Section 1
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Balance
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Date created
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Cards (307)
Section 1
(50 cards)
Balance
for sentences, they are made up of two parts that are roughly equal in length, importance, and grammatical structure.
Antecedent
a literary device in which a word or pronoun in a line or sentence refers to an earlier word.
Comic Relief
is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.
Authority
for a text, it is its reliability as a witness to the author's intentions.
Dramatic Situation
a situation in which people are involved in conflicts that solicit the audience's empathetic involvement in their predicament.
Anecdote
defined as a short and interesting story, or an amusing event, often proposed to support or demonstrate some point, and to make the audience laugh; can include an extensive range of tales and stories.
Didactic
a novel, play or poem that aims to teach you something.
Static/Flat Character
a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop.
Diction
is word choice, or the style of speaking that a writer, speaker, or character uses.
Caesura
a pause in a line that is formed by the rhythms of natural speech rather than meter; will usually occur in the middle of a line of poetry, but can occur at the beginning or the end of a line.
Climax
a decisive moment that is of maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot.
Annotation
a critical or explanatory note or body of notes added to a text.
Coherence
it is a written or spoken piece that is not only consistent and logical, but also unified and meaningful: it makes sense when read or listened to as a whole.
Chiasmus
a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures in order to produce an artistic effect ("Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You.")
Colloquialism
is the use of informal words, phrases or even slang in a piece of writing.
Denouement
is the final outcome of the story, generally occurring after the climax of the plot.
Attitude
a behavior a person adopts toward other people, things, incidents, or happenings; can be referred to as the perspective or tone that the writer adopts in a certain work.
Circumstance
a state that you are in, the details surrounding a situation, or a condition that causes something to occur.
Setting
is the time and place in which the story takes place; provides the backdrop to the story and helps create mood.
Speaker
is the voice behind the poem; someone to be analyzed, thought about, and discovered.
Circumlocution
a rhetorical device that can be defined as an ambiguous or paradoxical way of expressing things, ideas, or views.
Antithesis
balancing words, phrases, or ideas that are strongly contrasted, often by means of grammatical structure.
Connotation
refers to a meaning that is implied by a word apart from the thing which it describes explicitly.
Cacophony
refers to the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing and unmelodious sounds primarily those of consonants to achieve desired results.
Doppelganger
usually shaped as a twin, shadow or a mirror image of a protagonist; may be used to show the "other self" of a character that he or she has not discovered yet, or gives rise to a conflict in a story.
Antagonist
the opposing force that brings conflict and is instrumental in the development of the protagonist, or main character.
Alliteration
a literary device where two or more words in a phrase or line of poetry share the same beginning sound. The words can be adjacent or can be separated by one or more words.
Assonance
the repetition of vowel sounds; does not have to be a rhyme.
Consonance
refers to repetitive sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase.
Aside
happens when a character's dialogue is spoken, but not heard by the other actors on the stage; useful for giving the audience special information about the other characters onstage or the action of the plot.
Cadence
a term used to signal the rising and falling of one's voice when reading a literary piece; help set its rhythmic pace.
Argument/Counterargument
is an attempt to persuade someone of something/a viewpoint that opposes your main argument;are part of good persuasive writing and speaking strategy because they show that you've considered other points of view. They also set up the chance to refute the opposition and show why your position is the right one to have.
Digression
a stylistic device authors employ to create a temporary departure from the main subject of the narrative, to focus on apparently unrelated topics, explaining background details.
Anaphora
repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This is a deliberate form of repetition and helps make the writer's point more coherent.
Apostrophe
a term used when a speaker directly addresses someone or something that isn't present in the poem. The speaker could be addressing an abstract concept like love, a person (dead or alive), a place, or even a thing, like the sun or the sea.
Context
circumstances forming a background of an event, idea or statement, in such a way as to enable readers to understand the narrative or a literary piece; it illuminates the meaning and relevance of the text, and may be something cultural, historical, social, or political.
Audience
refers to the spectators, listeners, and intended readers of a writing, performance, or speech.
Cliché
an overused, worn-out word or phrase and can also be an idiom, a phrase that is figurative, not literal.
Conflict
defined as any struggle between opposing forces; what drives each and every story.
Allusion
a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.
Anagnorisis
the startling discovery that produces a change from ignorance to knowledge; discussed by Aristotle as an essential part of the plot of a tragedy, even though it occurs in comedies, epics and novels as well.
