art of effective communication, especially persuasive discourse

a "play on words" based on the multiple meanings of a single word or on words that sound alike but mean different things

a statement that appears self-contradictory, but reveals a kind of truth

a work that makes fun of another by imitating some aspect of the writer's style

poetic and rhetorical device in which normally unassociated ideas, words, or phrases are placed next to one another, creating an effect of surprise and wit

a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things without the use of such specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles

the author reveals to the reader what the character is like by describing how the character looks and dress, by letting the reader hear what the character says, by revealing the characters private thoughts and feelings, by revealing the characters effect on other people (showing how other characteristics feel or behave toward the character), or by showing the character in action. Common in modern literature.

in general, a story that ends with a happy resolution of the conflicts faced by the main character or characters

a speaker or writers choice of words

a character who acts as contrast to another character. often a funny side kick to the dashing zero, or a villain contrasting the hero

a figure of speech that uses an incredible exaggeration or overstatement, for effect. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times...."

a figure of speech in which a person, place, or thing, is referred to by something closely associated with it. "We requested from the crown support for our petition." The crown is used to represent the monarch

An atmosphere created by a writer’s diction and the details selected.

one of the characters tells the story

an unknown narrator, tells the story, but this narrator zooms in to focus on the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

all knowing narrator tells the story, also using the third person pronouns. This narrator, instead of focusing on one character only, often tells us everything about many characters.

a narrator who is totally impersonal and objective tells the story, with no comment on any characters or events.

a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes.

a poem consisting of four lines, or four lines of a poem that can be considered as a unit.

a person, place, thing, or event that has meaning in itself and that also stands for something more than itself.

the attitude a writer takes toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience, revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization.

the insight about human life that is revealed in a literary work.

story or poem in which characters, settings, and events stand for other people or events or for abstract ideas or qualities.

Opponent who struggles against or blocks the hero, or protagonist, in a story.

attributing human characteristics to an animal or inanimate object

the author tells us directly what the character is like: sneaky, generous, mean to pets and so on. Romantic style literature relied more heavily on this form.

the associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase, in addition to its strict dictionary definition.

is one who changes in some important way as a result of the story's action

is one who does not change much in the course of a story

two consecutive rhyming lines of poetry

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

an adjective or adjective phrase applied to a person or thing that is frequently used to emphasize a characteristic quality. “Father of our country” and “the great Emancipator” are examples.

a type of comedy in which ridiculous and often stereotyped characters are involved in silly, far-fetched situations.

the use of language to evoke a picture or a concrete sensation of a person , a thing, a place, or an experience.

occurs when someone says one thing but really means something else

takes place when there is a discrepancy between what is expected to happen, or what would be appropriate to happen, and what really does happen.

is so called because it is often used on stage. A character in the play or story thinks one thing is true, but the audience or reader knows better.

a recurring image, word, phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work (or in several works by one author), unifying the work by tying the current situation to previous ones, or new ideas to the theme.

the repetition of words or phrases that have similar grammatical structures

the reasons for a characters behavior

a type of writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or institutions in an attempt to bring about a change.

a statement that says less than what is meant. Example: During the second war with Iraq, American troops complained of a fierce sand storm that made even the night-vision equipment useless. A British commando commented about the storm: “It’s a bit breezy.”

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.).

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.

conflicts can exist between two people, between a person, and nature or a machine or between a person a whole society

a conflict involving opposing forces within a persons mind

a long narrative poem, written in heightened language , which recounts the deeds of a heroic character who embodies the values of a particular society.

a statement that appears self-contradictory, but that reveals a kind of truth

a figure of speech that makes an explicitly comparison between two unlike things, using words such as like, as, than, or resembles

In general, a story in which heroic character either dies or comes to some other unhappy end

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

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

Words which are inaccurate if interpreted literally, but are used to describe. Similes and metaphors are common forms.

The use of words whose sounds echo their sense. "Pop", "Zap"

a scene that interrupts the normal chronological sequence of events in a story to depict something that happened at an earlier time.