Literary terms with A

story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities. Example: Animal Farm, Dante's Inferno, and Lord of the Flies

calling out to an imaginary, dead, or absent person, or to a place or thing, or a personified abstract idea. If the character is asking a god or goddess for inspiration it is called an invocation.
EXAMPLE: Josiah Holland ---"Loacöon! Thou great embodiment/ Of human life and human history!"

the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by different consonant sounds especially in words that are together.

Commas used without conjunction to separate a series of words, thus emphasizing the parts equally: instead of X, Y, and Z... the writer uses X,Y,Z.... see polysyndeton.

The dominant feeling that is created by a particular setting.

reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics, sports, science, or another branch of culture. An indirect reference to something (usually from literature, etc.)

deliberately suggesting two or more different, and sometimes conflicting, meanings in a work. An event or situation that may be interpreted in more than one way-- this is done on purpose by the author, when it is not done on purpose, it is vagueness, and detracts from the work.

Comparison made between two things to show how they are alike

Brief story, told to illustrate a point or serve as an example of something, often shows character of an individual

brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life, or of a principle or accepted general truth. Also called maxim, epigram.