Lit Terms Misunderstood

​Commonly Misunderstood
Literary Elements

By James Marlow

​Allusion

Allusion is a brief, indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance. It works by assuming the reader will understand the reference without a detailed explanation.

Sometime the reader may not recognize the reference.

• The girl was the artist’s muse  (mythological) 

• That meeting was a home run (pop cultural)

• This house could be our garden of Eden (biblical)

​Example Types

• I felt like Caesar getting stabbed in the back (historical/literary)

• The company was going down like the Titanic (historical)

• She was the Juliet to my Romeo (literary)

​Example Types

Allusion Example

Allegory

​What is Allegory?

• A literary work in which nearly all of the characters, events, settings, and other literal elements of the story have a second, symbolic meaning ...

• A story within a story

• Literal meaning + Hidden meaning = Allegory

J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is seen as a fight between good and evil during the two world wars.

Example 2

​Arthur Miller’s uses the The Crucible to criticize McCarthyism, when people were being accused of being communist without proof.

​Example 1

Allegory Examples

Archetype

​What is an Archetype?

• Character-type

• The most famous example of an archetype is the Hero.

• Hero stories have certain elements in common – heroes generally start out in ordinary circumstances, are “called to adventure,” and in the end must confront their darkest fear in a conflict that deeply transforms the hero.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Outlaw -or- Rebel - revolution
King -or- Ruler - power
Mentor - guides or helps
Caregivers - help and protect Lover - passionate

​DIFFERENT TYPES

Luke Skywalker is a perfect example of a this archetype: he’s born on Tatooine, is called to adventure by R2-D2 and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and must then face Darth Vader in order to become a Jedi.

​A TYPE - HERO

Archetype

Juxtaposition

​What is Juxtaposition?

Juxtaposition literally means “placing things side by side.”

In literary analysis, it refers to the placement of two or more contrasting elements – ideas, characters, images, scenes, etc. – near each other for a specific effect.

Reveal deeper meaning
Create tension
Develop themes
Highlight specific qualities

​

​Purpose

A pristine, modern skyscraper next to a crumbling, historic building

Meaning- Highlights themes of progress vs. tradition, wealth disparity, or the passage of time.

​Example

Juxtaposition

3. What is the effect of the contrast?

4. What themes or ideas are being explored?

1. What elements are being placed side by side? (character, images, ideas)

2. How do these elements contrast with each other? Be specific about the differences.

​Checklist

How do I Identify Juxtaposition?

Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get: An often-used analogy from Forrest Gump shows that life has many choices and surprises, just like a box of chocolates.

​Example

-An anology is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else
-Analogies compare two different things to explain or clarify a concept

​Definition

Analogy