Dissonance
the use of harsh-sounding, unusual, or impolite words in poetry to create a disturbing effect or to catch the reader's attention by interrupting a smooth flow of words.
Denotation
refers to the literal, dictionary definition of a word.
Analogy
comparison made between two things to show how they are alike.
Asyndeton
a writing style where conjunctions are omitted in a series of words, phrases or clauses. It is used to shorten a sentence and focus on its meaning.
Carpe Diem
refers to a common moral or theme in classical literature that the reader should make the most out of life and should enjoy it before it ends.
Anthropomorphism
a literary device that can be defined as a technique in which a writer ascribes human traits, ambitions, emotions, or entire behaviors to animals, non-human beings, natural phenomena, or objects.
Dynamic Character
a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, like a change in personality or attitude.
Anticlimax
a rhetorical device that can be defined as a disappointing situation, or a sudden transition in discourse from an important idea to a ludicrous or trivial one; it is when, at a specific point, expectations are raised, everything is built-up, and then suddenly something boring or disappointing happens.
Allegory
a story with TWO levels of meaning. First, there's the surface of the story; you know, the characters, plot and all the other obvious stuff. Then there's the symbolic level, or the deeper meaning that all the jazz on the surface represents.
Section 2
(50 cards)
Flashback
interruptions that writers do to insert past events in order to provide background or context to the current events of a narrative.
Verbal Irony
a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.
Objectivity
not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased.
Oxymoron
occurs when two contradictory words are together in one phrase.
Foreboding
as a feeling or premonition that something bad is going to occur.
Olfactory Imagery
pertains to odors, scents, or the sense of smell.
Antihero
a protagonist of a drama or narrative who is notably lacking in heroic qualities.
Foreshadowing
often appears at the beginning of a story, or a chapter, and helps the reader develop expectations about the coming events in a story.
Expletive
a crude or obscene expression, or an unnecessary word or phrase used to fill space in a sentence for grammar or rhythm purposes.
Imagery
the literary term used for language and description that appeals to our five senses.
Genre
means a type of art, literature, or music characterized by a specific form, content, and style; literature has four main ones: poetry, drama, fiction, and non-fiction, and it is necessary on the part of readers to know which category they are reading in order to understand the message it conveys, as they may have certain expectations prior to the reading concerned.
Parallelism
where parts of the sentence are grammatically the same, or are similar in construction; can be a word, a phrase, or an entire sentence repeated.
Visual Imagery
use of particular words that creates visual representations of ideas in our minds.
Byronic Hero
is an antihero of the highest order; is typically rebellious, arrogant, anti-social or in exile, and darkly, enticingly romantic (named after Lord Byron)
Explication
the close analysis of a text or of an excerpt from a longer text.
Dramatic Irony
defined as when an audience watching a play understands what's going on in a situation while the characters are unaware of what is happening.
Epithet
describes a place, a thing or a person in such a way that it helps in making the characteristics of a person, thing or place more prominent than they actually are; also known as a by-name or descriptive title.
Situational Irony
occurs when actions or events have the opposite result from what is expected or what is intended.
Onomatopoeia
a word that sounds like the common sound of the object it is describing.
Hyperbole
an extreme exaggeration used to make a point; the opposite of "understatement."
Tragic Hero
a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to their own destruction.
Foil
a character who contrasts with another character —usually the protagonist— to highlight particular qualities of the other character. In some cases, a subplot can be used as this towards the main plot.
Irony
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.
Auditory Imagery
pertains to sounds, noises, music, or the sense of hearing (may come in the form of onomatopoeia).
Freytag's Pyramid
Mood
a literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions.
Inference
where logical deductions are made based on premises assumed to be true, using observations and background information.
Pacing
the speed, or rhythm, at which a story is told.
Paradox
a statement that contradicts itself and still somehow seems to be true.
Tactile Imagery
pertains to physical textures or the sense of touch.
Subjectivity
based on one's opinions, perspectives, beliefs, discoveries, desires, and feelings; has no concern with right or wrong, other than the person's opinion of what is right and wrong.
Jargon
the term for specialized or technical language that is only understood by those who are members of a group or who perform a specific trade.
Euphemism
refers to polite, indirect expressions which replace words and phrases considered harsh and impolite or which suggest something unpleasant.
Hamartia
refers to the protagonist's error or tragic flaw that leads to a chain of plot actions culminating in a reversal of their good fortune to bad.
