| A | B |
|---|
| alliteration | repetition of the first letters of words |
| hyperbole | exaggeration |
| personification | giving human qualities to something that is not |
| metaphor | comparison with a hidden meaning |
| simile | comparison using "like" or "as" |
| symbolism | a word,thing or picture that represents something else |
| foreshadowing | clues in a story about what will happen later |
| irony | meaning one thing but saying the opposite |
| onomatopeia | a word that imitates the sound |
| paradox | a statement that has a conflicting meaning |
| sarcasm | a hurtful remark |
| satire | use of irony to mock a custom, habit or idea that seems silly |
| oxymoron | a statement that contains contradictory terms |
| analogy | comparing two things |
| allegory | a story that is intended to teach a lesson |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ALLUSION | "He met his Nemesis." |
| ANTITHESIS | "To be or not to be..." |
| APOSTROPHE | "Ah, Muse! Inspire this poor blind poet to glory..." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| VERBAL IRONY | As I fell down the stairs headfirst, I heard her say, "Look at that coordination!" |
| SITUATIONAL IRONY | The cobbler's children go barefoot because they have no shoes. |
| DRAMATIC IRONY | Oedipus curses the murderer of Laius, not realizing that he is cursing himself. |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PARADOX | "Much madness is divinest sense." |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| PUN | Mercutio with his dying breath: "Look for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." |
| SARCASM | "It's easy to quit smoking--I've done it many times." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| SYNECDOCHE (METONYMY) | "He asked for the 'blue plate special.'" |
| UNDERSTATEMENT (LITOTES) | "I could probably manage to survive ona salary of 2 million dollars a year." |
| simile | A comparison between two distinctly different things, using the word "like" or "as" |
| personification | A figure of speech where animals, ideas or objects are given human characteristics |
| fiction | A literary work whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact |
| symbol | A person, place, thing, or an event that has meaning in itself and stands for something beyond itself as well; it can signify something else |
| irony | A term that suggests some sort of discrepancy between appearance and reality; says one thing and means another |
| biography | An account of a person’s life written or told by another person |
| metaphor | An imaginative comparison between two unlike things in which one thing is said to be another thing |
| hyperbole | An overstatement or exaggeration |
| dialogue | Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative |
| science fiction | Fiction that deals with the influence of real or imagined science on society or individuals; many of the events recounted are within the realm of future possibility |
| fantasy | Imaginative fiction featuring esp. strange settings and grotesque characters; things happen that can not happen in real life |
| flashback | Interruption in the present action of the plot to show events that happened at an earlier time |
| point of view | The angle or perspective from which a story is told |
| autobiography | The angle or perspective from which a story is told |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| plot | The events or main story in a literary work |
| theme | The general idea or insight about life that a work of literature reveals |
| foreshadowing | The introduction of clues early in a story to suggest or anticipate significant events that will develop later |
| resolution | The last part of the story when the characters’ problems are solved and the story ends |
| characters | The people or animals in a work of fiction or drama |
| narrator | The person who tells the story |
| climax | The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action; the most emotional or suspenseful moment in story |
| protagonist | The main character in a literary work |
| alliteration | The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| setting | The time and place in which the events of a work of literature take place |
| dialect | The way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain geographical area or a certain group of people |
| nonfiction | Writing that deals with real people, things, events, or places |
| alliteration | the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of syllables as in Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers |
| assonance | the repetition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end in different consonant sounds as in lime light |
| central conflict | the main struggle or problem in the plot of a poem, story or play |
| character | a person or animal who takes part in the action of a literary work |
| characterization | the act of creating or describing a character, by showing what they say, do and think, showing what other characters say about them, and by showing what physical features, dress and personality they display |
| climax | the point of highest interest and suspense in a literary work. It sometimes signals the turning point of the action in a story or play |
| coming-of-age story | a tale in which a young person makes a discovery about himself or herself or about the world. It also allows different generations to learn about each other |
| concrete poem | a poem with a shape that suggests its subject |
| dialogue | conversation involving two or more people or characters |
| epic | a long story., often told in verse, that tells of a culture's heroes and gods |
| external conflict | a struggle that takes place between a character and something outside that character such as another character, society or nature |
| first person | narrator (person telling the story) takes part in the action and refers to himself or herself using words such as I and we |
| foreshadowing | the act of hinting at events that will happen later in a literary work |
| image | language that creates a concrete representation of an object or an experience |
| imagery | the images in a poem or passage considered all together |
| inciting incident | the event that introduces the central conflict or struggle, in a poem, story, or play |
| internal conflict | a struggle that takes place inside the mind of the character |
| irony | a difference between appearance and reality, an event that contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience of a literary work |
| metaphor | a figure of speech that is spoken or written about as if it were another |
| mood | the feeling or emotion that the writer creates in a literary |
