| A | B |
|---|
| iambic | pattern of poetry that follows an unstressed, stressed beat; sometimes referred to as the “heartbeat” rhythm. |
| imagery | devices which appeal to the senses: visual, tactile, auditory, olfactory, kinetic |
| inference | to conclude or decide from something known or assumed; derive by reasoning |
| intercalary | novel in which chapters of description are interspersed with chapters of narration, such as in Grapes of Wrath. |
| invective | a violent verbal attack; strong criticism, curses; an abusive term |
| irony | surprising, amusing, or interesting contrast; contrast between reality and expectation |
| juxtaposition | a poetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, creating an effect of surprise and wit |
| language | the entire body of words used in a text, not simply isolated bits of diction |
| legend | a widely told tale about the past, one that may have a foundation in fact |
| litotes | understatement employed for the purpose of enhancing the effect of the ideas expressed. Contains a negative. |
| lyric | a melodic poem that expresses the observations and feelings of a single speaker |
| melodrama | a play based upon a dramatic plot and developed sensationally |
| metaphor | an implied comparison which does not use like or as. |
| metaphysical | of, from, or relating to forces or being outside the natural world |
| meter | the rhythmical pattern of a poem |
| metonomy | substituting a word naming an object for another word closely associated with it. EN: Pay tribute to the crown. |
| monometer | a verse written in one-foot lines |
| mood | the atmosphere of the literary work. |
| monologue | a written or oral composition presenting the discourse of one speaker only |
| motif | a main theme or subject |
| myth | a fictional tale, originally with religious significance, that explains heroes, gods, nature, and/or natural phenomenon |