Figurative Language
language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation.
Metaphor
a figure of speech that makes an implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated, but which share some common characteristics (in other words, a resemblance of two contradictory or different objects is made based on a single or some common characteristics.)
Motif
an idea, an object, a concept, a character archetype, the weather, a color, or even a statement, that is used to establish a theme or a certain mood; they have a symbolic meaning.
Epiphany
that moment in the story where a character achieves realization, awareness or a feeling of knowledge after which events are seen through the prism of this new light in the story.
Narrator
the voice that an author takes on to tell a story; can have a personality quite different from the author's.
Euphony
the use of words and phrases that are distinguished as having a wide range of noteworthy melody or loveliness in the sounds they create.
Hubris
the extreme pride and arrogance shown by a character that ultimately brings about their downfall.
Metonymy
where an object is used to describe something that's closely related to it.
Logic
employing the use of logos, which is a literary device that can be defined as a statement, sentence, or argument used to convince or persuade the targeted audience by employing reason.
Gustatory Imagery
pertains to flavors or the sense of taste.
Ellipsis
a literary device that is used in narratives to omit some parts of a sentence or event, which gives the reader a chance to fill the gaps while acting or reading it out.
In Media Res
usually describes a narrative that begins, not at the beginning of a story, but somewhere in the middle — usually at some crucial point in the action.
Extended Metaphor
refers to a comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph, or lines in a poem; often comprised of more than one sentence, and sometimes consists of a full paragraph.
Enjambement
incomplete syntax at the end of a line; the meaning runs over from one poetic line to the next, without terminal punctuation.
Juxtaposition
a literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side in a narrative or a poem for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.
Monologue
an extended speech made by one person.
Section 3
(50 cards)
Omniscient POV
writing a narrative in third person, in which the narrator knows the feelings and thoughts of every character in the story.
Rhythm
the expression of stressed and unstressed syllables.
Point of View
refers to who is telling a story, or who is narrating it.
Hexameter
six feet
Rhetoric
a technique of using language effectively and persuasively in spoken or written form; employs various methods to convince, influence or please an audience.
Poetic Justice
a literary device in which ultimately virtue is rewarded and viciousness is punished.
Pun
a "play on words" based on the multiple meanings of a single word or on words that sound alike, but mean different things.
End Rhyme
when a poem has lines ending with words that sound the same.
Foot
the combination of stressed and unstressed syllables.
First Person POV
where the story is narrated by one character at a time. This character may be speaking about him or herself or sharing events that he or she is experiencing.
Anapestic
unstressed, unstressed, stressed foot (UU/)
Slant Rhyme
a type of rhyme formed by words with similar, but not identical sounds.
Persona (Personae)
defined in a literary work as a voice or an assumed role of a character, which represents the thoughts of a writer, or a specific person the writer wants to present as his mouthpiece (ACTORS TAKE ON DIFFERENT ONES OF THESE).
Trimeter
three feet
Scansion
refers to the process of analyzing a poem's meter.
Plot
used to describe the events that make up a story, or the main part of a story; these events relate to each other in a pattern or a sequence, and the structure of a novel depends on the organization of these events.
Synecdoche
a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole or it may use a whole to represent a part.
Rhyme Scheme
a poet's deliberate pattern of lines that rhyme with other lines in a poem or a stanza; can be identified by giving end words that rhyme with each other the same letter.
Stereotype
a character with generalized traits (characteristics that make the character a group representative rather than an individual).
Iambic
unstressed, stressed foot (U/)
Limited Omniscient POV
the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.
Rhyme
a repetition of similar sounding words, occurring at the end of lines in poems or songs; a tool utilizing repeating patterns that bring rhythm or musicality to poems, differentiating them from prose, which is plain.
Pathos
an appeal to emotion, and is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional response.
Stream of Consciousness POV
a method of narration that describes in words the flow of thoughts in the minds of the characters.
Rhetorical Question
a question that you ask without expecting an answer: the question might be one that does not have an answer, or it might also be one that has an obvious answer, but you have asked the question to make a point, to persuade, or for literary effect.
Spondaic
stressed stressed foot (//)
Meter
a unit of rhythm in poetry, and is known as the pattern of the beats; differences are in which syllables are accented and which are not.
Heptameter
seven feet
Personification
a form of figurative language in which something that is not human is given human characteristics.