| motif | anything that appears repeatedly in one or more of literature, art, or music |
| motive | a reason for acting in a certain way |
| motivation | a force that moves a character to think, feel, or behave in a certain way |
| myth | a story that explains the beginning of things or events in the natural world. These objects are explained as being caused by some supernatural force or being, often a god. |
| narrative poem | a verse that tells a story |
| novella | a work of fiction shorter than a novel but longer that a short story |
| one-dimensional character | flat character who reveals only one quality or character trait |
| onomatopoeia | the use of words or phrases like meow or beep that sound like what they name |
| personification | a figure of speech in which something not human is described as if it were human |
| repetition | more than one use of a sound, word, or group of words |
| resolution | the point in a poem, story, or play at which the central conflict or struggle ends |
| rhythm | the pattern of beats in a line poetry or prose |
| sensory details | words or phrases that describe how things look, sound, smell, taste or feel |
| setting | the time and place in which a literary work happens |
| simile | a comparison using like or as |
| stress | the amount of emphasis given to a syllable |
| symbol | a thing that stands for or represents both itself and something else |
| tag lines | a phrase like she said used in a story to tell who is speaking |
| theme | a central idea in a literary work |
| third person point of view | in a story, when the narrator does not take part in the action and tells the story using words such as he and she and avoiding the use of I and we |
| three-dimensional character | a character who seems to have all the complexities of an actual human being |
| allusion | reference to a person, literary work, or work of art |
| character | person or animal that takes part in a literary work |
| dynamic | a character who changes |
| static | a character who does not change |
| dialogue | conversation of two |
| monologue | conversation |
| soliloquy | long speech by a character who is alone |
| plot | sequence of events |
| exposition | background;intro of characters |
| climax | point of highest interest or suspense |
| resolution | outcome, result |
| flashback | interruption of action to go to past |
| irony | a contradiction;strange twist |
| dramatic irony | contradiction between what a character thinks and what the audience knows |
| symbol | an object that has extended meaning |
| shock of recognition | seeing yourself in a situation or a character |
| theme | central message, purpose, or concern of a literary work |
| Personification | giving an inanimate object human-like characteristics |
| Simile | a comparison using "like" or "as" |
| Metaphor | making a direct comparison |
| Mood | the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader |
| Theme | the main idea in a work of literature |
| Symbolism | when something concrete represents an abstract idea |
| tone | the writer's attitude is revealed through this |
| plot | the structure of a story |
| characterization | THE WAY AN AUTHOR REVEALS HER CHARACTERS |
| theme | central message of a work |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| stanza | groups of lines in a poem - paragraphs, stanzas |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| metaphors | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| oxymoron | "Jumbo shrimp" |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PARADOX | "Much madness is divinest sense." |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| PUN | Mercutio with his dying breath: "Look for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| INDIGNANT | FEELING OR SHOWING ANGER |
| VEHEMENT | CHARACTERIZED BY FORCEFUL EMOTIONS |
| CONDESCENDING | 24. displaying a superior attitude |
| STATIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO STAYS THE SAME |
| DYNAMIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO CHANGES |
| SENTIMENTAL | EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Pun | play on words |
| Personification | give inanimate object human characteristics |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| Irony | use of a word to convey opposite meaning |
| metaphor | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| oxymoron | ACT NATURALLY |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| climax | The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action; the most emotional or suspenseful moment in story |
| FICKLE | CHANGEABLE |
| SOLILOQUY | A LONG SPEECH GIVEN BY A CHARACTER WHO IS ALONE ONSTAGE |
| ASIDE | WHEN A CHARACTER SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE AND NOT TO THE OTHER CHARACTERS ONSTAGE |
| MONOLOGUE | A LONG SPEECH GIVEN BY A SINGLE CHARACTER |
| STAGE DIRECTIONS | INSTRUCTIONS FOR STAGING A PLAY |
| COUPLET | TWO CONSECUTIVE LINES THAT RHYME |
| DRAMA | LITERATURE MEANT TO BE PERFORMED ON STAGE |
| TRAGEDY | A PLAY IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER SUFFERS A DOWNFALL |
| TRAGIC HERO | THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A TRAGEDY; HE SUFFERS A DOWNFALL DUE TO A FATAL OR TRAGIC FLAW |
| TRAGIC FLAW | THE FLAW THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF THE MAIN CHARACTER |
| CHORUS | A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO COME ONSTAGE TO SUMMARIZE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN |
| BENEVOLENT | CHARACTERIZED BY CONCERN FOR OTHERS |
| MALEVOLENT | HAVING OR EXHIBITING ILL WILL; WISHING TO HARM OTHERS; MALICIOUS |
| SARCASTIC | CONTEMPTUOUS OR IRONIC IN MANNER OR WIT; NASTY OR MOCKING IN SPEECH |
| FLIPPANT | MARKED BY DISRESPECTFUL LEVITY OR CASUALNESS; IRREVERENT |
| IMPARTIAL | UNPREJUDICED; UNBIASED |
| APOTHECARY | SOMEONE WHO PREPARES AND SELLS MEDICINES |
| SHRIFT | CONFESSION TO A PRIEST |
| SONNET | A FOURTEEN LINE POEM WRITTEN IN IAMBIC PENTAMETER |
| IAMBIC PENTAMETER | LINES OF POETRY CONSISTING OF FIVE IAMBIC FEET; THERE WILL BE TEN SYLLABLES PER LINE |
| soliloquy | speech a character gives alone on stage |
| oxymoron | phrase or expression that is seemingly contradictory |
| foreshadowing | technique of hinting about events to come |
| aside | line not meant to be heard by other characters |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| PUN | Mercutio with his dying breath: "Look for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." |
| biography | An account of a person’s life written or told by another person |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| theme | The general idea or insight about life that a work of literature reveals |
