| A | B |
|---|
| ALLEGORY | story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities |
| ANECDOTE | Brief narrative, focusing on a particular incident or event; told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something; often shows character of an individual |
| COMEDY | in general, a story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character or characters |
| CONFESSIONAL POETRY | a twentieth century term used to describe poetry that uses intimate material from the poet’s life |
| EPIC | a long narrative poem, written in heightened language, which recounts the deeds of a heroic character (traditionally of an elevated social position or class), who embodies the values of a particular society; sometimes presents episodes important to the history of a race or nation |
| ESSAY | a short piece of nonfiction prose in which the writer discusses some aspect of a subject |
| FABLE | a very short story told in prose or poetry that teaches a moral or practical lesson about how to succeed in life |
| FARCE | a type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in silly, far-fetched situations |
| FREE VERSE | poetry that does not conform to a regular meter or rhyme scheme |
| LYRIC POEM | a poem that does not tell a story but expresses the personal feelings or thoughts of the speaker |
| BALLAD | narrative poetic form in stanzaic structure |
| PARABLE | a relatively short story that teaches a moral, or lesson about how to lead a good life |
| SATIRE | a type of writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about a change |
| TRAGEDY | in general, a story in which a heroic character (usually of high degree or social standing), engaged in a significant struggle which ends in ruin/destruction; protagonist either dies or comes to some other unhappy end |
| APHORISM | brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also called maxim, epigram |
| MAXIM | brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also called aphorism, epigram. Not a lad mag. |
| EPIGRAM | brief, cleverly worded statement, sometimes paradoxical, that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also called maxim, aphorism |
| ELEGY | a formal poem of mourning, usually about someone who has died; can be a meditation on death, loss, or another solemn theme |
| EULOGY | great praise or commendation, a laudatory speech, often about someone who has died |
| EPIGRAPH | a quotation, aphorism or statement at the beginning of a literary work (or chapter or section), suggestive of the theme |
| TALL TALE | an outrageously exaggerated, humorous story that is obviously unbelievable. |
| ROMANCE | in general, a story in which an idealized hero or heroine undertakes a quest and is successful. Frequently contain elements such as shipwrecks, lost or separated family members |
| SOLILOQUY | a long speech made by a character in a play while no other characters are on stage. |
| PARODY | a work that makes fun of another work by imitating some aspect of the writer’s style; a humorous imitation of a serious work |
| EPITHET | an adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality. “Father of our country” and “the great Emancipator” are examples. A Homeric epithet is a compound adjective used with a person or thing: “swift-footed Achilles”; “rosy-fingered dawn.” |
| ADAGE | a familiar proverb or wise saying |
| APHORISM | a concise statement that expresses succinctly a general truth or idea, often using rhyme or balance |
| CLICHE | an expression that has been overused to the extent that its freshness has worn off |
| EPITAPH | an inscription on a tombstone or burial place |
| FANTASY | a story concerning an unreal world or characters which could not appear in reality; a fantasy may be merely whimsical, or it may present a serious point |
| GENRE | a major category or type of literature |
| HOMILY | a sermon, or a moralistic lecture |
| LEGEND | a narrative handed down from the past, containing historical elements and usually supernatural elements |
| MYTH | a traditional story presenting supernatural characters and episodes that help explain natural events |
| NARRATIVE | a story or narrated account |
| PHILIPPIC | a strong verbal denunciation. The tenn comes from the orations of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedonia in the fourth century. |
| RIDDLE | a question requiring thought to answer or understand; a puzzle or conundrum |