Dactylic
stressed, unstressed, unstressed foot (/UU)
Soliloquy
a device often used in drama when a character speaks to himself or herself, relating thoughts and feelings, thereby also sharing them with the audience, giving off the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections.
Protagonist
the main character in any story.
Polysyndeton
a stylistic device in which several coordinating conjunctions are used in succession in order to achieve an artistic effect.
Trochaic
stress, unstressed foot (/U)
Dimeter
two feet
Monometer
one foot
Internal Rhyme
a poetic device which can be defined as metrical lines in which its middle words and its end words rhyme with each other; comes in the middle of lines.
Simile
a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things; unlike a metaphor, it draws resemblances with the help of the words "like" or "as."
Pentameter
five feet
Tetrameter
four feet
Stage Directions
part of the script of a play that tells the actors how they are to move or to speak their lines.
Sarcasm
a literary and rhetorical device that is meant to mock, often with satirical or ironic remarks, with a purpose to amuse and hurt someone, or some section of society, simultaneously.
Octameter
eight feet
Syntax
determines how the author's chosen form of diction is used to form a sentence.
Satire
a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society by using humor, irony, exaggeration or ridicule. It intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles.
Pastoral
the setting is in a beautiful, rural landscape.
Symbolism
a figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning, or it is the actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the context of the whole story.
Synaesthesia
refers to a technique adopted by writers to present ideas, characters or places in such a manner that they appeal to more than one senses like hearing, seeing, smell etc. at a given time.
Stress
the emphasis that falls on certain syllables and not others; the arrangement becomes the foundation of the poetic rhythm.
Accent
the emphasis or stress placed on a syllable in poetry.
Section 4
(50 cards)
Octave
a verse form consisting of eight lines of iambic pentameter; most common rhyme scheme is abba abba, and is the first part of a Petrarchan sonnet, which ends with a contrasting sestet.
Transition
words and phrases that provide a connection between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs; help to make a piece of writing flow better.
Declarative Sentence
states a fact and is the opposite of a question.
Tragic Flaw
a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character that leads to their downfall, and the character is often the hero of the literary piece.
Compound Complex Sentence
a sentence that has two or more coordinate independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses.
Voice
the individual writing style of an author, combining the use of syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialogue, etc., within a singular text or across several of their works.
Gerunds
a grammar term used to describe a verb that acts like a noun (I jog to Jogging is my favorite sport)
Refrain
a regularly recurring phrase or verse, especially at the end of each stanza or division of a poem or song.
Thesis
a short statement, usually one sentence, that summarizes the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, etc., and is developed, supported, and explained in the text by means of examples and evidence; has a parallel structure.
Free Verse
a literary device that can be defined as poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm, and do not rhyme with fixed forms.
Simple Sentence
a sentence consisting of only one clause, with a single subject and predicate.
Fragment
are groups of words that look like sentences, but aren't (most likely lack an independent clause)
Lyric Poem
"sing-songy" kind of poem; expresses many emotions.
Heroic Couplet
consists of a rhyming pair of lines in iambic pentameter; they function as a means of grabbing the listener's attention and indicating that the information in those lines is important (usually the theme/message of the piece!).
Ode
elaborate lyrical poems; feature dignified language, that is common, but elevated in sensory. They use a boatload of imagery, and are complicated in form (sometimes in iambic pentameter as well).
Independent Clause
a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence. It has both a subject and a verb and forms a complete thought.
Stanza
a division of four or more lines that have a fixed length, meter, or rhyming scheme. The pattern is determined by the number of feet in each line, and by its metrical or rhyming scheme.
Blank Verse
defined as un-rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter.
Sestet
the six final lines of a Petrarchan sonnet.
Narrative
story-telling
Imperative Sentence
a type of sentence that gives instructions or advice, and expresses a command, an order, a direction, or a request; depending upon its delivery, it can end with an exclamation mark or a period.
Passive Voice
the subject of the sentence is acted on by the verb. For example, in "The ball was thrown by the pitcher," the ball (the subject) receives the action of the verb, and was thrown is in the past tense.
Quatrain
a verse with four lines, often found in Shakespearean sonnets.
Zeugma
a literary term for using one word to modify two other words, in two different ways.
Sonnet
a small lyric that has 14 lines, is written in iambic pentameter, and has a rhyme scheme; there are two different types: Shakespearean and Petrarchan.
Theme
the central topic or idea explored in a text.
