Allegory

A story in which the character and action represent an idea or truth about life. The story has a literally meaning and a symbolic meaning.

Alliteration

The repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.

Allusion

A brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. Casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event. An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, or religion. To be effective allusions must be familiar to the reader.

Ambiguity

The state of having more than one meaning. The richness of literary language lies in its ability to evoke multiple layers of meaning.

Analogy

A comparison that shows similarities between two things that are otherwise dissimilar. A writer may use an analogy to explain something unfamiliar by comparing it to something familiar.

Antagonist

The person or force that works against the hero of a story.

Asides

In a play, a comment that a character makes to which the audience, which other characters onstage do not hear.

Assonance/Poetry Technique

The repetition of vowel sounds.

Author’s Message

Refers to the theme, which is the overarching idea that the author presents. Generally the theme is a message about life, or the "moral" of the story.

Author's Purpose

An author's intent in writing a literary work (persuade, inform, describe a process, entertain, express an opinion).

Characterization

The process of creating a character by direct description, or by describing what a character says, what a character think, what other characters thing about the character, or how the character acts during a revealing situation.

Climax

The high point, or turning point, of a story. Is is usually the most intense.

Conflict

The struggle found in fiction. It is the problem that triggers the action. There are five main types:

1. Character vs character (problem with another character)

2. character vs society (problem with the laws or beliefs of a group of people

3. character vs nature (problem with the environment)

4. character vs self (problem deciding what to do or think)

5. character vs fate (problem that seems uncontrollable)

Connotation

An implied meaning of a word. It is the emotional response or suggestions that word triggers within you.

Consonance/Poetry Technique

The repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within words not just at the beginning.

Denotation

The literal meaning of a word, the dictionary meaning.

Dialect

A form of language that is spoken in a particular place or by a particular group of people.

Dialogue

The conversations that characters have with one another. Dialogue advances the plot and gives reads clues about the character’s personalities.

Figurative Language

Any language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject. The most common figures of speech are simile, metaphor, and alliteration.

Flashback

An action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time which is necessary to better understanding.

Foreshadowing

A hint or clue to the reader suggesting what is to come or what will happen later.

Genre

The category or type of literature. Some examples are realistic fiction, science fiction, fantasy, folk tales and fairy tales.

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration or overstatement that writer uses for emphasis. My brother exploded when saw the mess the dog made in his bedroom.

Idiom

A common phrase made of words that can not be understood by their literary, or ordinary, meanings. “Let’s hit the road” does not mean to physically hit the road. It means it is time to leave.

Imagery

Language that evokes or appeals to one or all of the five senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching.

Inference

A reasonable conclusion that can be drawn from the information present.

Irony

An implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant.

Metaphor

A comparison of two unlike things not using the word like or as, as in a simile.

Mood/Atmosphere

The feeling a piece of literature arouses in a reader: happiness, sadness, peacefulness, anger, and so on.

Motif

An idea, a theme that is repeated or carried through a literary work.

Onomatopoeia

The use of word that sound like noises they describe (wow, splash, buzz, kerplunk).

Oxymoron

A technique used in which two words with opposite meaning are put together for special effect. jumbo shrimp, found missing, small crowd, pretty ugly

Parable

A short story that explains a belief or moral principle.

Paradox

A statement that is true even thought it seems be saying two opposites things. The more free time you have, the less you get done.

Parallelism

Repeating similar grammatical structures (words, phrases, or sentences) to give writing rhythm. The doctor took her temperature, checked her heartbeat, and tested her reflexes.

Persuasion

Writing that is meant to change the way a reader thinks.

Personification

A figure of speech in which a non human thing (an idea, an object, or animal) is given human characteristics.

Plot

The action or sequence of events in a story.

Point of View

The angle from which a story is told. The angle depends upon the narrator, or person telling the story.

Protagonist

The main character in the story, often good or heroic type.

Proverb

An old and common saying; a phrase which is often repeated. Practice makes perfect. Slow but sure wins the race. Honesty is the best policy.

Pun

A phrase that uses words in a way that gives them a funny effect. The words used in a pun often sound the same but have different meanings.

Repetition

Authors use repetition of a word or words to make their point. The sea, the sea, the sea, it rolled and rolled, and called to me - The Wanderer by Sharon Creech.

Resolution

After the problem or conflict is solved, and loose ends are tied up, and the story ends.

Rhyme/Rhythm

Used in poetry or prose to create a feeling or make a point.

Sarcasm

The use of praise to make fun or “put down” someone or something. The praise is not sincere and is actually intended to mean the opposite thing. “That was a graceful move!” he said, as I tripped over the rug.

Satire

Using sarcasm, irony, or humor to make fun of people’s habits or ideas. Satire is often used to raise questions about a current event of political decision.

Sensory Details/Language

Details that help a reader see, feel, smell, taste, and/or hear what is being described.

Setting

Time and place in which the action of the story occurs.

Simile

A figure of speech that compares two things using like or as.

Subplot

A brief story within the larger story. This plot is less important than the main plot. It might involve different problems, characters, or settings.

Suspense

That quality of a literary work that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events. Suspense makes the reader ask "What will happen next?". Suspense is greatest when it focuses attention on a sympathetic character. Thus, the most familiar kind of suspense involves a character hanging form the lee of a tall building, or tied to a railroad tracks as a train approaches.

Symbol/Symbolism

A concrete or real object used to represent an idea. A bird, because it can fly, has often been used as a symbol for freedom.

Synecdoche

The use of part of something to represent the whole. “All hands on deck!” (Hands is being used to represent the whole person).

Theme

The main idea: the point the author is making about life.

Understatement

The opposite of exaggeration. By using very calm language, an author can bring special attention to an object or idea. These hot red peppers may make your mouth tingle a bit.

Voice

A writer’s distinctive, personal tone.