| alliteration | The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| assonance | the repetition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end in different consonant sounds as in lime light |
| epic | a long story., often told in verse, that tells of a culture's heroes and gods |
| external conflict | a struggle that takes place between a character and something outside that character such as another character, society or nature |
| foreshadowing | the act of hinting at events that will happen later in a literary work |
| internal conflict | a struggle that takes place inside the mind of the character |
| characterization | THE WAY AN AUTHOR REVEALS HER CHARACTERS |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| antagonist | the bad main character |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| INDIGNANT | FEELING OR SHOWING ANGER |
| VEHEMENT | CHARACTERIZED BY FORCEFUL EMOTIONS |
| CONDESCENDING | 24. displaying a superior attitude |
| STATIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO STAYS THE SAME |
| DYNAMIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO CHANGES |
| SENTIMENTAL | EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL |
| oxymoron | ACT NATURALLY |
| SIMILE | YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUNSET. |
| METAPHOR | SHE IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE. |
| ALLITERATION | LOVELY LILTING LINES OF LIKE LETTERS |
| HYPERBOLE | I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES! |
| PERSONIFICATION | THE SEA CALLED TO ODYESSEUS. |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| in medias res | in the middle of things |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| epic hero | an almost superhuman character who represents the values of a particular culture and often goes on a long journey or quest |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| invocation | a prayer for inspiration |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| IN MEDIAS RES | THE ODYSSEY BEGINS IN THE MIDDLE. |
| INVOCATION | HOMER BEGINS THE ODYSSEY WITH A ___ TO THE MUSE. |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| EPIC HERO | ODYSSEUS |
| external conflict | when a character battles an outside force |
| internal conflict | when a character struggles to make a decision |
| conflict | the problem or complication in a story |
| antagonist | the person who opposes the main character |
| protagonist | the main character |
| ABDICATE | THE KING DECIDED TO ___ THE THRONE. |
| ABSOLVE | HE ASKED THE PRIEST TO ____ HIM OF HIS SINS. |
| ARROGANT | THE ___ BOY THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE MELANCHOLY GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| FICKLE | THE ___ BOY BROKE UP WITH JENNY BECAUSE HE SAW TINA AND FELL IN LOVE. |
| SHRIFT | I MUST GO TO ___ IN ORDER TO CONFESS MY SINS. |
| SARCASTIC | BOB WAS PUNISHED FOR BEING ___ TO HIS MOTHER. |
| MALEVOLENT | THE ___ SPIRITS THREATENED US. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ LADY DONATED MONEY TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. |
| APOTHECARY | THE ___ MADE MEDICINE FOR THE PATIENT. |
| GRAVE | SOMBER OR SOLEMN; DANGEROUS |
| ECSTATIC | EXTREMELY JOYFUL |
| EMPATHETIC | EXHIBITIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS FEELINGS |
| SERENE | CALM AND UNRUFFLED |
| TAUNTING | JEERING; TORMENTING |
| CHERISH | TO HOLD DEAR |
| RESOLUTION | WHEN ALL THE LOOSE ENDS ARE TIED UP |
| FALLING ACTION | EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE CLIMAX |
| CLIMAX | POINT OF NO RETURN; POINT OF MOST INTENSE INTEREST |
| RISING ACTION | ALL THE EVENTS THAT LEAD TO THE CLIMAX |
| NARRATIVE HOOK | THE PART OF THE STORY THAT GRABS THE READER'S ATTENTION |
| EXPOSITION | THE PART OF THE STORY THAT EXPLAINS THE BACKGROUND AND MAKES CONFLICT CLEAR |
| PLOT | THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN A STORY |
| NOVEL | A LONG WORK OF NARRATIVE PROSE FICTION |
| ANECDOTE | SHORT SUMMARY OF A FUNNY EVENT |
| ARCHETYPE | A REPEATING PATTERN OR FORM IN LITERATURE |
| BALLAD | A SONG ABOUT SOMEONE FROM THE PAST |
| CLICHE | AN OVERUSED WORD OR PHRASE |
| DIALOGUE | CONVERSATION BETWEEN 2 OR MORE CHARACTERS |
| SYMBOL | SOMETHING SEEN THAT STANDS FOR SOMETHING UNSEEN |
| FICTION | STORIES ABOUT IMAGINARY PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS |
| FREE VERSE | POETRY WITHOUT A REGULAR PATTERN OF RHYTHM OR RHYME |
| LYRIC POETRY | SHORT POETRY, USUALLY ABOUT AN EMOTION, AND ONLY HAS ONE SPEAKER |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| HYPERBOLE | I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES! |
| PERSONIFICATION | THE SEA CALLED TO ODYESSEUS. |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | BUZZ |
| ASSONANCE | HOW NOW BROWN COW |
| CONSONANCE | THE CAT ATE THE RAT ON THE PLATE. |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| ABDICATE | THE KING DECIDED TO ___ THE THRONE. |
| ABSOLVE | HE ASKED THE PRIEST TO ____ HIM OF HIS SINS. |
| ARROGANT | THE ___ BOY THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE MELANCHOLY GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| theme | central message of a work |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| Metaphor | creation of an image with no like or as |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| dynamic character | develops and grows during the course of the story |
| static character | does not change or grow |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| couplet | a pair of rhyming lines usually of the sme lenght and meter |
| setting | the timeand place of the action |
| soliloquy | a long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Puns | play on words |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| couplet | a pair of rhyming lines usually of the sme lenght and meter |
| drama | a story written to be performed by actors |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes |
| monologue | a speech by one character in a play, story, or poem |
| soliloquy | a long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| ALLUSION | A REFERENCE TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE WORK; USUALLY MYTHICAL, BIBLICAL OR HISTORICAL |
| FOIL | A CHARACTER WHO HELPS EMPHASIZE THE TRAITS OF ANOTHER CHARACTER THROUGH CONTRAST |
| SYMPATHETIC | COMPREHENDING THE NEEDS AND FEELINGS OF OTHERS |
| FACETIOUS | LACKING SERIOUS INTENT; NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY |
| OBJECTIVE | NOT INFLUENCED BY PERSONAL FEELINGS; BASED ON FACTS |
| CONTEMPTUOUS | SHOWING OR EXPRESSING CONTEMPT OR DISDAIN |
| PORTENTOUS | FOREBODING |
| ADVERSARY | A FOE, AN ENEMY |
| CHASTE | DECENT; PURE |
| CONNOTATION | THE FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH A WORD |
| DENOTATION | DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF A WORD |