Synthesis
to combine two or more elements to form a new whole; in literature, the said "elements" are the findings you read then write about
Petrarchan Sonnet
or Italian, has an octave, which is the problem featuring and abbaabba rhyme scheme, and a sestet, which is the solution featuring a varied rhyme scheme.
Neoclassicism
the revival of a classical style or treatment in art, literature, architecture, or music (science and technology benefiting the society as a whole)
Modifier
can be adjectives, adjective clauses, adverbs, adverb clauses, absolute phrases, infinitive phrases, participle phrases, and prepositional phrases that describe the noun.
Romanticism
a revolt against Rationalism that affected literature and the other arts, beginning in the late eighteenth century and remaining strong throughout most of the nineteenth century (all about emotions and imagination benefitting individuals) --> stresses nature and the past
Interrogative Sentence
a type of sentence that asks a question.
Complex Sentence
contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause.
Age of Reason/Rationalism/Enlightenment
a movement that began in Europe in the seventeenth century, which held that we can arrive at truth by using our reason rather than relying on the authority of the past, on the authority of the Church, or an institution
Aestheticism
a literary movement that emphasized the importance of "art for art's sake." (more about being beautiful than having some deeper meaning)
Infinitives
a verbal that can function as a noun, adjective or adverb by adding 'to' beforehand.
Classicism
the following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and style in art and literature, generally associated with harmony, restraint, and adherence to recognized standards of form and craftsmanship, especially from the Renaissance to the 18th century (looks beyond the surface; sees each and every part for their true potential)
Exclamatory Sentence
expresses strong feelings by making an exclamation.
Participles
an adjective made from a verb (The dog is sleeping to There is that sleeping dog)
Dependent (Subordinate) Clause
a group of words with a subject and a verb. It does not express a complete thought so it is not a sentence and can't stand alone.
Verbals
a word formed from a verb, but functioning as a different part of speech (I jog to Jogging is my favorite sport [shift from verb to noun])
Tone
the attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience, generally conveyed through the choice of words, or the viewpoint of a writer on a particular subject; can be formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful, or it may be any other existing attitude.
Compound Sentence
a sentence with more than one subject or predicate.
Shakespearean Sonnet
or Elizabethan, it has 3 quatrains, with four lines each, and a heroic couplet. The rhyme scheme is ababcdcdefefgg, and a volta usually occurs between the quatrains or before the heroic couplet.
Science Fiction
fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.
Terza Rima
consists of stanzas of three lines (or tercets) usually in iambic pentameter. It follows an interlocking rhyming scheme, or chain rhyme.
Appositive
a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it; can be a short or long combination of words
Active Voice
the subject is doing the acting, as in the sentence "Kevin hit the ball." Kevin (the subject of the sentence) acts in relation to the ball.
Understatement
a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is.
Couplet
a literary device that can be defined as having two successive rhyming lines in a verse, and they have the same meter to form a complete thought.
Section 5
(50 cards)
Dialect
a regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech differing from the standard literary language or speech pattern of the culture in which it exists
Propaganda
the spreading of information in support of a cause; often used in a negative sense, especially for politicians who make false claims to get elected or spread rumors to get their way
Eponymous
being the person after whom a literary work, film, etc, is named
Epigraph
a phrase, quotation, or poem that is set at the beginning of a document or component; may serve as a preface, as a summary, as a counter-example, or to link the work to a wider literary canon, either to invite comparison or to enlist a conventional context
Inductive Reasoning
as a conclusion reached through reasoning; derived using facts and instances which lead to the formation of a general opinion
Feminine Rhyme
a rhyme that matches two or more syllables, usually at the end of respective lines, in which the final syllable or syllabication are unstressed
Abstract
refers to a short summary or outline of a longer work. As an adjective applied to writing or literary works, it refers to words or phrases that name things not knowable through the five senses
Peripeteia
a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation
Bildungsroman
a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood
Malapropism
the act of using an incorrect word in place of one that is similar in pronunciation
Inversion
the syntactic reversal of the normal order of the words and phrases in a sentence
Pedantic
an adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or. bookish
Eulogy
means "to praise" somebody or something; a literary device that is a laudatory expression in a speech, or a written tribute to a person recently deceased
Idiom
refers to a set expression or a phrase comprising two or more words: the expression is not interpreted literally and is understood to mean something quite different from what individual words of the phrase would imply
Polemic
a controversy, debate or dispute, or a person who is inclined to argue
Anastrophe
the syntactic reversal of the normal order of the words and phrases in a sentence, as, in English, the placing of an adjective after the noun it modifies, a verb before its subject. etc.
