Literary Terms Flashcards

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Affix

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One or more letters occurring as a bound form attached to the beginning, end, or base of a word and serving to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form (e.g., a prefix or suffix).

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Allegory

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A form of extended metaphor in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative are equated with meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning may have moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas such as charity, greed, or envy.

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Alliteration

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The repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.

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Allusion

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An implied or indirect reference in literature to a familiar person, place, or event.

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Analysis

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The process or result of identifying the parts of a whole and their relationships to one another.

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Antonym

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A word that is the opposite in meaning to another word.

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Argument/Position

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The position or claim the author establishes. Arguments should be supported with valid evidence and reasoning and balanced by the inclusion of counterarguments that illustrate opposing viewpoints.

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Author’s Purpose

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The author’s intent either to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people or to persuade or convince his/her audience to do or not do something.

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Bias

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The subtle presence of a positive or negative approach toward a topic.

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Biography

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A written account of another person's life.