| PARALLELISM | REPETITION OF GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE |
| PROSE | OPPOSITE OF POETRY; WRITING IN SENTENCES |
| IMAGERY | WORD THAT PAIN A PICTURE AND RECREATE SENSORY EXPERIENCE |
| ANECDOTE | SHORT SUMMARY OF A FUNNY EVENT |
| ARCHETYPE | A REPEATING PATTERN OR FORM IN LITERATURE |
| BALLAD | A SONG ABOUT SOMEONE FROM THE PAST |
| CLICHE | AN OVERUSED WORD OR PHRASE |
| DIALOGUE | CONVERSATION BETWEEN 2 OR MORE CHARACTERS |
| SYMBOL | SOMETHING SEEN THAT STANDS FOR SOMETHING UNSEEN |
| FICTION | STORIES ABOUT IMAGINARY PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS |
| FREE VERSE | POETRY WITHOUT A REGULAR PATTERN OF RHYTHM OR RHYME |
| LYRIC POETRY | SHORT POETRY, USUALLY ABOUT AN EMOTION, AND ONLY HAS ONE SPEAKER |
| CYNICAL | PESSIMISTIC; SKEPTICAL |
| APATHETIC | INDIFFERENT; UNCONCERNED |
| DEFIANT | DISOBEDIENT |
| WITTY | FUNNY AND CLEVER |
| DIPLOMATIC | TACTFUL; SKILL IN DEALING WITH OTHERS |
| PENSIVE | THOUGHTFUL; WORRIED |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| DISDAIN | TO REJECT AS BENEATH ONESELF |
| POINT OF VIEW | THE PERSPECTIVE FROM WHICH A STORY IS TOLD |
| FIRST PERSON | CHARACTERIZED BY THE PRONOUN "I" |
| THIRD PERSON | TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE STROY WHO KNOES THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF A SINGLE CHARACTER IN THE STORY |
| OMNISCIENT | TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE STORY WHO KNOWS THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF ALL THE CHARACTERS |
| DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION | THE AUTHOR TELLS THE AUDIENCE WHAT THE CHARACTER IS LIKE |
| INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION | THE READER MUST USE THE CHARACTER'S THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND ACTIONS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CHARACTER IS REALLY LIKE |
| HAMPER | TO HINDER OR OBSTRUCT |
| PLACID | CALM; SERENE |
| ABRASIVE | COARSE; ROUGH |
| COVERT | HIDDEN |
| COWER | TO RECOIL IN FEAR |
| CREDIBLE | BELIEVABLE |
| REPREHENSIBLE | SHAMEFUL |
| BLATANT | OBVIOUS |
| BLATANT | I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE ___ LIES SHE TOLD! |
| REPREHENSIBLE | SHE WAS EMBARRASSED BY HER SON'S _____ BEHAVIOR. |
| DISDAIN | CANDICE LOOKED AT THE OTHER GIRL'S CLOTHING WITH ____. |
| COWERED | FRIGHTENED BY THE ANGRY, HISSING CAT, THE PUPPY ______ UNDERNEATH THE BED. |
| CREDIBLE | THE ATTORNEY THOUGHT THAT BOB WOULD MAKE A BELIEVABLE, ______ WITNESS. |
| PLACID | THE ____ EXPRESSION ON HER FACE HID HER INNER TURMOIL. |
| ABRASIVE | HIS _____ MANNER DID NOT ENDEAR HIM TO HIS PATIENTS; THEY THOUGHT HE WAS TOO HARSH. |
| COVERT | THE AGENTS WERE SENT OUT ON A ____ OPERATION. |
| HAMPER | THE INVESTIGATION WAS _____(ED) BY CRIME SCENE CONTAMINATION. |
| VICARIOUS | FELT OR UNDERGONE AS IF ONE WERE TAKING PART IN THE EXPERIENCE OF ANOTHER |
| VICARIOUSLY | JOHN LIVED ____(LY) THROUGH THE ACTION MOVIES HE WATCHED. |
| MANDATE | AN AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND |
| MANDATED | IT WAS ___(ED) THAT BOB DO FORTY HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. |
| ALTRUISM | SELFLESSNESS; UNSELFISH CONCERN FOR OTHERS |
| ALTRUISM | THE WEALTHY MAN WAS KNOWN FOR HIS ____; HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE. |
| LACKADAISICAL | LACKING ENERGY |
| LACKADAISICAL | THE ____ YOUNG MAN WAS TOO LAZY TO GET HIS OWN SODA. |
| INEPT | CLUMSY |
| INEPT | THE ___ REFEREE KEPT GETTING IN THE FORWARD'S WAY. |
| FINESSE | SKILLFUL; TACTFUL, REFINEMENT AND DELICACY OF PERFORMANCE |
| FINESSE | ERIC STAAL'S ___ ON THE ICE MAKES HIM A LEADING GOAL-SCORER. |
| TENACIOUS | PERSISTANT |
| TENACIOUS | THE ____ MAN WOULD NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. |
| ENIGMA | A RIDDLE |
| ENIGMA | THE STRANGE LIGHTS IN THE SKY COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED; THEY WOULD REMAIN AN ______. |
| ARCHAIC | OUTDATED |
| ARCHAIC | THEY FOUND _____ REMNANTS OF AN ANCIENT CIVILZATION AS THEY WERE EXCAVATING THAT PLOT OF LAND. |
| SACROSANCT | REGARDED AS SACRED |
| SACROSANCT | IN EQUALITY'S SOCIETY, THE COLLECTIVE GOOD IS _____ AND INDIVIDUALITY IS A SIN. |
| NEBULOUS | VAGUE; CLOUDY |
| NEBULOUS | WE FOUND HER DIRECTIONS TO BE SO ____ THAT NO ONE WAS SURE OF WHAT TO DO. |
| LOQUACIOUS | THE _____ GIRL WOULDN'T STOP TALKING! |
| LOQUACIOUS | VERY TALKATIVE |
| METONYMY | ONE WORD OR PHRASE IS SUBSTITED FOR ANOTHER WITH WHICH IT IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED. |
| METONYMY | WE RECEIVED ORDERS FROM WASHINGTON TO INVADE THE COMPOUND. |
| SYNECDOCHE | A FIGURE OF SPEECH IN WHICH A PART STANDS FOR THE WHOLE |
| SYNECDOCHE | HE ASKED FOR HER HAND IN MARRIAGE. |
| UTOPIA | AN IDEALLY PERFECT PLACE |
| UTOPIA | MY ____ IS A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND CONTENT. |
| DYSTOPIA | A PLACE IN WHICH THE CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY BAD |
| DYSTOPIA | WHILE MARX'S IDEAS SOUNDED GOOD, THEY FORMED A ______ IN WHICH MANY PEOPLE WERE DEPRIVED OF BASIC NECESSITIES AND HAPPINESS. |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| metaphor | a comparison that does not use like or as |
| SIMILE | YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUNSET. |
| METAPHOR | SHE IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE. |
| ALLITERATION | LOVELY LILTING LINES OF LIKE LETTERS |
| alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| hyperbole | an extreme exaggeration |
| HYPERBOLE | I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES! |
| personification | giving human characteristics to non-human things |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| in medias res | in the middle of things |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| epic hero | an almost superhuman character who represents the values of a particular culture and often goes on a long journey or quest |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| invocation | a prayer for inspiration |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| IN MEDIAS RES | THE ODYSSEY BEGINS IN THE MIDDLE. |
| INVOCATION | HOMER BEGINS THE ODYSSEY WITH A ___ TO THE MUSE. |
| EPIC | THE ODYSSEY |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| EPIC HERO | ODYSSEUS |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE _______ GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| characterization | THE WAY AN AUTHOR REVEALS HER CHARACTERS |
| theme | central message of a work |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| stanza | groups of lines in a poem - paragraphs, stanzas |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| antagonist | the bad main character |
