All definitions are from the lit terms pdf (which I actually still have on my computer from the summer before English 3).
| 01) | parallelism | def: | the principle in sentence structure that states elements of equal function should have equal form |
| ex: | "Veni, vidi, vici." ("I came, I saw, I conquered.") | ||
| 02) | parody | def: | an imitation of mimicking of a composition or of the style of a well-known artist |
| ex: | Dragon Ball Z Abridged by Team Four Star | ||
| 03) | pathos | def: | the ability in literature to call forth feelings of pity, compassion, and/or sadness |
| ex: | in his State of the Union speech, Obama used tons of pathos by telling the stories of several special guests, including a high school senior, a hardworking but recently unemployed mother, and a disabled veteran (whose standing ovation lasted like five minutes, it was ridiculous) | ||
| 04) | pedantry | def: | a display of learning for its own sake |
| ex: | yes this is a link to xkcd | ||
| 05) | personification | def: | a figure of speech attributing human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas |
| ex: | the wind whispers through the air | ||
| 06) | plot | def: | "a plan or scheme to accomplish a purpose" <--got that straight from the pdf, but I don't know what's up with that definition... here's a better one from Wiktionary: "the course of a story, comprising a series of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means." |
| ex: | I don't even | ||
| 07) | poignant | def: | eliciting sorrow or sentiment |
| ex: | the end of Romeo & Juliet when everyone dies | ||
| 08) | point of view | def: | the attitude unifying any oral or written argumentation; in description, the physical point from which the observer views what he is describing |
| ex: | politicians' speeches often have a predictable point of view based on their party affiliation | ||
| 09) | postmodernism | def: | literature characterized by experimentation, irony, nontraditional forms, multiple meanings, playfulness and a blurred boundary between real and imaginary |
| ex: | Catch-22 | ||
| 10) | prose | def: | the ordinary form of spoken and written language; language that does not have a regular rhyme pattern |
| ex: | how about this entire page, except for the example for scansion | ||
| 11) | protagonist | def: | the central character in a work of fiction; opposes antagonist |
| ex: | Goku! | ||
| 12) | pun | def: | play on words; the humorous use of a word emphasizing different meanings or applications |
| ex: | I wanted to tell you a chemistry joke but they all argon. | ||
| 13) | purpose | def: | the intended result wished by an author |
| ex: | the purpose of Catch-22 is to show that the way the bureaucracy runs the war is stupid | ||
| 14) | realism | def: | writing about the ordinary aspects of life in a straightforward manner to reflect life as it actually is |
| ex: | Mark Twain | ||
| 15) | refrain | def: | a phrase or verse recurring at intervals in a poem or song; chorus |
| ex: | hey I just met you and this is crazy | ||
| 16) | requiem | def: | any chant, dirge, hymn, or musical service for the dead |
| ex: | Requiem of Spirit anyone? | ||
| 17) | resolution | def: | point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out; denouement |
| ex: | in Romeo & Juliet, the resolution is after both title characters' deaths when Lords Capulet and Montague each promise to build a statue honoring the other's child | ||
| 18) | restatement | def: | idea repeated for emphasis |
| ex: | HEAD ON APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD HEAD ON APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD HEAD ON APPLY DIRECTLY TO THE FOREHEAD | ||
| 19) | rhetoric | def: | use of language, both written and verbal in order to persuade |
| ex: | see above example for pathos | ||
| 20) | rhetorical question | def: | question suggesting its own answer or not requiring an answer; used in argument or persuasion |
| ex: | Did you really think I wouldn't take this opportunity to go totally meta on this lit term? | ||
| 21) | rising action | def: | plot build-up, caused by conflict and complications, advancement towards climax |
| ex: | in Romeo & Juliet, I'd say the rising action includes all of Acts 2-4, plus the first two scenes in Act 5 | ||
| 22) | romanticism | def: | movement in western culture beginning in the eighteenth and peaking in the nineteenth century as a revolt against [Neo-] Classicism; imagination was valued over reason and fact |
| ex: | Charles Dickens | ||
| 23) | satire | def: | ridicules or condemns the weakness and wrongdoings of individuals, groups, institutions, or humanity in general |
| ex: | and another one | ||
| 24) | scansion | def: | the analysis of verse in terms of meter |
| ex: | but SOFT what LIGHT through YONder WINdow BREAKS | ||
| 25) | setting | def: | the time and place in which events in a short story, novel, play, or narrative poem occur |
| ex: | the setting of Romeo & Juliet is 14th century Italy |
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