Malcolm
English 11
Literary Terms
________________________
Name
1. Allegory – A story with 2 levels of meaning: literal and symbolic
2. Alliteration – Repetition of a consonant sound at beginning of words.
3. Allusion – Reference to well-known people, places, events, work of literature, etc.
4. Ambiguity – When a statement contains 2 or more possible meanings. (“I promise I’ll
give you a ring tomorrow.”)
5. Ambivalence – The state of having 2 opposing feelings toward a person or thing at the
same time. (“Can’t live with you, can’t live without you.”)
6. Analogy – The comparison of a new idea to a well-known idea to aid in
comprehension
7. Anecdote – A brief story about an interesting, unusual, or humorous event
8. Antagonist – Character or force in conflict with the main character. (The Joker, The
Green Goblin)
9. Antanaclasis – Stylistic repetition of a word utilizing different definitions of the word
each time (“We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang together.”)
10. Antithesis – The use of phrases with opposite meanings in close conjunction. (“One
small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”)
11. Aphorism – A general truth or observation about life, often witty. (An apple a day keeps
the doctor away.)
12. Apostrophe – figure of speech in which the writer directly addresses the reader or an
absent/abstract idea. (Build thee more stately mansions, oh my soul.)
13. Aside – In drama, a short passage that an actor speaks to the audience and the other
characters pretend they cannot hear.
14. Assonance – repetition of vowel sounds. (Ashley asked for applesauce after her
anchovies.)
15. Autobiography – Work of nonfiction in which the author writes about his/her own life.
16. Ballad – A songlike poem that tells a story; often adventurous or romantic. Types:
Traditional Ballad, Folk Ballad, Popular Ballad
17. Bias - Prejudice either toward or against one thing or idea which is usually considered
to be unfair
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18. Biography – Work of nonfiction in which the author tells the life story of another
person
19. Blank Verse – poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter:
U/
U/
U/
U/
U/
20. Cacophony – Greek for “bad sound.” Words that do not have pleasing sounds – D’s,
G’s, Ch’s, K’s, T’s, X’s. (Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll) (Tolkien’s names)
21. Caesura – Latin for “cutting/slicing.” A pause within a line of poetry
22. Canto – A sub-division in a narrative poem similar to a chapter in a novel
23. Catalog – The creation of a long list for poetic or rhetorical effect (Dec. of
Independence = “He has…”)
24. Character – any representation of an individual being presented in a narrative work
a. Static Character – a character that does not change through the story
b. Dynamic Character – a character that goes through emotional changes
throughout the story – (Reverend Hale)
25. Characterization – The process of establishing personality traits in characters
a. Direct - When the narrator straightforwardly tells the reader descriptions of the
character(s)
b. Indirect - When the author shows, rather than tells, the reader qualities of the
character(s) through use of other characters’ behaviors, words, or thoughts about
the them. Based on the reader’s ability to make inferences.
26. Classical – Refers to works of art, architecture, philosophy, and literature produced by
Ancient Greeks or Ancient Romans
27. Climax – Moment in a literary work in which the problem reaches its highest point and
is afterward resolved
28. Colloquialism – A word or phrase using everyday, common speech – rarely to be used
in formal writing. (Swag)
29. Conceit – An elaborate or unusual comparison.
EX: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
EX: Life is like a box of chocolates
30. Conflict – The opposition between 2 forces in any literary composition.
a. External Conflict: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Nature
b. Internal Conflict: Man vs. Self
31. Connotation – the range of different meanings or feelings a word can have. house/
home, horse/steed
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32. Consonance – Repetition of 2 or more consonant sounds separated by different vowel
sounds. (pitter/patter, live/love)
33. Criticism – the studies concerned with defining, classifying, interpreting, and
evaluating literature.
34. Deism – late 1600’s-late 1700’s Religious revival during the Enlightenment in Europe &
American colonies. Main Points:
a. God created the universe & man
b. God was an observer only
c. Rejected dogma (traditionally believed “truths”)
d. No miracles
e. Reason based on observation
35. Denotation – the primary definition of a word disregarding any emotion
36. Denouement – French word meaning “unknotting.” The resolution and solving of
problems after the climax of a literary work
37. Deus ex Machina – Latin for “a god from a machine.” An unlikely solution to all
problems at the end of a work. (Jurassic Park. Dodgeball.)
38. Dialogue - The conversations spoken between 2 or more characters in a work of
literature.
