ROW 1
A reference in a work of literature to something outside the work, especially to a well-known historical or literary event, person, or work.
allusion
Writing that uses figures of speech (as opposed to literal language or that which is actual or specifically denoted) such as metaphor, simile, and irony.
figurative language
The figurative use of language in which a comparison is expressed without the use of a comparative term like “as,” “like,” or “than.”
metaphor
The devices used ineffective or persuasive language.
rhetorical techniques
The management of language for a specific effect.
strategy (or rhetorical strategy)
The mode of expression in language; the characteristic manner of expression of an author.
style
A directly expressed comparison; a figure of speech comparing two objects, usually with “like,” “as,” or “than.”
simile
The main thought expressed by a work.
theme
The manner in which an author expresses his or her attitude; the intonation of the voice that expresses meaning.
tone
Direct address, usually to someone or something that is not present.
apostrophe
Multiple meanings a literary work may communicate, especially two meanings that are incompatible.
ambiguity
The implications of a word or phrase, as opposed to its exact meaning (denotation).
connotation
Deliberate exaggeration, an overstatement.
hyperbole
A pithy saying, often using contrast.
epigram
A combination of opposites; the union of contradictory terms.
oxymoron
The figurative use of language which endows the nonhuman (ideas, inanimate objects, animals, abstractions) with human characteristics.
personification
The theme, meaning, or position that a writer undertakes to prove or support.
thesis
A form of reasoning in which two statements are made and a conclusion is drawn from them.
syllogism
A statement that seems to be self-contradicting but, in fact, is true.
paradox
songlike; characterized by emotion, subjectivity, and imagination.
lyrical
The use of material unrelated to the subject of a work.
digression
Characterized by distortion or incongruities.
grotesque
A story designed to suggest a principle, illustrate a moral, or answer a question.
parable
The special language of a profession or group.
jargon
The dictionary meaning of a word, as opposed to connotation.
denotation