This is a collaborative class where Mr. Schaub and I will work with students in all aspects of the english language arts.
Literary Terms & Devices
Theme: The author's message to the reader; the "so-what?"
Plot: The series of events in a text
Author's Purpose: The author's intentions for writing; to persuade, for example
Mood: The particular feeling a text conveys to a reader
Tone: The author's attitude toward their topic
1st Person Point of View: The narrator is in the plot, and will use the pronoun "I"
3rd Person Point of View: The narrator is outside of the plot
Direct Characterization: The author directly states a character's traits
Indirect Characterization: The reader must infer the traits of a character
Genre: The "type" of text; science-fiction, for example
Fiction: Literature that is "made up"
Simile: A comparison using like or as
Irony: The opposite of what is expected occurs
Internal Conflict: Conflict occurring within a character; a moral crisis, for example
Foreshadowing: The author provides subtle clues about what may occur next
Metaphor: " My love is a red rose"
Dramatic Irony: The reader knows a situation to be ironic; the character does not
External Conflict: Conflict occurring outside a character; Man v. Man, for example
Non-fiction: A text that is factual; based on real, actual events
Imagery: Language which appeals to any of the five senses
Personification: Using human traits to characterize non-human things
Hyperbole: Exaggeration
Rhyme Scheme: The pattern of end rhyme in a poem
Poetry: Rich language meant to be compact and creative; choosing the words that matter
Stanza: A group of lines in a poem
Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of a word
Line: The smallest unit in a poem
Symbolism: The use of an object, action, or idea that is meant to represent something else
Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds, usually in the middle of a word
Figurative Language: Language that is not meant to be taken literally
Drama: Literature meant to be performed for an audience
Dialogue: Any spoke words in a text
Comedy: A type of drama concerning light events
Soliloquy: One character delivering a long speech ALONE on stage
Protagonist: The central character in a story
Monologue: One character delivering a long speech
Tragedy: A type of drama concerning serious events
Aside: A comment by a character that only the audience hears
Antagonist: The character opposed to the central figure
Setting: The time and place in which a story occurs
Dynamic Character: A character who undergoes change throughout a text
Narrator: The teller of the story
Static Character: A character who remains the same throughout a text
Point of view: The perspective from which the narrator tells the story; for example, first person
Conflict: The struggle between two opposing forces
SAT Unit 1 Vocabulary
1. Ostentatious (adj) showing off
2. Contentious (adj) quarrelsome
3. Reprove (v) to scold or find fault
4. Pessimism (n) gloominess
5. Cursory (adj) hasty; brief
6. Profligate (adj) wasteful
7. Miser (n) cheapskate
8. Jocular (adj) joking
9. Fracas (n) uproar; brawl
10. Caricature (n) cartoon
SAT Unit 2 Vocabulary
1. Corroborate (v) to confirm
2. Precarious (adj) dangerously unstable
3. Expository (adj) explanatory
4. Bolster (v) support; to prop up
5. Daunt (v) to intimidate; to discourage
6. Apathy (n) lack of emotion or interest
7. Ambiguous (adj) more than one meaning; vague
8. Fervent (adj) passionate
9. Vagrant (n) a wandering homeless person
10. Congregate (v) to gather together; to flock
SAT Unit 3 Vocabulary
1. undermine (v) to weaken
2. oblivious (adj) unaware; unconscious
3. Indifferent (adj) neutral; lacking a preference
4. Obscure (adj) unclear; clouded
5. Objective (adj) without bias
6. Revere (v) to worship
7. Discriminate (v) to differentiate
8. Embellish (v) to add details; to exaggerate
9. Denounce (v) to condemn
10. Innovate (v) to be creative
SAT Unit 4 Vocabulary
1. stagnant (adj) not moving
2. candid (adj) honest;truthful
3. impartial (adj) neutral
4. discern (v) to distinguish one thing from another
5. vulnerable (adj) capable of being harmed
6. hypocritical (adj) insincere
7. eccentric (adj) odd; quirky; unusual
8. disdain (n) intense dislike
9. abstract (adj) not concrete; lacking substance; theoretical
10. valid (adj) founded upon fact or evidence
SAT Unit 5 Vocabulary
1. Subtle (adj) not obvious
2. Enigma (n) mystery
3. Inevitable (adj) unavoidable
4. Infer (v) to derive by reasoning
5. Diverse (adj) varied
6. Articulate (adj) speaking well
7. Apprehensive (adj) fearful; worried
8. Benevolent (adj) good; generous
9. Virulent (adj) very harmful
10. Pious (adj) deeply religious
SAT Unit 6 Vocabulary
1. Skeptical (adj) doubting
2. Provincial (adj) narrow-minded; unsophisticated
3. Resignation (n) acceptance of a situation
4. Illuminate (v) to light up; to make clear
5. Resolution (n) determination
6. Servile (adj) overly submissive; cringing
7. Diligent (adj) hardworking
8. Refute (v) to disprove
9. Anarchy (n) lack of government; chaos
10. Miser (n) cheapskate; one who saves greedily (repeat)
SAT Unit 7 Vocabulary
1. Discord (n) disagreement
2. inclined (adj) tending in one direction
3. Uniform (adj) constant; without variety
4. Perceptive (adj) having keen understanding
5. Superficial (adj) shallow; on the surface only
6. Lucid (adj) clear; easy to understand
7. Immune (adj) safe from harm
8. Aesthetic (adj) concerned with the art of beauty
9. Prodigal (adj) extravagant; wasteful
10. Assess (v) to estimate the value of
SAT Unit 8 Vocabulary
1. Deter - to prevent
2. Complacent - self-satisfied; confident
3. Contempt - disdain; hatred
4. Eloquent - articulate; well spoken
5. Virtue - moral excellence
6. Guile - cunning; deceit
7. Biased - prejudiced; not neutral
8. Censor - to delete undesirable stuff
9. Monotonous - without variety
10. Trivial - unimportant; insignificant
SAT Unit 9 Vocabulary
1. Profound - deep; insightful
2. Enhance - to improve; augment
3. Phenomenon - an observable fact
4. Enduring - lasting
5. Advocate - to support; speak in favor of
6. Solitude - state of being alone (solo)
7. Insolent - fresh; disrespectful
8. Tentative - temporary; done as a test
9. Contemporary - modern; living at the same time
10. Provocative - exciting; demands attention
SAT Unit 10 Vocabulary
1. Adversary - an opponent
2. Gravity - seriousness; weight
3. Banal - common; dull; ordinary
4. Depravity - moral corruption
5. Temper (v) - to moderate; soften
6. Censure - to blame; criticize
7. Extol - to praise; laud
8. Indulgent - giving in to one's wishes
9. Erratic - irregular; without direction
10. Insipid - bland; boring; tasteless