| metaphors | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| oxymoron | "Jumbo shrimp" |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PARADOX | "Much madness is divinest sense." |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| PUN | Mercutio with his dying breath: "Look for me tomorrow and you will find me a grave man." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| INDIGNANT | FEELING OR SHOWING ANGER |
| VEHEMENT | CHARACTERIZED BY FORCEFUL EMOTIONS |
| CONDESCENDING | 24. displaying a superior attitude |
| STATIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO STAYS THE SAME |
| DYNAMIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO CHANGES |
| SENTIMENTAL | EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Pun | play on words |
| Personification | give inanimate object human characteristics |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| Irony | use of a word to convey opposite meaning |
| metaphor | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| oxymoron | ACT NATURALLY |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| climax | The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action; the most emotional or suspenseful moment in story |
| FICKLE | CHANGEABLE |
| SOLILOQUY | A LONG SPEECH GIVEN BY A CHARACTER WHO IS ALONE ONSTAGE |
| ASIDE | WHEN A CHARACTER SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE AND NOT TO THE OTHER CHARACTERS ONSTAGE |
| MONOLOGUE | A LONG SPEECH GIVEN BY A SINGLE CHARACTER |
| STAGE DIRECTIONS | INSTRUCTIONS FOR STAGING A PLAY |
| COUPLET | TWO CONSECUTIVE LINES THAT RHYME |
| DRAMA | LITERATURE MEANT TO BE PERFORMED ON STAGE |
| TRAGEDY | A PLAY IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER SUFFERS A DOWNFALL |
| TRAGIC HERO | THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A TRAGEDY; HE SUFFERS A DOWNFALL DUE TO A FATAL OR TRAGIC FLAW |
| TRAGIC FLAW | THE FLAW THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF THE MAIN CHARACTER |
| CHORUS | A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO COME ONSTAGE TO SUMMARIZE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN |
| BENEVOLENT | CHARACTERIZED BY CONCERN FOR OTHERS |
| MALEVOLENT | HAVING OR EXHIBITING ILL WILL; WISHING TO HARM OTHERS; MALICIOUS |
| SARCASTIC | CONTEMPTUOUS OR IRONIC IN MANNER OR WIT; NASTY OR MOCKING IN SPEECH |
| FLIPPANT | MARKED BY DISRESPECTFUL LEVITY OR CASUALNESS; IRREVERENT |
| IMPARTIAL | UNPREJUDICED; UNBIASED |
| APOTHECARY | SOMEONE WHO PREPARES AND SELLS MEDICINES |
| SHRIFT | CONFESSION TO A PRIEST |
| SONNET | A FOURTEEN LINE POEM WRITTEN IN IAMBIC PENTAMETER |
| IAMBIC PENTAMETER | LINES OF POETRY CONSISTING OF FIVE IAMBIC FEET; THERE WILL BE TEN SYLLABLES PER LINE |
| alliteration | repetition of the first letters of words |
| hyperbole | exaggeration |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| alliteration | The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of words |
| assonance | the repetition of vowel sounds in stressed syllables that end in different consonant sounds as in lime light |
| irony | a difference between appearance and reality, an event that contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience of a literary work |
| metaphor | a figure of speech that is spoken or written about as if it were another |
| mood | the feeling or emotion that the writer creates in a literary |
| characterization | THE WAY AN AUTHOR REVEALS HER CHARACTERS |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| antagonist | the bad main character |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| SENTIMENTAL | EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL |
| oxymoron | ACT NATURALLY |
| PERSONIFICATION | THE SEA CALLED TO ODYESSEUS. |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| IN MEDIAS RES | THE ODYSSEY BEGINS IN THE MIDDLE. |
| INVOCATION | HOMER BEGINS THE ODYSSEY WITH A ___ TO THE MUSE. |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| EPIC HERO | ODYSSEUS |
| ABDICATE | THE KING DECIDED TO ___ THE THRONE. |
| ABSOLVE | HE ASKED THE PRIEST TO ____ HIM OF HIS SINS. |
| ARROGANT | THE ___ BOY THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE MELANCHOLY GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| FICKLE | THE ___ BOY BROKE UP WITH JENNY BECAUSE HE SAW TINA AND FELL IN LOVE. |
| SHRIFT | I MUST GO TO ___ IN ORDER TO CONFESS MY SINS. |
| SARCASTIC | BOB WAS PUNISHED FOR BEING ___ TO HIS MOTHER. |
| MALEVOLENT | THE ___ SPIRITS THREATENED US. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ LADY DONATED MONEY TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER. |
| APOTHECARY | THE ___ MADE MEDICINE FOR THE PATIENT. |
| GRAVE | SOMBER OR SOLEMN; DANGEROUS |
| ECSTATIC | EXTREMELY JOYFUL |
| EMPATHETIC | EXHIBITIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF OTHERS FEELINGS |
| SERENE | CALM AND UNRUFFLED |
| TAUNTING | JEERING; TORMENTING |
| CHERISH | TO HOLD DEAR |
| RESOLUTION | WHEN ALL THE LOOSE ENDS ARE TIED UP |
| FALLING ACTION | EVENTS THAT OCCUR AFTER THE CLIMAX |
| CLIMAX | POINT OF NO RETURN; POINT OF MOST INTENSE INTEREST |
| RISING ACTION | ALL THE EVENTS THAT LEAD TO THE CLIMAX |
| NARRATIVE HOOK | THE PART OF THE STORY THAT GRABS THE READER'S ATTENTION |
| EXPOSITION | THE PART OF THE STORY THAT EXPLAINS THE BACKGROUND AND MAKES CONFLICT CLEAR |
| PLOT | THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN A STORY |
| NOVEL | A LONG WORK OF NARRATIVE PROSE FICTION |
| ANECDOTE | SHORT SUMMARY OF A FUNNY EVENT |
| ARCHETYPE | A REPEATING PATTERN OR FORM IN LITERATURE |
| BALLAD | A SONG ABOUT SOMEONE FROM THE PAST |
| CLICHE | AN OVERUSED WORD OR PHRASE |
| DIALOGUE | CONVERSATION BETWEEN 2 OR MORE CHARACTERS |
| SYMBOL | SOMETHING SEEN THAT STANDS FOR SOMETHING UNSEEN |
| FICTION | STORIES ABOUT IMAGINARY PEOPLE, PLACES, AND EVENTS |
| FREE VERSE | POETRY WITHOUT A REGULAR PATTERN OF RHYTHM OR RHYME |
| LYRIC POETRY | SHORT POETRY, USUALLY ABOUT AN EMOTION, AND ONLY HAS ONE SPEAKER |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| mood | the way a work of literature makes the reader feel |
| tone | the author's attitude toward the subject of the work |
| grave | Driving in bad weather could be a ___ mistake. |
| facetious | Mom was angered by his __ attitude. |
| empathetic | Anyone who has lost a beloved pet would feel ___ towards the little girl who lost her kitten. |
| serene | The fisherman enjoyed the calm, __ lake. |
| cherish | I will always ___ my memories of the past. |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| metaphor | a comparison that does not use like or as |
| SIMILE | YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUNSET. |
| METAPHOR | SHE IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE. |
