BC English 12 Terminology

Two contradictory terms which express a startling paradox. Ex) Jumbo shrimp.

A person who does great deeds and is admired for it. Ex) Beowulf is a poem written about a hero

Group of actors in Greek drama who comment in unison on the action. Ex) The Trojan Woman

A metaphor that is used throughout a whole work. Ex) "The Hound" by Robert Francis

A widespread disaster occurring in a story. Ex) In Lord of the Flies, a forest fire is started.

Any literary work, but especially a play, in which events end happily. Ex) The movie Juno

Emphasis achieved by deliberate exaggeration. Ex) "It's raining cats and dogs."

Narrator only observing actions of the characters. No internal thoughts. Ex) Lab report.

Plot arranged in a sequence of events which lead to a clear climax. Ex) The Empire Strikes Back

Outdated language that is no longer in use. Ex) The pronoun ‘thou’ is rarely used today.

An overused phrase or expression. Ex) Love makes you blind.

Smooth sound created by a combination of consonants. Ex) Words "ripple" and "pleasure."

What a word suggests beyond its literal meaning. Ex) A snake could refer to duplicity.

Any technique designed to convince audience that a certain stance is valid. Ex) Repetition

The words of a single character, which reveals their nature. Ex) "To be, or not to be" -Hamlet

An impersonal word painting. Ex) Thoughts on Seasons - William Wordsworth

To express an unpleasant fact in agreeable language. Ex) "Passed away" instead of "died."

An extended narrative which carries a second meaning along with its surface story.

A stanza of two lines. Ex) "I THINK that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree." -J. Kilmer

Use of clues in a narrative to suggest future action. Ex) Every soap opera uses this technique.

Evidence given by someone considered to be knowledgeable. Ex) A doctor's advice in a trial.

A comedic situation quickly after a scene of tension. Ex) The doorkeeper in Macbeth.

Stanza consisting of four lines with varying rhyme schemes.

Characters that are complex and have more aspects to their personality. Ex) Ralph from LotF.

Elaborate language that is deliberate and dignified. Ex) Speech made by the prime minister.

The story of a person's life written by him or her. Ex) Mr. Trudeau has written one.

Essay written in formal language. Ex) Essays written for Ms. Harrison will be of this type.

A type of language used by people from a specific geographic area Ex) Low German vs High German

Language meant to be taken at it's actual meaning. Ex) "Do your homework."

Rhyming words found within a line of poetry. Ex) I awoke to black flak.

Mapping of similar & different rhymes at the end of lines. Ex) Italian Sonnet follows ABBA ABBA

Poetry which portrays the authors feelings. Ex) "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Housman

A direct contrast or opposition to something. Ex) Hell is the antithesis of Heaven.

The repetition of a pattern of consonant sounds. Ex) Is it blunt and flat?

Supporting an idea using evidence that evokes emotions. Ex) Pro-abortion often argued as murder

Monologue showing a character's thoughts Ex) Sperm whale -The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Minor character whose role is used to highlight the main character. Ex) Simon and Ralph in LotF

Comedy in which stereotypical characters engage in slapstick humor Ex) This Hour Has 22 Minutes

Storyteller knows all and sees all, god-like view. Ex) Tara Road by Maeve Binchey

The main character in the story. Ex) Winston is the protagonist in Orwell’s 1984.

A humorous play on words. Ex) Don't spell part backwards. It's a trap.

Research in which a single representative case is studied intensively. Ex) Workplace drug abuse

Use of words whose sounds seem to express or reinforce their meanings. Ex) "Buzz" or "boom."

Regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Ex) Hello/hello/hello/hello/hello

The problem(s) which the main character must face. Ex) The whale in Heart of the Sea.

Literature written to be performed. Ex) Macbeth by William Shakespeare

The means through which the author tells the story. Ex) Can you remember the five types?

To examine the similarities and differences. Ex) A work that analyzes public versus home-school

Story is told through character's own eyes and voice. Ex) The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Story coming from past, widely accepted as true. Ex) Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, etc.

An anonymous story reflecting religous values or explaining natural phenomena. Ex) The Odessey

A conversation between two or more characters. Ex) "Jim, you're not making sense." Blair said.

