| A | B |
|---|
| allegory | a story with more than 1 symbolic meaning (animal farm, parables) |
| alliteration | the repetition of initial constant sounds-creates music |
| allusion | reference to a well known person, even, place, work of art, etc (New York Times) |
| analogy | comparison of 2 different things |
| antagonist | a charcter or force against the main charcter or protagonist |
| protagonist | main charcter |
| assonance | close repition of similar vowels with dissimilar vowel sounds |
| blank verse | poetry written unrhymed (iambic pentameter) |
| climax | the high point of interest or suspense in a literary work |
| conflict | a struggle between opposing forces (internal and external) |
| connotation | the set of association that words call to mind |
| denotation | literal or exact meaning of a word |
| diction | word choice |
| exposition | part of a story/drama that introduces the characters, setting and basic situation |
| extended metaphor | subject is spoken/written of as though it were something else |
| figurative language | writing/speech not meanst to be interpreted literally |
| figure of speech | an expression/word used imaginetively-not literally |
| foil | character who provides contrast to another |
| genre | division of types of literature |
| hero | character whose actions are inspiring/noble |
| imagery | word/phrase that appeals to one or more of the five senses |
| irony | general name given to literary techniques that involve suprising, interesting, amusing contradictions |
| legend | widely told story about the pase, one that may or may not have a foundation in the past, reflects a people's idenitity or cultural virtues |
| metaphor | figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as if something else (w/o 'like' or 'as' |
| monologue | speech made entirely by one person or character |
| novel | long work of fiction |
| parable | brief story usually with human charcters that's told to teach a moral lesson |
| paradox | statement that seems to be contridictory but actually presents a truth |
| plot | sequence of events in a literary work |
| point of view | perspective (vantage point) from which a story is told |
| satire | type of writing that ridicules/criticizes the faults of individuals or groups |
| setting | time and place |
| simile | figure of speech that makes a direct comparison using 'like' or 'as' |
| speaker | imaginary voice assumed by the writer of a poem |
| style | typical way of writing |
| symbol | anything that stands for/represents something else |
| theme | central idea, concern or purpose in a literaray work |
| tone | writer's attitude to words, readers, and subject |
