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Lit. Exam

Terms

undefined, object
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tone
feeling or effect the writer creates toward his character or his subject
personification
giving human or animate qualities to nonhuman or inanimate things
denotation
the dictionary definition of the word- the literal meaning
literary allusion
a reference to a person, place, or thing from previous literature.
flat character
A character who shows only one main characteristic during the course of a work of literature.
rhyme
words that are similar is sound, especially with respect to the last syllable
poetry
type of rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery to appeal to the reader's emotions and imagination
synecdoche
A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole.
motivation
the reasons that cause characters to act as they do
falling action
the last section of a play or story that works out the decision arrived at during a climax
apostrophe
addressing someone who is absent or something nonhuman as if it were alive
conflict
a struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions
theme
message or main idea in a piece of literature, what the author wants us to know about the truth of the story
situational irony
discrepancy between what is expected, as in action or as regards to the situation/setting, and what one wold expect to happen
internal conflict
a struggle between opposing needs, desires, or emotions within a single character
character
one of the persons in a drama, including all their particular qualities, properties and attributes
sonnet
a verse form consisting of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme
exposition
background information on character or events in novel or play
symbol
any object, person, place, or experience that means more than what it is.
foil character
a character who is used as a contrast to another character; the contrast emphasizes the differences between the two characters, bringing out the distinctive qualities in each
dead metaphor
a metaphor that has been so over used that we no longer realize that it is a figure of speech
pun
a play on the multiple meanings of a word, or on two words that sound alike but have different meanings
irony
saying the opposite of what is true
external conflict
A struggle between the protagonist and some outside force
onomatopoeia
the use of waords that imitate the sounds they define
rhythm
in poetry, a pattern of stressed and unstressed sounds; in prose, some sort of recurrence (for example, of a motif) at approximately identical intervals
writing style
Includes a writer's syntax (sentence structure) and diction (word choice)
first person point of view
the narrator is a character in the story and used words like I, me, we
metaphor
a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of such specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles
alliteration
repetition of the same sound beginning several words in a sequence
assonace
is the repition of accented vowel sounds in a series of words and side have the same vowel sound and so are said to be in assonance.
dramatic climax
the point of greatest interest or intensity in the story. This type of climax is not related to plot structure
dynamic character
a character in a story who undergoes an important change during the story
expository
gives you facts and information
verbal irony
when the speaker or writer says one thing but means something very different--often opposite of what is said
paradox
a situation or statement that seems to be impossible or contradicting, but is nevertheless true, either literally or figuratively
plot
events of a story or narrative with a variety or sequencing paterns, what happens in a story
repitition
repeating a word, phrase, or idea for emphasis or rhythmic effect
plotless short story
In some modern fiction, plot has a relatively minor function. These works may focus instead on characterization and point of view
lyric
a form of poetry that does not attempt to tell a story, more personal
refrain
a group of words forming a phrase or sentence and consisting of one or more lines repeated at intervals in a poem, usually at the end of a stanza (hint: think song)
resolution
conclusion of the story, unfolding of the theme
stanza
A group of consecutive lines in a poem that create a single unit
round character
more complex--there are more sides to this character; personality, 3-dimensional
limited third-person
narrarator that is outside the story, but tells the story from the vantage point of only one character
protagonist
The central character of a story who serves as a focus for its themes and incidents and as the principal rationale for its development.
point of view
the relationship of the narrator to the story (viewpoint)
setting
the time and place where a plot takes place
extended metaphor
a metaphor continued through several lines
characterization
the process by which the writer the writer reveals the personality of a character
narrator
someone who tells a story
dramatic irony
discrepancy between what the character knows, and what the reader knows to be true, when the reader knows something that the character doesn't
symbol
something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible
narrative
story told in verse
antithesis
Two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses, or even ideas, with parallel structure.
consonance
the repitition of consonant sounds that are not at the beginning of wards in a line of verse
connotation
suggested or implied meaning of an expression
mixed metaphor
The inconsistent mixture of two or more metaphors; a common problem in bad writing, and they can often be unintentionally funny
ballad
a narrative poem, often of folk origin and intended to be sung, consisting of simple stanzas and usually having a refrain
third- person omniscient
the narrarator is outside the story, a god-like observer who can tell the reader what all the characters are thinking and feeling, as well as what is happening in the rest of the story
complications
A series of events that take place that makes it hard for the character to get wat he or she wants and creats suspense
technical climax
turning point of the plot, outcome is determined, and the protagonist often changes or has an opportunity to change but does not
antagonist
the character or force that blocks the protagonist
static character
a character that does not change from the beginning of the story to the end
simile
a figure of speech that expresses a resemblance between things of different kinds (usually formed with 'like', 'than', 'resembles' or 'as')
atmosphere
sets emotion in a story, generally through setting; can be set with words such as peace, gloom, mystery, etc.
dramatic
pertaining to or characteristic of drama; has to put together what character is like, indirect
direct metaphor
Directly compares the two things by the use of a verb such as "is"
foreshadowing
hints to what will happen later in the plot
implied metaphor
suggests a comparison without using "is" (ex: my love blossoms and flowers)

Deck Info

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