39. Diction - A writer’s or speaker’s distinctive word choice that characterizes his/her style
of expression
40. Didacticism – the use of literature to teach and instruct; EX: poetry that tells history.
(Ireland by Frank Delaney)
41. Drama – A form of literary composition meant to be acted on stage.
42. Elegy – A formal poem that laments the death of someone
43. Empathy – the ability to transfer oneself into another person’s situation in order to
identify with his/her feelings
44. End-stopped – When lines of poetry end in punctuation, ending the thought & the line
at the same spot
45. Enjambment – In poetry, when complete thoughts “run over” to the next line by not
having punctuation at the end of a line.
46. Epic – A long, narrative poem that tells the tale of a larger-than-life hero. (The Odyssey,
Beowulf)
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47. Epilogue – A conclusion added to a literary work to explain, give moral or theme, or
give advice. (Puck’s speech to the audience at the end of “A Midsummer Night’s
Dream”)
48. Epithet – An adjective or adjectival phrase used to define a distinctive quality of
someone or something. (Larger-than-life hero, Silver-snarling trumpets, Fleet-footed
Achilles)
49. Euphemism – An inoffensive way to say something that may be offensive or
embarrassing. (“Pass away.” “Sleep with.” “Go to the restroom.”)
50. Euphony – Opposite of cacophony; use of words/language with pleasing sounds – L’s,
M’s, W’s
51. Ethos - The ethical appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to
persuade the audience by proving his/her own credibility & reliability
52. Exposition – Background information that is essential to the plot. (Learning about
Abigail & John Proctor’s affair.)
53. Fable – A brief story told to illustrate general truths about human nature; many times
using animals as main characters. (Tortoise & the Hare)
54. Figure of Speech – The use of words that differs from their standard meaning to achieve
a special meaning. “I’m blue.” “He broke wind.” “Dude, she’s ripped.”
55. Flashback – The telling/showing of events that happened before the opening of a work.
56. Foil – A character in a work that serves to stress and highlight a particular trait of
another character.
Bart/Lisa. Mac/PC. Parris/Hale
57. Foot – The combination of stressed & unstressed syllables that makes up 1 metric unit
in a line of poetry
a. Monometer – A line of poetry consisting of 1 foot of any metrical pattern
b. Dimeter - A line of poetry consisting of 2 feet of any metrical pattern
c. Trimeter - A line of poetry consisting of 3 feet of any metrical pattern
d. Tetrameter - A line of poetry consisting of 4 feet of any metrical pattern
e. Pentameter - A line of poetry consisting of 5 feet of any metrical pattern
58. Foreshadowing – Providing hints of things yet to come.
59. Free Verse – Poetry with no meter, no fixed rhyme scheme, and varying lengths of lines.
Based on natural rhythms of phrases & normal pauses.
60. Genre – A type or category of literature & film marked by certain shared features
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61. Gothic – from Goths – the barbaric Germanic tribes of Europe that contributed to the
fall of Rome; Architecture: characterized by pointed arches and vaults, flying
buttresses, stained glass, and gargoyles; Literature: poetry, short stories, or novels
designed to thrill readers by providing mystery and blood-curdling accounts of villainy,
murder, and the supernatural
62. Humanism – 1300’s-1500’s Renaissance intellectual and artistic movement that revived
classical Greek and Roman studies of grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, and
philosophy
63. Hyperbole – extreme exaggeration
64. Imagery – The use of words to create mental pictures
65. Innuendo – the subtle reference to inappropriate ideas
66. Irony – A contrast between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.
a. Verbal – the difference in meaning between what a person says and the way it is
interpreted
b. Dramatic – a situation in which the audience/reader knows something that the
character(s) do not know
c. Situational – when accidental events occur that are oddly appropriate for what
the character deserves, i.e. poetic justice
67. Litotes – a figure of speech in which a negative idea is purposefully understated by
expressing what it is not. (“While visiting Washington, D.C. I was approached by not a
few homeless beggars.”)
68. Local Color Writing – Writing that includes detailed representations of setting, dialect,
dress, & customs of a particular region. To Kill a Mockingbird, Their Eyes were
Watching God
69. Logos - The logical appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to
persuade the audience through use of logic & reasoning
70. Lyric Poetry – A short poem narrated by a single speaker expressing his/her feelings on
something
71. Metaphor – A comparison stated in a way that suggests one thing is another. “Her smile
shines like the sun. Her smile is the sun.”