| ALLITERATION | LOVELY LILTING LINES OF LIKE LETTERS |
| alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| hyperbole | an extreme exaggeration |
| HYPERBOLE | I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES! |
| PERSONIFICATION | THE SEA CALLED TO ODYESSEUS. |
| personification | giving human characteristics to non-human things |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| in medias res | in the middle of things |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| epic hero | an almost superhuman character who represents the values of a particular culture and often goes on a long journey or quest |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| invocation | a prayer for inspiration |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| INVOCATION | HOMER BEGINS THE ODYSSEY WITH A ___ TO THE MUSE. |
| EPIC | THE ODYSSEY |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| EPIC HERO | ODYSSEUS |
| external conflict | when a character battles an outside force |
| internal conflict | when a character struggles to make a decision |
| conflict | the problem or complication in a story |
| antagonist | the person who opposes the main character |
| protagonist | the main character |
| assonance | repetition of internal vowel sounds |
| consonance | repetition of consonant sounds inside words or at the ends of words |
| onomatopoeia | words that represent sounds |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | BUZZ |
| ASSONANCE | HOW NOW BROWN COW |
| CONSONANCE | THE CAT ATE THE RAT ON THE PLATE. |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| aside | a short speech delivered by an actor in a play, expressing a character's thoughts |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes |
| ABDICATE | THE KING DECIDED TO ___ THE THRONE. |
| ABSOLVE | HE ASKED THE PRIEST TO ____ HIM OF HIS SINS. |
| ARROGANT | THE ___ BOY THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE _______ GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| characterization | personality trait of characters |
| theme | central message of a work |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| antagonist | the bad main character |
| Metaphor | creation of an image with no like or as |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Pun | play on words |
| Oxymoron | a linking of an adjective and noun which contradict each other |
| metaphors | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| oxymoron | "Jumbo shrimp" |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| Mood | the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader |
| assonance | repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonants in two or more stressed syllables |
| dynamic character | develops and grows during the course of the story |
| static character | does not change or grow |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes |
| epic simile (Homeric simile) | an elaborate comparison of unlike subjects |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| metaphor | a comparison that does not use like or as |
| SIMILE | YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUNSET. |
| METAPHOR | SHE IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE. |
| ALLITERATION | LOVELY LILTING LINES OF LIKE LETTERS |
| hyperbole | an extreme exaggeration |
| personification | giving human characteristics to non-human things |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| in medias res | in the middle of things |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| epic hero | an almost superhuman character who represents the values of a particular culture and often goes on a long journey or quest |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| characterization | THE WAY AN AUTHOR REVEALS HER CHARACTERS |
| theme | central message of a work |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| stanza | groups of lines in a poem - paragraphs, stanzas |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| INDIGNANT | FEELING OR SHOWING ANGER |
| VEHEMENT | CHARACTERIZED BY FORCEFUL EMOTIONS |
| CONDESCENDING | displaying a superior attitude |
| STATIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO STAYS THE SAME |
| DYNAMIC CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO CHANGES |
| SENTIMENTAL | EXTREMELY EMOTIONAL |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Personification | give inanimate object human characteristics |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| Irony | use of a word to convey opposite meaning |
| metaphor | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| oxymoron | ACT NATURALLY |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| climax | The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action; the most emotional or suspenseful moment in story |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| metaphor | a comparison that does not use like or as |
| SIMILE | YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUNSET. |
| METAPHOR | SHE IS THE APPLE OF MY EYE. |
| ALLITERATION | LOVELY LILTING LINES OF LIKE LETTERS |
| alliteration | repetition of initial consonant sounds |
| hyperbole | an extreme exaggeration |
| HYPERBOLE | I'VE SAID THAT A MILLION TIMES! |
| PERSONIFICATION | THE SEA CALLED TO ODYESSEUS. |
| personification | giving human characteristics to non-human things |
| concise | clear and succinct |
| in medias res | in the middle of things |
| melancholy | sadness or depression of the spirits; gloom |
| nostalgic | feeling a bittersweet longing for the past and/or homesickness |
| epic hero | an almost superhuman character who represents the values of a particular culture and often goes on a long journey or quest |
| hostile | feeling or showing ill-will |
| epithet | a word or phrase used to replace someone’s name; it helps characterize that person |
| clarity | clearness of thought or style; lucidity |
| invocation | a prayer for inspiration |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character |
| INVOCATION | HOMER BEGINS THE ODYSSEY WITH A ___ TO THE MUSE. |
| EPIC | THE ODYSSEY |
| EPITHET | XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS |
| EPIC HERO | ODYSSEUS |
| external conflict | when a character battles an outside force |
| internal conflict | when a character struggles to make a decision |
| conflict | the problem or complication in a story |
| antagonist | the person who opposes the main character |
| protagonist | the main character |
| assonance | repetition of internal vowel sounds |
| consonance | repetition of consonant sounds inside words or at the ends of words |
| onomatopoeia | words that represent sounds |
| ASSONANCE | HOW NOW BROWN COW |
