Set 1
A lengthy, elevated poem that celebrates the exploits of a hero.
epic
An unexpected twist or contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected to happen. It involves dialogue and situations, and it can be intentional or unplanned. "An Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins, and the ending of Things Fall Apart are good examples of this.
irony
An image of contradictory terms (bittersweet, pretty ugly, deafening silence).
oxymoron
The time and place of a literary work.
setting
An indirect comparison that uses the word, "like" or "as" to link the differing items in the comparison.
Example: Your eyes are like stars.
simile
A brief, witty poem. Pope often utilizes this form for satiric commentary.
epigram
A poem that tells a story.
narrative poem
A comic imitation of a work that ridicules the original.
parody
The specific instruction a playwright includes concerning sets, characterization, delivery, etc.
*See Hedda Gabler by Ibsen.
stage directions
The opposite of exaggeration. It is a technique for developing irony and/or humor where one writes or says less than intended.
understatement
Background information presented in a literary work.
exposition
The turning point or shift in a sonnet.
volta
The denouement of a literary work.
resolution
The unique way an author presents his ideas. Diction, syntax, imagery, structure, and content all contribute to a particular what...
style
A work that functions on a symbolic level.
allegory
A verbal approximation of a sensory impression, concept, or emotion.
image
Words that sound like the sound they represent (hiss, gurgle, bang).
onomatopoeia
A question that does not expect an explicit answer. It is used to pose an idea to be considered by the speaker or audience.
rhetorical question
the repetition of lines or stanzas with small but crucial changes made to a few words from one to the next, and has an effect of narrative progression or suspense.
eg. " “then they were erased”, “then we were erased”
-- “i am graffiti”
Incremental repetition
A break or pause within a line of poetry indicated by punctuation and used to emphasize meaning.
caesura
Writing that reflects a personal image of a character, event, or concept. The Secret Sharer is a fine example.
impressionism
A type of literature that explores narratives by and about characters who inhabit and experience their reality differently from what we term the objective world. Writers who are frequently placed in this category include Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gunter Grass, and Isabel Allende.
magical realism
A style or movement of literature that has as its foundation an interest in freedom, adventure, idealism, escape, and celebration of nature.
romanticism
A mode of writing based on ridicule, which criticizes the foibles and follies of society without necessarily offering a solution.
satire
A highly structured poetic form of 39 lines, written in iambic pentameter. It depends upon the repetition of six words from the first stanza in each of the six stanzas.
sestina