72. Metaphysical Poetry – Early 1600’s British poetry about abstract subjects using a highly
complex structure
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73. Meter – The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry.
a. Anapest – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of
b. Dactyl - In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of
c. Iamb – In a line of poetry, the metrical unit of
d. Trochee – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of
e. Pyrrhic – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of
f. Spondee – In a line of poetry, the metrical pattern of
/
U
/
U
/
U
/
U
U
/
U
U
/
U
74. Metonymy – Using an object to represent a larger idea. (“You will be serving the
crown.” “The pen is mightier than the sword.”)
75. Monologue - A long speech by a character delivered to others in a play or movie.
76. Mood – The overall feeling or predominate atmosphere of a literary work
77. Motif – A purposefully recurring element in a work of literature or in many works of
literature; EX: Romeo and Juliet situation
78. Muse - The nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne who had the power to inspire
artists, poets, singers, and writers; “You are my muse.”
79. Myth – An unverifiable tale that explains the actions of gods and heroes or the causes
of natural phenomena. “Echo and Narcissus.”
a. Creation Myth: Explains how the world or its inhabitants came to be. “Navajo
Origin Legend.” Never say that they are fiction or untrue.
80. Narrative Poetry – Poetry that tells a story – has plots, themes, setting, characters
81. Naturalism – Mid 1800’s American literary movement seeking to depict life as
accurately as possible. Preceded Realism - very similar, but more philosophical. Tried
to show how humans can be studied through their relationship with their surroundings.
82. Neoclassical – Style of art, literature, and music that stresses reason, balance, and
order in imitation of Ancient Greek and Roman art
83. Nobel Prize – An international, annual prize started in 1901 awarding Physics,
Chemistry, Medicine, Economics, Literature, and Peace
84. Nom de Plume – French for “name of the pen.” A fictitious name that an author uses to
conceal his/her identity. AKA: Pen name. Diedrich Knickerbocker, Mark Twain, Silence
Dogood
85. Novel – An extended work of fictional prose featuring major and minor characters in a
complicated plot
86. Ode – A long, elaborate poem written for or dedicated to a specific subject and
treating it reverently
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87. Omniscient Point of View – 3rd person point of view. The telling of a story from the
perspective of someone who knows everything. The narrator is not one of the
characters, but seems to be looking on everything from above.
88. Onomatopoeia – The use of words that are similar to the sound they represent. Buzz,
click, grunt, Bam!
89. Oxymoron – a statement that contradicts itself; Icy Hot, Jumbo Shrimp, Smart Jock
90. Parable – A story designed to teach a moral lesson
91. Paradox – The use of contradiction that actually makes sense. “Without laws, we can
have no freedom.” “Cowards die many times before their deaths.”
92. Parody – An imitation of the style of a particular work in hopes of making fun of it.
Scary Movie, SpaceBalls
93. Pathos - The emotional appeal. A technique in which a writer or speaker attempts to
persuade the audience through the use of emotion - usually sadness
94. Personification – Giving human characteristics to non-human things
95. Plagiarism – Accidental or intentional intellectual theft in which any writer or speaker
steals an original idea from someone else and presents it as his/her own.
96. Plain Style – A style of expression characterized by its clarity, simplicity,
straightforwardness, and lack of ornamentation – appealed to Puritans and Quakers
97. Plot – The structure and sequence of events in a literary work
98. Poet Laureate – A poet officially appointed by a national government (or organization)
expected to compose poems for the nation (or organization) for special occasions
99. Point of View – The vantage point from which a story is told; 1st person or 3rd person.
100.Primary Source – the main work of literature that a student is analyzing
101.Prologue - a section of any introductory material before the first chapter or the main
material of a work
102.Prose – Any composition of writing that is not poetry or drama. AKA: “Normal”
writing.
103.Protagonist – The main character in a literary work who is the primary focus of
attention
104.Pseudonym – (Greek) A fictitious name that an author uses to conceal his/her identity.
AKA: Nom de plume, pen name
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105.Psychological Novel - work of fiction in which the thoughts, feelings, and motivations
of the characters are of greater interest than the external action of the story
106.Pulitzer Prize - an American award regarded as the highest honor in print journalism,
literary achievements, and musical compositions. Administered by Columbia
University in New York City. 13 awards each year.
107.Pun – A joke that exploits the different possible meanings a word can have; EX:
Romeo and Juliet: “Romeo’s vile death.” (vile=vial)
108.Realism – 1800’s – 1900’s: A literary movement in America & Europe that developed
out of Naturalism; portrays life in a faithful, accurate manner, unclouded by false ideals
109.Refrain - A repeating line or set of lines at the end of stanzas or sections of a poem
110.Renaissance – 1300’s – 1500’s: An intellectual and artistic “rebirth” in Europe. Sought
to rediscover the Classic culture and art of Ancient Rome and Greece.
