Irony: a contrast between appearance and actuality:
Verbal irony: a writer says one thing, but means something entirely different.
Situational irony: occurs when something happens that is entirely different from what is
expected.
Dramatic irony: occurs when the reader knows information that the characters do not.
Literal: A word for word interpretation for what is written or said.
Metaphor: a figure of speech in which a comparison or analogy is made between two seemingly
unlike things, as in the phrase “evening of life.”
Metonymy: a figure of speech that substitutes the name of a related object, person, or idea for the
subject at hand.
Mood: the feeling, or atmosphere, that a writer creates for the reader. Connotative words, sensory
images, and figurative language contribute to the mood of a selection, as do the sound and rhythm of
the language.
Motif: A unifying element in an artistic work, especially any recurrent image, symbol, theme,
character type, subject or narrative detail.
Narrator: the person from whose point of view events are conveyed.
First person: the narrator is a character in the story, uses the pronoun “I.”
The first person narrator does not have to be the main character in the story.
Third person: is indicated by the pronouns he, she and they. The third person narrator is not a
participant in the action and thus maintains a certain distance from the characters.
A) In third person omniscient point of view, the narrator is all-knowing about the
thoughts and feelings of the characters.
B) The third person limited point of view deals with a writer presenting events as
experienced by only one character. This type of narrator does not have full knowledge of
situations, past or future events.
C) In third person objective the story conveys only the external details of the
characters—never their thoughts or inner motivations.
Onomatopoeia. The formation or use of words. Such as: buzz, or cuckoo, whose meaning is
suggested by the sound of the word itself. (boom, click, plop)
Oxymoron: a figure of speech in which two contradictory words or phrases are combined in a single
expression, giving the effect of a condensed paradox: “wise fool,” “cruel kindness.”
Paradox: a statement or situation containing obvious contradictions, but is nevertheless true.
Parallelism: the use of similar grammatical form gives items equal weight, as in Lincoln’s line “of the
people, by the people, for the people.” Attention to parallelism generally makes both spoken and
written expression more concise, clear and powerful.
Parod
y: an imitation of a serious work of literature for the purpose of criticism or humorous effect or
for flattering tribute.
Personification: a figure of speech in which human qualities or characteristics are given to an animal,
object, or concept.
Plot: the plan of action or sequence of events of the story.
Point of view: the vantage point, or stance from which a story is told, the eye and mind through which
the action is perceived. (See also narrator.)
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