literary
Events that occur before the story starts
Antecedent Action
repeated consonant sound at the beginning of words or within words; used to establish mood and rhythm in a story;
alliteration
The character’s journey from the beginning to the end of a story.
character arc
– a word or phrase that is so overused it is no longer effective in most writing situations.
cliche
a brief tale that uses animals as characters and teaches a moral lesson.
fable
a fictional character in a story whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, if not necessarily admire. Protagonists, almost by definition, fit into the category of
sympathetic character
the expression of an idea in such a way that more than one meaning is possible.
Unrhymed, but otherwise regular verse, usually in iambic pentameter.
blank verse
a story which begins and ends at the same place, usually following a character through different adventures or events; although the character arrives back where he/she started, he or she should now have a different perspective or feeling based upon experiences
circular story
– the literal or basic meaning of the word. The _____of the word “died” is “to cease living.”
denotation
a character that is provided as a contrast to the protagonist. They will often be used to highlight a certain aspect of the character.
foil
opposition or contrast of ideas or words in a balanced or parallel construction.
antithesis
– the mood or feeling evoked through descriptions of the setting and senses (how things feel, taste, smell, sound, look)
atmosphere
– The parts of a composition should be arranged in a logical and orderly manner so tha the meaning and ideas are clear and intelligible.
coherence
Changing the normal word order in a sentence to gain emphasis or effect.
inversion
a reference to something that the reader is likely to be familiar with, such as a person, place, or event from history, literature, mythology, or religion. In classical western literature, most refer to Greek Mythology or the Bible.
allusion
the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies
archetype
the action at the end of a tragedy that initiates the demouement or falling action of a play. One example is the dueling scene in Act V of Hamlet in which Hamlet dies along with Laertes, King Claudius, and Queen Gertrude.
catastrophe
- A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear, described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience. A release of emotional tension, as after an overwhelming experience, that restores or refreshes the spirit
catharsis
a method pf logical discussion, inquiry and analysis used to ascertain the truth of an opinion or theory. Plato’s Socratic dialogues are examples of ___-through answers and questions.
dialectic
This occurs when the speaker says the opposite of what he/she means, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.
verbal irony
Prose or verse in which the objects, events or people are presented symbolically, so that the story conveys meaning other than and deeper than the actual incident or characters described. (Fables and parables are common forms
allegory
a brief statement expressing some truth as shown is a story; it can be a moral, or proverb, or maxim.
aphorism
the emotions and feelings that surround a word; they may be negative, neutral, or positive, depending on their context
connotation
that quality of writing that manifests the author’s desire to instruct and improve the reader.
didacticism