Double Entendre
a literary device that can be defined as a phrase or a figure of speech that might have multiple senses, interpretations, or two different meanings, or which might be understood in two different ways
Caricature
a picture or imitation of a person in which certain features or mannerisms are exaggerated for satirical effect
Fable
a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, legendary creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature that are anthropomorphized (given human qualities, such as the ability to speak human language) and that illustrates or leads to a particular moral lesson
Apocrypha
writings or statements of dubious authenticity, like the early Christian writings that are not included in the New Testament of the Bible
Parody
an imitation of a writer, artist, subject, or genre in such a way as to make fun of or comment on the original work; often exaggerated in the way they imitate the original in order to produce a humorous effect
Archetype
a typical character, an action, or a situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human nature
Exemplum
a rhetorical device that is defined as a short tale, narrative, or anecdote used in literary pieces and speeches to explain a doctrine, or emphasize a moral point. They are generally in the forms of legends, folktales, and fables
Conceit
uses an extended metaphor that compares two very dissimilar things
Masculine Rhyme
occurs when the rhyme is on the final syllable of the two rhyming words and is stressed
Neologism (Coinage)
defined as a new word or a new use for an old word, or the act of making up new words
Litotes
a figure of speech that employs an understatement by using double negatives or, in other words, a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite expressions; an intentional use of understatement that renders an ironic effec
Exposition
a device used in television programs, films, literature, poetry, plays and even music; the writer's way to give background information to the audience about the setting and the characters of the story
Epigram
a rhetorical device that is a memorable, brief, interesting, and surprising satirical statement
Montage
the production of a rapid succession of images in a motion picture to illustrate an association of ideas
Deus ex machina
refers to the incidence where an implausible concept or character is brought into the story in order to make the conflict in the story resolve and to bring about a pleasing solution
Exegesis
a critical look at a text; often times, religious rules are based on an exegesis of a text
Burlesque
a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects
Aphorism
a statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner. Often applied to philosophical, moral, and literary principles, to qualify it is necessary for a statement to contain a truth revealed in a terse manner
Bombast
a noun meaning pretentious or boastful talk
Antimetabole
a phrase or sentence is repeated, but in reverse order
Rhetorical Modes
describe the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of language-based communication, particularly writing and speaking
Parable
a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson
Elision
the term for leaving out letters in a word in order to form a shorter word-often a word with fewer syllables
Anachronism
means "against time." Therefore, it is an error of chronology or timeline in a literary piece; always out of time and out of place
Bathos
the act of a writer or a poet falling into inconsequential and absurd metaphors, descriptions, or ideas in an effort to be increasingly emotional or passionate
Deductive Reasoning
a logical process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple premises that are generally assumed to be true
Perfect Rhyme (Exact Rhyme)
the vowels and final consonants of stressed syllables are identical in sound
Archaism
the use of writing that is today considered outdated or old fashioned
Maxim
a simple and memorable line, quote, or rule for taking action and leading a good life
Elliptical Construction
construction that lacks an element that is recoverable or inferable from the context
Invective
denotes speech or writing that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution. It involves the use of abusive and negative language
Catharsis
an emotional discharge through which one can achieve a state of moral or spiritual renewal, or achieve a state of liberation from anxiety and stress
Adage
a short, pointed, and memorable saying that is based on facts, and which is considered a veritable truth by the majority of people; become popular due to their usage over a long period of time
Farce
literary genre and type of comedy that makes use of highly exaggerated and funny situations aimed at entertaining the audience
Section 6
(50 cards)
Ersatz
artificial; not genuine; fake
Eye Rhyme
occurs when words use the same spelling for a portion of the word, but the pronunciations are different
Synesthesia
describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color", "a sweet sound")
Peripetia
a sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances (especially in a literary work)
Syllepsis
a rhetorical term for a kind of ellipsis in which one word (usually a verb) is understood differently in relation to two or more other words, which it modifies or governs
Existentialism
a movement in philosophy and literature that emphasizes individual existence, freedom and choice; based on the view that humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe
