Literary terms for 10th grade

LITERARY TERMS: allusion - reference to a person, place, or event that is well known antithesis - repetition of an idea by stating its negative or opposite connotation—the range of further associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition to its straightforward dictionary meaning (the denotation of a word) ellipsis – omission of part of a passage or parallel construction (sometimes indicated by: … imagery - descriptive passages! figurative language, especially metaphors and similes (appeals to at least 1 of the 5 senses) metaphor - an implied comparison, stating that one object is another object metonymy - naming an attribute, quality, or associated idea instead of the thing itself onomatopoeia - use of words whose pronunciation suggest their meanings oxymoron- a form of paradox that combines a pair of contrary terms into a single expression. paradox- a situation or action or feeling that appears to be contradictory but on inspection turns out to be true or at least to make sense. personification - assigning human qualities or characteristics to something nonhuman indirect characterization – an author tells what the character looks like, does, and says, as well as how other characters react to him or her. It is up to the reader to draw conclusions. direct characterization – the author directly states a characters traits and attributes figurative language – language used to help the reader experience what the author is describing, oftentimes through comparison and analogy flat character – a character who has been developed as simple and plain—a character type round character – developed and interesting—deep and realistic dynamic character – a character who experiences change static character – a character who remains the same/does not learn a lesson simile - a stated comparison which uses the words like or as synecdoche- substituting a part for the whole. For example, we refer to “foot soldiers” for infantry and “field hands” for manual laborers who work in agriculture. syntax- the ordering of words into patterns or sentences. If a writer shifts words from the usual word order, you know you are dealing with an older style of writing or an author who wants to shift emphasis onto a particular word. alliteration - repetition of consonants, especially at the beginnings of words sonnet - lyric stanza of fourteen lines with an elaborate rhyme scheme written in iambic pentameter stanza - a division in the formal pattern of a poem narrative —tells a story speaker—who is the ‘voice’ of the poem? voice – distinctive feature of a written work displayed by the narrator/speaker, assessed in terms of tone, style, or personality, and how the speaker addresses the reader mood – the feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage, often suggested through descriptive details tone – the writer’s attitude toward his/her audience and subject bias – an inclination or preference that interferes with impartial judgment audience – body of listeners/spectators/readers! purpose – intended goal or desired result