| CONSONANCE | THE CAT ATE THE RAT ON THE PLATE. |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| epic | a long narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes |
| ABDICATE | THE KING DECIDED TO ___ THE THRONE. |
| ABSOLVE | HE ASKED THE PRIEST TO ____ HIM OF HIS SINS. |
| ARROGANT | THE ___ BOY THOUGHT HE WAS BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE ___ WOMAN WORKED HARD TO HELP THE HOMELESS. |
| NOSTALGIC | THE ____ BOY MISSED HIS MOM. |
| MELANCHOLY | THE _______ GIRL CRIED ALL THE TIME. |
| characterization | personality trait of characters |
| theme | central message of a work |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that have yet to occur |
| mood | feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | contrast between what is stated and what is meant |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| flashback | a section in a literary work that interrupts the chronological order of events to relate an event from an earlier time. (goes back in time) |
| protagonist | the good main character |
| antagonist | the bad main character |
| Metaphor | creation of an image with no like or as |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Pun | play on words |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| metaphors | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| oxymoron | "Jumbo shrimp" |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| ASSONANCE | "cry" "side" "mine" "type" |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| HYPERBOLE | "...the shot heard 'round the world..." |
| METAPHOR | "Time is money." |
| ONOMATOPOEIA | "buzz" "bang" "hiss" "splash" |
| OXYMORON | "sweet sorrow" "cold fire" |
| PERSONIFICATION | "The train wailed in the night." |
| SIMILE | "The warrior fought like a lion." |
| antagonist | The character that contends with or opposes another character |
| conflict | The struggle between persons or forces in a work of drama or fiction |
| Mood | the feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader |
| aside | a short speech delivered by an actor in a play, expressing a character's thoughts |
| assonance | repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonants in two or more stressed syllables |
| dynamic character | develops and grows during the course of the story |
| static character | does not change or grow |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| couplet | a pair of rhyming lines usually of the sme lenght and meter |
| drama | a story written to be performed by actors |
| monologue | a speech by one character in a play, story, or poem |
| setting | the timeand place of the action |
| soliloquy | a long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| FICKLE | CHANGEABLE |
| MALEVOLENT | THE __ GHOST FRIGHTENED THE CHILDREN. |
| BENEVOLENT | THE __ MAN DONATED MONEY TO CHARITY. |
| IAMBIC PENTAMETER | MADE UP OF 10 SYLLABLES |
| SONNET | A FOURTEEN LINE POEM |
| ASIDE | WHEN A CHARACTER SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE AND NOT TO OTHER CHARACTERS |
| SOLILOQUY | A SPEECH GIVEN BY A CHARACTER WHO IS ALONE ONSTAGE |
| MONOLOGUE | A LONG SPEECH GIVEN BY A SINGLE CHARACTER |
| STAGE DIRECTIONS | DIRECTIONS FOR STAGING A PLAY |
| APOTHECARY | SOMEONE WHO MAKES MEDICINE |
| SHRIFT | CONFESSION |
| DRAMA | LITERATURE MEANT TO BE PERFORMED ONSTAGE |
| TRAGEDY | A WORK OF LITERATURE IN WHICH THE MAIN CHARACTER SUFFERS A DOWNFALL |
| TRAGIC FLAW | THE PERSONALITY TRAIT THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE DOWNFALL OF A CHARACTER |
| COUPLET | TWO CONSECUTIVE LINES THAT RHYME |
| CHORUS | A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO SUMMARIZE EACH ACT IN A PLAY |
| SARCASTIC | NASTY OR MOCKING IN SPEECH |
| SARCASTIC | I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THE __ WAY THE STUDENT TALKED BACK TO HIS MOTHER. |
| FLIPPANT | DISRESPECTFUL LEVITY |
| FLIPPANT | BOB ANGERED HIS MOM BY TELLING __ JOKES AT A FUNERAL. |
| IMPARTIAL | I HOPE THAT THE JURY IS __ WHEN YOU GO TO COURT. |
| SOLEMN | DEEPLY SERIOUS |
| elusive | hard to pin down |
| conflagration | a large fire |
| bellicose | aggressive |
| end rhyme | rhyming words at the ends of two or more lines of poetry |
| stanza | a verse paragraph |
| quatrain | a four line stanza |
| morose | gloomy |
| nettle | to annoy |
| bemoan | to complain about |
| surreptitious | sneaky |
| perpetuated | caused to continue |
| nefarious | wicked, immoral |
| pseudonym | an author's assumed name |
| conundrum | an enigma; a puzzle |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Climax | high point |
| Puns | play on words |
| Personification | give inanimate object human characteristics |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| metaphors | "The stream's a snake." |
| simile | "She dances like a princess." |
| hyperbole | "My date last night was the most beautiful girl in the world." |
| personification | "The fog crept in on little cat feet." |
| paradox | "A little learning is a dangerous thing." |
| oxymoron | "Jumbo shrimp" |
| ALLITERATION | "The twisting trout twinkled below." |
| CONSONANCE | "...a murmuring of immemorial elms..." |
| symbol | A person, place, thing, or an event that has meaning in itself and stands for something beyond itself as well; it can signify something else |
| dialogue | Conversation between characters in a drama or narrative |
| science fiction | Fiction that deals with the influence of real or imagined science on society or individuals; many of the events recounted are within the realm of future possibility |
| point of view | The angle or perspective from which a story is told |
| foreshadowing | The introduction of clues early in a story to suggest or anticipate significant events that will develop later |
| Personification | giving an inanimate object human-like characteristics |
| Simile | a comparison using "like" or "as" |
| Theme | the main idea in a work of literature |
| Symbolism | when something concrete represents an abstract idea |
| tone | the writer's attitude is revealed through this |
| round character | shows many different traits--faults as well as virtues |
| flat character | we see only one side of a character |
| dynamic character | develops and grows during the course of the story |
| static character | does not change or grow |
| external conflict | main character struggles against and outside force |
| internal conflict | involves a character in conflict with himself or herself |
| connotation | the set of ideas associeated with a word in addition to its explicit meaning |
| couplet | a pair of rhyming lines usually of the sme lenght and meter |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| tone | the writer's attitude toward his or her audience and subject of a literary work |