111.Rhetoric: The art of persuasive argumentation; the use of eloquent, charismatic, &
strategic language
112.Rhetorical Question – A question asked that is not meant to be answered. Used to
prove a point, get the audience to think.
113.Rhyme – the similarity of sound in 2 or more words
a. Feminine Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming lines end in an unstressed syllable
b. Masculine Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming lines end in a stressed syllable
c. End Rhyme – when the last word of 2 or more lines rhyme
d. Internal Rhyme – when words rhyme within a line of poetry
e. Perfect Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming sounds are exact
f. Slant Rhyme – when 2 or more rhyming sounds are approximate & forced into
the pattern
114.Romance - A medieval tale dealing with a hero of chivalry, common in Romance
Languages (AKA: not Latin.). Ex.: King Arthur legends
115.Romanticism – 1800-1830: An artistic & philosophical movement in Europe that
rejected the logic & reason of the Enlightenment. Stressed emotion, following instincts,
imagination, and individuality; Major poets: Keats, Byron, Wordsworth; Inspired
Transcendentalism in America
116.Sarcasm – The act of saying one thing, but meaning the exact opposite
117.Satire – A humorous but intelligent attack or critique of any social or cultural
phenomenon that is seen as a problem in hopes of change; The Daily Show, The
Simpsons, “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathon Swift (1729)
118.Scansion – The marking of stressed & unstressed syllables in poetry
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119.Secondary Source – any work written about the Primary source
120.Setting – The time and place of any work
121.Simile – A comparison using the words like or as that suggests one thing is similar to
another
122.Soliloquy – A character’s solo speech at a point in the play when he believes himself
to be alone, often revealing thoughts, feelings, secrets, plans.
123.Sonnet – A poem consisting of 14 lines of iambic pentameter; English and Italian
a. English Sonnet: “Shakespearean” - abab cdcd efef gg
b. Italian Sonnet: “Petrarchan” - abba abba cde cde)
124.Stanza – a group of lines in poetry separated from others by a space; similar to a
paragraph in prose
a. Couplet – A 2-lined rhyming stanza
b. Quatrain – A 4-line stanza
c. Octave – An 8-line stanza
125.Stream of Consciousness – A style of writing in which the narrative follows the flow of
thoughts that a character is having. Appears random & seems to have no structure or
chronology.
126.Style – The characteristic way an author uses words to create a desired effect
127.Suspension of Disbelief - Simply enjoying a work of fiction by setting aside your
doubt of the believability of unrealistic elements. “Just go with it.”
128.Symbol – An object or character that represents itself and something greater; EX: the
eagle in The Iroquois Constitution, traffic lights
129.Synecdoche – A figure of speech in which an object is represented by a part of it. (“All
hands on deck!” “Get your butt over here!” Football announcer – “…brought down by
a whole host of blue jerseys.”)
130.Synesthesia - A figure of speech in which one sense is used to describe an experience
that should appeal to a different sense. EX: “The scent of the rose rang like a bell
through the garden.” “The house was absent of flavor.”
131.Tall Tale – A story told about a hero who solves problems in a humorous way. The
character is identifiable to everyday people. Details are exaggerated to describe things
to be greater than they are. EX: Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, John Henry
132.Tautology – Saying the same thing twice in different ways so that it appears
accidental; “I saw it with my own eyes.” “PIN Number.” “HIV Virus”
133.Theme – the central idea or lesson to be learned of a work of literature
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134.Tone – The author’s attitude toward his/her subject. (Playful, sarcastic, optimistic)
135.Tony Award - various annual US prizes given for the highest achievements in theater
136.Transcendentalism – Early 1800s: An American literary, artistic, and philosophical
movement equivalent to the Romantic Period in Europe. Stressed emotion, instincts,
“back to basics,” imagination, individuality, non-conformity, and nature
137.Unreliable Narrator - A narrator of a story whose perception of reality cannot be
trusted due to ignorance, illness, or emotional imbalance. The author expects the alert
reader to notice inconsistencies.
138.Verse – A composition written in meter (a.k.a. poetry)
139.Zeugma – An expression in which 1 word applies to 2 phrases with slightly different
meanings. (She stole my heart and my cat.) (My teeth and ambitions are bared.)(Are
you getting fit or having one?)
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