Literary Terms
Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers is what type of figurative language?
alliteration
Her heart was a stone after he left her. What type of figurative language is this and what is it saying about her heart?
Metaphor and she has closed her self off
A serious play or drama typically dealing with the problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous ending. Ex: Oedipus the King
Tragedy
The use of a person, place, thing or event that stands for itself and represents some other meaning, as well. Ex: The American flag or a white dove.
Symbolism
Name a planning strategy for writing your essay.
Kernal essay
Annotating the prompt
The sun smiled over the city on this hot and scorching summer day. What type of figurative language is this?
Metaphor
Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme
Couplet
When one character delivers a long speech to other characters on stage.
Monologue
Ways for an author to substantiate his/her opinion.
Facts, statistics, anecdotes, and examples
What does HELP mean?
History, Entertainment, Literature, Personal
Descriptive writing based on sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
Sensory Language or Imagery
A group of consecutive lines in a poem that form a single unit.
Stanza
Instructions written in a play that indicate actions, movements, and emotions an actor should be expressing throughout. Usually in brackets. Ex: [Sandra is looking at Tom. She is wearing a brown hat, and is holding Tom's hand. Both are conversing in a park.] Sandra: Thanks for the wonderful suprise. Tom: [smiles] It is because I love you darling.
Stage Directions
The central message or meaning that the author tries to convey in a piece of literature that relates to everyday life or human experiences. Ex: Love conquers all
Theme
What is the purpose of the thesis, and where do you put it in your essay?
To explain what the essay is going to be about and should be in the introductory paragraph.
A technique in which an author gives clues about something that will happen later in the story.
Foreshadowing
Rhyming words that are at the end of their respective lines. What we typically think of as a normal rhyme in a poem.
End Rhyme
A play is mostly written using what type of writing?
Dialogue
The action or sequence of events in a story. Usually contains 5 basic elements: Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Plot Structure
What is the meaning of infer or inference?
Drawing conclusions, a logical guess, what you can tell from a piece of literature.
A statement that is contradicting. Ex: It was raining outside, but I could still see the glare of the sun.
Paradox
A shift in a poem usually indicates a change in what?
Tone
A term when a character expresses his or her inner thoughts to the audience and does not intend for other to listen.
Soliloquy
The terms that refers to when the audience knows something the characters do not.
Dramatic Irony
What does BME mean & for what questions can you use this strategy?
Beginning, Middle, End/Summary