| imagery | descriptive or figurative language used to create word pictures for the reader |
| soliloquy | speech a character gives alone on stage |
| oxymoron | phrase or expression that is seemingly contradictory |
| Aside | a short speech heard by audience but not characters in the play |
| iambic pentameter | a meter in poetry consisting of five unrhymed lines-stressed and unstressed syllables |
| tragedy | a drama ending in catastrophe |
| simile | making comparisons between two subjects using like or as |
| metaphor | one thing is spoken of as if it were something else |
| personification | a non-human subject is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first sound (Peter Piper picked) - repeated at least two times |
| Assonance | rhyming or harmony of vowels |
| Onomatopoeia | use of words or sounds to imitate sound effects |
| Hyperbole | exaggeration |
| assonance | repetition of vowel sounds followed by different consonants in two or more stressed syllables |
| monologue | a speech by one character in a play, story, or poem |
| soliloquy | a long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage |
| sonnet | a fourteen-line lyric poem, usually written in rhymed iambic pentameter |
| FICKLE | CHANGEABLE |
| VERSE | THE OPPOSITE OF PROSE; POETRY |
| PARADOX | A STATEMENT THAT SEEMS TO BE CONTRADICTORY BUT ACTUALLY PRESENTS A TRUTH |
| THEY HAVE EARS BUT HEAR NOT. | PARADOX |
| ALLUSION | A REFERENCE TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE WORK; USUALLY MYTHICAL, BIBLICAL OR HISTORICAL |
| FOIL | A CHARACTER WHO HELPS EMPHASIZE THE TRAITS OF ANOTHER CHARACTER THROUGH CONTRAST |
| SYMPATHETIC | COMPREHENDING THE NEEDS AND FEELINGS OF OTHERS |
| FACETIOUS | LACKING SERIOUS INTENT; NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY |
| OBJECTIVE | NOT INFLUENCED BY PERSONAL FEELINGS; BASED ON FACTS |
| CONTEMPTUOUS | SHOWING OR EXPRESSING CONTEMPT OR DISDAIN |
| PORTENTOUS | FOREBODING |
| ADVERSARY | A FOE, AN ENEMY |
| CHASTE | DECENT; PURE |
| CONNOTATION | THE FEELINGS ASSOCIATED WITH A WORD |
| DENOTATION | DICTIONARY DEFINITION OF A WORD |
| PARALLELISM | REPETITION OF GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE |
| PROSE | OPPOSITE OF POETRY; WRITING IN SENTENCES |
| IMAGERY | WORD THAT PAIN A PICTURE AND RECREATE SENSORY EXPERIENCE |
| ADVERSARY | HIS __ CHASED HIM DOWN THE STREET. |
| CHASTE | ROSALINE HAS SWORN TO LIVE __ AND PURE. |
| CONTEMPTUOUS | THE __ AND SCORNFUL CHILD WAS PUNISHED. |
| OBJECTIVE | ZEUS COULD NOT MAKE AN __ AND IMPARTIAL DECISION ABOUT THE GOLDEN APPLE. |
| PARADOX | LOVE IS GENTLE AND ROUGH. |
| OXYMORON | SERIOUS VANITY; COLD FIRE |
| PORTENTOUS | THE THUNDER WAS A __ SIGN THAT SOMETHING BAD WOULD HAPPEN. |
| PORTENTOUS | FOREBODING; FORESHADOWING |
| DISDAIN | TO REJECT AS BENEATH ONESELF |
| POINT OF VIEW | THE PERSPECTIVE FROM WHICH A STORY IS TOLD |
| FIRST PERSON | CHARACTERIZED BY THE PRONOUN "I" |
| THIRD PERSON | TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE STROY WHO KNOWS THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF A SINGLE CHARACTER IN THE STORY |
| OMNISCIENT | TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE STORY WHO KNOWS THE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS OF ALL THE CHARACTERS |
| DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION | THE AUTHOR TELLS THE AUDIENCE WHAT THE CHARACTER IS LIKE |
| INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION | THE READER MUST USE THE CHARACTER'S THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND ACTIONS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CHARACTER IS REALLY LIKE |
| FLAT CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WHO HAS ONLY ONE PERSONALITY TRAIT |
| ROUND CHARACTER | A CHARACTER WITH MANY DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TRAITS |
| HAMPER | TO HINDER OR OBSTRUCT |
| PLACID | CALM; SERENE |
| ABRASIVE | COARSE; ROUGH |
| COVERT | HIDDEN |
| COWER | TO RECOIL IN FEAR |
| CREDIBLE | BELIEVABLE |
| REPREHENSIBLE | SHAMEFUL |
| BLATANT | OBVIOUS |
| BLATANT | I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE ___ LIES SHE TOLD! |
| REPREHENSIBLE | SHE WAS EMBARRASSED BY HER SON'S _____ BEHAVIOR. |
| DISDAIN | CANDICE LOOKED AT THE OTHER GIRL'S CLOTHING WITH ____. |
| COWERED | FRIGHTENED BY THE ANGRY, HISSING CAT, THE PUPPY ______ UNDERNEATH THE BED. |
| CREDIBLE | THE ATTORNEY THOUGHT THAT BOB WOULD MAKE A BELIEVABLE, ______ WITNESS. |
| PLACID | THE ____ EXPRESSION ON HER FACE HID HER INNER TURMOIL. |
| ABRASIVE | HIS _____ MANNER DID NOT ENDEAR HIM TO HIS PATIENTS; THEY THOUGHT HE WAS TOO HARSH. |
| COVERT | THE AGENTS WERE SENT OUT ON A ____ OPERATION. |
| HAMPER | THE INVESTIGATION WAS _____(ED) BY CRIME SCENE CONTAMINATION. |
| VICARIOUS | FELT OR UNDERGONE AS IF ONE WERE TAKING PART IN THE EXPERIENCE OF ANOTHER |
| VICARIOUSLY | JOHN LIVED ____(LY) THROUGH THE ACTION MOVIES HE WATCHED. |
| MANDATE | AN AUTHORITATIVE COMMAND |
| MANDATED | IT WAS ___(ED) THAT BOB DO FORTY HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. |
| ALTRUISM | SELFLESSNESS; UNSELFISH CONCERN FOR OTHERS |
| ALTRUISM | THE WEALTHY MAN WAS KNOWN FOR HIS ____; HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE. |
| LACKADAISICAL | LACKING ENERGY |
| LACKADAISICAL | THE ____ YOUNG MAN WAS TOO LAZY TO GET HIS OWN SODA. |
| INEPT | CLUMSY |
| INEPT | THE ___ REFEREE KEPT GETTING IN THE FORWARD'S WAY. |
| FINESSE | SKILLFUL; TACTFUL, REFINEMENT AND DELICACY OF PERFORMANCE |
| FINESSE | ERIC STAAL'S ___ ON THE ICE MAKES HIM A LEADING GOAL-SCORER. |
| TENACIOUS | PERSISTANT |
| TENACIOUS | THE ____ MAN WOULD NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. |
| ENIGMA | A RIDDLE |
| ENIGMA | THE STRANGE LIGHTS IN THE SKY COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED; THEY WOULD REMAIN AN ______. |
| ARCHAIC | OUTDATED |
| ARCHAIC | THEY FOUND _____ REMNANTS OF AN ANCIENT CIVILZATION AS THEY WERE EXCAVATING THAT PLOT OF LAND. |
| SACROSANCT | REGARDED AS SACRED |
| SACROSANCT | IN EQUALITY'S SOCIETY, THE COLLECTIVE GOOD IS _____ AND INDIVIDUALITY IS A SIN. |
| NEBULOUS | VAGUE; CLOUDY |
| NEBULOUS | WE FOUND HER DIRECTIONS TO BE SO ____ THAT NO ONE WAS SURE OF WHAT TO DO. |
| LOQUACIOUS | THE _____ GIRL WOULDN'T STOP TALKING! |
| LOQUACIOUS | VERY TALKATIVE |
| SYNECDOCHE | A FIGURE OF SPEECH IN WHICH A PART STANDS FOR THE WHOLE |
| SYNECDOCHE | HE ASKED FOR HER HAND IN MARRIAGE. |
| UTOPIA | AN IDEALLY PERFECT PLACE |
| UTOPIA | MY ____ IS A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND CONTENT. |
| DYSTOPIA | A PLACE IN WHICH THE CONDITIONS ARE EXTREMELY BAD |
| DYSTOPIA | WHILE MARX'S IDEAS SOUNDED GOOD, THEY FORMED A ______ IN WHICH MANY PEOPLE WERE DEPRIVED OF BASIC NECESSITIES AND HAPPINESS. |