Requiem
any chant, hymn, dirge or musical service for the dead
Tautology
the repetitive use of phrases or words that have similar meanings. In simple words, it is expressing the same thing, an idea, or saying, two or more times
Sprung Rhythm
poetic rhythm designed to imitate the rhythm of natural speech
Solecism
refers to the incorrect use of grammatical constructions-whether intentional or unintentional
Bathos
insincere or overly sentimental quality of writing/speech intended to evoke pity
Rising Meter
Iambs and anapests (one or two unstressed syllables followed by a stressed one)
Tercet
a three-lined stanza or poem that often contains a rhyme
Epic poetry
a long narrative poem about the adventures of an almost superhuman character
Suspension of Disbelief
defined as a willingness to suspend one's critical faculties and believe something surreal; sacrifice of realism and logic for the sake of enjoyment
Dramatic Monologue
a type of poem in which the speaker is directly addressing and talking to some other person. The speaker in such poems usually speaks alone, in a one way conversation, and so it is called a monologue, while the setting of such poems is dramatic
Elegy
a form of literature that can be defined as a poem or song written in honor of someone deceased. It typically laments or mourns the death of the individual
Lament
a passionate expression of grief, often in music, poetry, or song form. The grief is most often born of regret, or mourning
Triplet
a rather rare stanza form in poetry and is basically three lines that rhyme; it is a type of tercet
Aubade
a morning love song, or a song or poem about lovers separating at dawn
Epic hero
a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events
Gothic Novel
refers to a style of writing that is characterized by elements of fear, horror, death, and gloom, as well as romantic elements, such as nature, individuality, and very high emotion
Satiric Norm
a character that represents the perfect ideal
Epic
a long narrative poem, often written about a hero or heroines
Vantage Point
a position or standpoint from which something is viewed or considered
End-stopped line
a line that ends with a natural speech pause, usually marked by punctuation
Transcendentalism
a movement in nineteenth-century American literature and thought; it called on people to view the objects in the world as small versions of the whole universe and to trust their individual intuitions
Trope
the use of figurative language, via word, phrase or an image, for artistic effect such as using a figure of speech
Modernism
characterized by a very self-conscious break with traditional ways of writing, in both poetry and prose fiction
Spenserian Sonnet
a sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a concluding couplet in iambic pentameter with the rhyme pattern abab bcbd cdcd ee
Subtext
the meaning beneath the dialogue; what the speaker really means, even though he's not saying it directly
Periodic Sentence
has the main clause or predicate at the end. This is used for emphasis and can be persuasive by putting reasons for something at the beginning before the final point is made, as well as can also create suspense or interest for the reader
Realism
attempts to represent familiar things as they are
Idyll
a simple descriptive work in poetry or prose that deals with rustic life or pastoral scenes or suggests a mood of peace and contentment
Dirge
a funeral song or tune, or one expressing mourning in commemoration of the dead
Local Color or Regionalism
is fiction and poetry that focuses on the characters, dialect, customs, topography, and other features particular to a specific region
Ballad
poem that is typically arranged in quatrains with the rhyme scheme ABAB; usually narrative, which means they tell a story
Stance
can be defined as the attitude that the writer has towards the topic of his or her message; determines the tone of your message and the words that you choose
Coordination
implies the balance of elements that are of equal semantic value in the sentence
Decadence
a period of decline or deterioration of art or literature that follows an era of great achievement; an era of self-indulgence
Imagism
a movement in early 20th-century Anglo-American poetry that favored precision of imagery and clear, sharp language
Fantasy
a form of literary genre in which a plot cannot occur in the real world. Its plot usually involves witchcraft or magic, taking place on an undiscovered planet of an unknown world
Surrealism
can be defined as an artistic attempt to bridge together reality and the imagination. It seeks to overcome the contradictions of the conscious and unconscious minds by creating unreal or bizarre stories full of juxtapositions
Villanelle
a fixed form poem consisting of five tercets and a quatrain and also follows a specific rhyme scheme using only two different sounds
Epithalamion
a poem written in celebration of marriage
Felix culpa
Latin for "happy fault"
Loose Sentence (Cumulative Sentence)
begins with a main clause that is followed by phrases and/or clauses that modify the main clause
Naturalism
a literary genre that started as a movement in late nineteenth century; a type of extreme realism where there are stories based on the idea that environment determines and governs human character
Satanic hero
a villain-hero whose nefarious deeds and justifications of them make him a more interesting character than the rather bland good hero
Falling Meter
refers to trochees and dactyls (a stressed syllable followed by one or two unstressed syllables)
Section 7
(7 cards)