to represent or imitate natural sounds.
Oxymoron- two or more words which apparently contradict each other buy actually join
to make a new meaning. Ex: jumbo shrimp
Paradox- a statement or situation which seems absurd but turns out to have rational
meaning after all, usually in some unexpected sense. Ex: “Children are the poor
man’s wealth.” (Wealth can be monetary, or it can be spiritual.)
Persona- The speaker or narrator in a work of literature. The persona is the writer’s mask,
the posture he or she adopts to tell a story.
Personification- a figure of speech that assigns human characteristics to inanimate
objects, ideas, or animals. Ex: “Death, be not proud, though some have
called thee mighty and dreadful,…” (John Donne)
Plot- the chronology or sequence of events in a work of literature. More significantly, the
inner logic which gives a story or play meaning. It is the writer’s arrangement or
events or revelations.
Point of view- the narrator’s level of involvement in the action and relative closeness to
the character and their dilemmas. While the point of view of every story is distinctive,
there are four (4) narrative approaches that appear frequently in fiction:
1. First-person- automatically that of the narrator. Uses the words I, me, etc.
2. Intimate observer- a third-person narration technique, this narrator has
unlimited access into the hearts and minds of the characters of a story.
3. Objective observer- a third-person narration technique, this narrator knows
absolutely nothing more than can be seen.
4. Omniscient observer- a third-person narration technique, this narrator stands
above the story, unlimited in his knowledge of what will happen and intruding
at will into the minds and motives of the characters.
Resolution- The point of the story at which the conflict is decided one way or another and
struggle is concluded. The way the conflict is resolved will support the
theme. It may also be referred to as the denouement.
Setting- in narrative fiction, it may be defined as the backdrop against which the action
takes place. Although it may function in many ways, the primary purpose of
setting is to render fictional scenes vivid and clear and thus permit the reader to
“feel” the world in which the characters are living.
Simile- a direct or explicit comparison between two usually unrelated things indicating a
likeness or similarity between some attribute found in both things. A simile uses
the words like or as to indicate comparison. Ex: Her love is like a red rose
blooming with passion.
Synecdoche- the technique of mentioning a part of something to represent the whole. Ex:
All hands on deck! (hands=sailors)
Symbol- a word or image that signifies something other than what is literally represented.
Ex: The cross is a symbol for Christianity. The Star of David is a symbol for
Judaism.
Synesthesia- a phenomenon in which the stimulation of one of the senses produces a
secondary, subjective sensation associated with a different sense, as when
hearing of a particular certain sound gives someone a mental impression of a
certain color. Ex: “the unquiet darkness.”
Theme- the unifying point or meaning of a story. Often the theme is implicit in the
outcome of the action. It is rarely directly stated, though often it is closely
paraphrased by an author’s observation or by a statement made by one of the
characters.
Tone- refers to the way a writer regards subject, audience, or self. It is the writer’s
attitude and sets the prevailing spirit of whatever he or she writes. Tone in writing
varies as greatly as tone in conversation. It can be serious, distant, flippant, angry,
sincere, or sympathetic.
Tragic flaw- that extreme quality in a protagonist- pride, sensitivity, intelligence, and so
forth- that may be the cause of his or her appeal and is certainly the cause of
his or her downfall.