Literary Terms - 3784 Words

Literary Terms Packet The terms in this packet will be used throughout the semester in literature discussions and on exams. Please memorize and be able to use and identify all terms in papers and on exams. Some information in this packet came from Modern English by Arnold Lazarus, et.al. and A Dictionary of Literary, Dramatic, and Cinematic Terms by Sylvan Barnet, et.al. Allusion A reference to someone or something that is known from history, literature, religion, politics or some other branch of culture. An example is Sandra Cisneros Straw into Gold, which is an allusion to the folktale about Rumpelstiltskin. Example: I have seen my head . . . brought in upon a platter is an allusion to the execution of St. John the†¦show more content†¦The opposite is understatement, which is an assertion that states less than what is true or real (Last week I saw a woman flayed, and you will hardly believe how much it altered her person for the worse.--Swift). Understatement can be used to make an ironic point or to provide humor. Examples of Hyperbole: You know youre in Arizona when: --You notice your car overheating before you drive it. --You no longer associate bridges or rivers with water. --You actually burn your hand opening the car door. --No one would dream of using vinyl upholstery in a car. -4- Understatement examples: Ah, a little bedtime snack! (to describe a 7-course meal) Elie Wiesel says, I was fifteen. (After he experiences the Holocaust and sees a young boy hung) Yes, it hurts a bit. (A young man tries to be brave when he has sev ered one of his fingers) Please write two examples of hyperbole: ___________________________________________________________ and ____________________________________________________________ ______ Imagery The use of language to evoke or create a picture or a concrete sensation of a person, thing, place, or experience. These words appeal to our senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing, and smell. Example: There was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along a path through the pinewoods. Her eyes were blue with age. The air was sweetened by the summer roses. Irony InShow MoreRelatedStudy Guide Literary Terms7657 Words   |  31 Pages AP Literary and Rhetorical Terms 1. 2. alliteration- Used for poetic effect, a repetition of the initial sounds of several words in a group. The following line from Robert Frosts poem Acquainted with the Night provides us with an example of alliteration,: I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet. The repetition of the s sound creates a sense of quiet, reinforcing the meaning of the line 3. allegory – Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolicRead MoreLiterary Terms For The End1411 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary Terms for â€Å"In the End† Linkin Park’s â€Å"In the End† is a song that many people can relate to because it is about a situation that everyone has encountered. The approach Chester uses to describe a hard situation by using the structure, symbolism and prosody he specifically picks out makes the song catchy and relatable. The way he forms the song and the words he picked out allows a depressing moment to become an inspiration for anyone going through hard times. The most important literary termRead MoreThe Most Schizophrenic Literary Terms1458 Words   |  6 PagesThe Most Schizophrenic Literary Terms Mixtape in Existence 1. Allegory Hotel California- Eagles Contrary to a seemingly pervasive belief, the Eagles Hotel California isnt an ode to Satanism. Rather, the song serves as an ominous warning about the self destructive nature of greed and as a pointed criticism of the wildly hedonistic lifestyle frequently espoused during the 1970s. 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(Quote: â€Å"The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day†¦Ã¢â‚¬ [pg147] ) However, later on in the story, it takes a different tone, and by the very end the tone is that of panic, disdain and fear. (Quote: â€Å"‘It isn’t fair, it isn’t right,’ Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her.† [pg 155]Read MoreLiterary Analysis Term Paper for Tom Sawyer : a Classic Novel771 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis Term Paper for Tom Sawyer: A Classic Novel Mark Twain’s book is a novel that follows the juvenile life of a small boy. You will see how much fun the main character, Tom, and his friends have by skipping school, fishing, swimming, and using with their imaginations to have a good time. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a classic novel for many reasons. The plot gives us an idea about how people lived in the era the book takes place in. Readers enjoy the book because they can relateRead MoreLiterary Theories And Literary Criticism1318 Words   |  6 PagesLiterary theories and literary criticism New Historicism 1. †¢ It is a literary theory based on the criticism of Stephen Greenblatt and philosophy Michel Foucault. †¢ It states that literature should be studied and interpreted in context with the author’s history as well as the history of the critic. †¢ Acknowledges that the author’s literature is influenced by his/her situations or surroundings. †¢ The critic’s response is also influenced by his/her surroundings, beliefs, values and prejudices. †¢ ShowsRead MoreKarma Upon Death by Scrabble960 Words   |  4 Pagesavailable letters. The story narrates how the words in the game reflect the practical life of the players. In every story there are literary devices used to help develop the theme of the story. In this story the terms imagery, the use of foreshadowing, and mostly irony. By the end of this essay readers will realise how all the use of these literary terms helped develop the theme of karma in Charlie Fish’s Death By Scrabble. Imagery in Death By Scrabble I shown a lot and helps conquerRead MoreLiterary Criticism Of Literature And Literature873 Words   |  4 PagesLiterature has no set definition, mainly because throughout history writers, as well as literary historians have failed to construct an agreeable definition (Bressler 12). When one thinks of literature, he or she should think of literary criticism—different critical perspectives. Literary criticism requires readers to analyze literary texts with knowledge of theories. Thus, the next time one reads a text, he or she should first identify the theory that he or she plans to use. The theories representRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1397 Words   |  6 Pagespuritans. Hawthorne came to realization that everyone is human and as humans we make mistakes, we should not punish each mistake to the extreme. Using the original work of Nathaniel Hawthorne and the literary criticism of three critics, I analyze the different interpre tations of the scarlet letter in terms of individualism, conformity, and homoerotic dynamics. While researching the scarlet letter I found many different perceptions of the novel, The Scarlet letter is a story that changes interpretation