Scene that interrupts the action to show a previous event. Ex) Harry Potter uses this technique

Asking a question in such a way that the answer is not needed. Ex) Is the pope Catholic?

Phrase repeated regularly in a song or poem. Ex) Maneater - Nelly Furtado has an obvious one.

A line w/ of five feet, and every second syllable is stressed Ex) Hello/hello/hello/hello/hello

An account, written each day, of what a character has done, thoughts, etc. Ex) Anne Frank Diary

Opening of story which sets up various elements. Ex) Scene with three witches in Macbeth

Nonrealistic work, with a whimsical plot and mythical characters. Ex) Lord of the Rings

The fictional representation of a person. Ex) McDreamy is a main character on Grey's Anatomy.

Whoever will be experiencing the work. Ex) Comics tend to be read by children.

Terminology that relates to a specific activity. Ex) Sports jargon- "Dig" in volleyball.

When the audience has insight that the characters don't. Ex) The audience knows Juliet is alive

Placing together of two or more elements that emphasize each other Ex) Chaos and calmness.

Reference in text to an event that actually happened Ex) The Great Depression - Of Mice and Men

Verb refers to a state rather than an action. Ex) The window was broken by me.

Using an anecdote to illustrate a point within an essay.

Conflict is caused by forces within the protagonist’s mind Ex) David's secret in The Chrysalids

Stage in plot where the intensity subsides. Ex) Hazel begins to take care of Augustus in TFIOS.

Extended speech by one character. Ex) Morocco's speech from The Merchant of Venice.

Comparison between two things that is implied. Ex) "All the world's a stage."

Work where a cause and it's effects are explored Ex) A piece discussing the effects of caffeine

Word choice intended to convey a certain effect. Ex) An essay should have formal diction.

Author shows us character in action. Ex) Readers can infer that Charlie suffers from depression

Appeals to the audience's emotions. Ex) Metaphor or story, or a general passion in the delivery

The way in which the events of the story are arranged. Ex) Can be very simple, or very complex.

A work giving the opinion or attitude of the speaker/writer. Ex) Often present in newspapers

A quatrain of alternating tetrameter and trimeter lines rhyming abcb.

Essay written in language which represents speech. Ex) Anything written by Erma Bombeck

Words used in common, everyday speaking. Ex) "Gonna, gotta, ain't, etc."

Expression whose meaning can't be determined from it's words. Ex) "Quitting cold turkey."

An ending in a story that has no definite resolution. Ex) "The Break-Up"

A figure of speech where the dead are spoken to as if alive, etc Ex) Cursing at lifeless object

Using colloquialisms while communicating Ex) Colloquialisms shouldn't be used in formal writing

Unusual set of circumstances for which the readers crave an explanation. Ex) Nancy Drew.

Final stage in plot where action is resolved. Ex) In Harry Potter Harry and Ginny get married.

Short statement in memory of a dead person. Ex) "In loving memory of..."

Language that reflects speech. Ex) MSN language.

A dictionary meaning. Ex) Snake (noun): A snake is a scaled, elongated, muscular reptile.

A brief comment spoken by the actor to the audience which is not heard by the other characters.

The person, or force, opposing the protagonist. Ex) Antagonist in Harry Potter is Voldemort.

Relying on hard evidence/factual proof. Ex) The news should be theoretically like this.

Sequence of events that results from the inciting point. Ex) Lennie's fight with Curley.

"Storytelling" piece of fiction. Ex) There is a narrator in Fight Club.

Sensational play that appeals shamelessly to the emotions. Ex) The Titanic

The point of highest tension that leads to the resolution. Ex) The deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Introductory part of a work that lets reader know important info. Ex) Romeo and Juliet has this

Giving human qualities to inanimate things or ideas. Ex) The tree clapped its hands in the wind

The chance occurrence of two things together. Ex) If you met someone from FSJ while in Europe.

When something appears to be praised, but is actually insulted Ex) Political cartoons

An essay written to prove/disprove a given argument. Ex) An essay praising school uniforms.

Balance between parts of a paragraph obtained by echoing structure or style. Ex) Richard II

When the protagonist must choose between two undesirable choices. Ex) Dying or being murdered.

The general organizing principle of a literary work. Ex) Stanzas used in poetry

Use of the name of one thing for that of another which it suggests Ex) "The press" - news media

Lines in unrhymed iambic pentameter. Ex) Hello/hello/hello/hello/hello

Favouring one side of an argument due to past experiences. Ex) Media is meant to be objective

The first 8 lines of an Italian sonnet. Ex) Perfectly Poised by Lorraine Dafney.

Poetry with no consistency in line length, meter, etc. Ex) Song of Solomon in the Old Testament

Representation through sensory language. Ex) My grandfather is like a tall, old oak tree.

Essay written to convince reader that a certain stance is valid Ex) Walking to work vs driving

A poem mourning the death of an individual or of all men. Ex) "Lycidas" -John Milton

The close repetition of similar vowel sound in stressed syllables. Ex) Mellow wedding bells.

Characters with only one or two traits. Ex) The evil stepmother in "Cinderella."

Literature that ridicules human folly or vice to effect positive change. Ex) The Daily Show?

Category or type of literature. Ex) A poem, a play, and a short story are all different genres.

An explanation of one thing by comparing it point by point with something else.

Writing where a subject performs an action on an object. Ex) I broke the window.

Essay explaining the validity of an idea. Ex) An essay explaining how to make ice cream.

A decline viewed in contrast with a previous rise Ex) It was the letdown of a brilliant career.

Using writing or images to convey and spread beliefs especially by distortion. Ex) Uncle Sam.

A poem praising something, serious in subject. Ex) Despondency by Robert Burns

Argument about the positive and negative outcomes of an idea Ex) +'s & -'s of smoking marijuana

Character who grows during the course of the work Ex) Ralph is a naive boy who becomes hardened

The way in which writers develop their characters. Ex) Hermoine Granger depicts intelligence.

A harsh sound created by clashing consonants. Ex) "The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!"

Text using pictures, graphs, drawing, painting, etc. Ex) Bone by Jeff Smith

Narrative poem about the deeds of a traditional hero. Ex) "Beowulf"

Statement w self-contradiction but contains a truth that reconciles opposites Ex) Being in love

The repetition of consonant sounds, at the beginning of words. Ex) Susie sells sea shells.

When readers are informed outright about a character. Ex) The boy had red hair, and brown eyes.

Moment of revelation about the deep meaning inherent in common things Ex Significance of family

Short saying expressing a general truth, used for a long time. Ex) "Better late than never"

Exaggerated imitation of a serious piece of literature for humor. Ex) The Scary Movie series.

Use of word devices which appeal more to the mind than ear. Ex) "Bang" is an onomatopoeia

Sense of movement attributed to the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables. Ex) Fireflies

A reference to a familiar person or thing; can be historical, classical, biblical or mythical.

Arranged in the same order the events happened. Ex) Yearbooks are generally organized this way.

A picture that deliberately exaggerates the peculiarities of a subject. Ex) Will Smith

When the conflict in story is caused by outside forces Ex) Feuding families in Romeo and Juliet

A combination of sound that is not harmonious Ex) The clinching interlocking claws-Walt Whitman

Essay written using an individual’s experiences as evidence. Ex) Essay on experiences in school

Expresses a meaning contradictory to the surface one. Ex) An amputee comitting an armed robbery

Predominant emotion in a literary work. Ex) Disillusionment in Hamlet.

The winding down of the story after the conflict is resolved. Ex) Harry and Ginny get married.

A narrative poem designed to be sung. Ex) "All the Worlds a Stage" by William Shakespeare.

Literary work that deals nostalgically with pre-industrial life Ex) As You Like It -Shakespeare

Reason why a writer is writing Ex) George Orwell’s purpose in w/ 1984 was to predict the future

Reader is only allowed into the thoughts of one of the characters in the story. Ex) 1984

Writing whose purpose is to teach a lesson. Ex) An Essay on Criticism - Alexander Pope

A short didactic story stressing plot above character development. Ex Little Red Riding Hood.

The emotional aura that determines reader's expectations about a work.

Witty poem expressing a single thought. Ex) "Life" by Emily Dickinson