Literary Terms Grade 12

language with a precise, clear meaning

deliberate exaggeration

the inclusion of a humorous scene or character in a serious work, to relieve tension

the direct opposite of

the repetition of vowel sounds in a line of poetry or sentence

a type of poetry with no fixed structure

these words are no longer in everyday use or have lost a particular meaning in current usage

time order

a widely held but false belief or idea; a traditional story of early people

the choice of words or phrases in speech or writing

a work created to imitate and make fun of an original work, its author, or its subject

using an object or word to represent an abstract idea, mood, or emotion

pleasing sounds

one of the most common poetic devices, used to stress something

the narrator who uses "I"

a complex character who does not change

the preface or introduction to a literary work

not a good way to make an argument in a researched, expository essay

an opinion article on a current issue found in a newspaper

comes after the climax of a story

the stressed and unstressed syllabic pattern in a verse or within the lines of a poem

reasons and results; why things happen and the results

a group of lines in a poem separated by extra space

the language used by the people of a specific area, class, district or group of people

a humorous use of two meanings of one word

two lines of poetry that rhyme and have the same rhythm

a speech to an object, an idea, or a person who doesn't exist as if it is a living person

a style of writing that teaches a lesson, usually a moral one

art or literature in which people, things or events have a hidden or symbolic meaning

a fourteen-line poem with a rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter

prejudice in favour of one thing, person, or group compared with another

the individual style of an author including diction, dialogue, and character development

the voice in a poem

an expression or spoken words of lesser strength than would be expected, in that situation

in the plot, the one against the main character

a polite term to refer to something unpleasant or embarrassing

how and when the conflict in a story is solved

the outcome or circumstances are opposite to what would expect

a sudden and profound understanding of something

a brief, memorable saying that expresses a truth or belief

a story of someone's own life

used for "mind control"

picture stories

harsh, unpleasant-sounding words

an important idea or human issue writers and artists explore through their work

a difficult problem with no easy solution

background information provided to a reader at the beginning of a story

show the differences in two things

an overused expression that has lost its effectiveness

a long poem narrating the deeds and adventures of legendary historical figures

a word that suggests or implies another meaning besides the literal one

a category of literature or art

the repetition of consonant sounds at the ends of words "east west"

writing with a repetitive grammatical structure

giving non-human things human characteristics

words written on a gravestone

a natural aptitude for using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humour

devastation; the death or moral destruction of the protagonist in a tragedy

a comparison of one thing to another thing that is quite different

a hint of what is to come later in a story or movie (usually something bad)

a cartoon-like image showing the features of its subject in a simplified or exaggerated way

a question that is asked in order to make a point rather than to elicit an answer

a statement made by a qualified person about a technical, scientific, or professional issue

a four line stanza, especially one with a rhyme scheme

the narrator knows the actions and thoughts of all the characters

a statement that contradicts itself, but may nonetheless be true

technical or professional language that is often not understood by ordinary people

a short, clever often-paradoxical remark

a long narrative poem of folk origin and intended to be sung, with simple stanzas and a refrain

a reference to a famous person, place or event

the main character of a story

a point of view seldom used in literature

writing that is intended to explain or provide information

a literary work or painting idealizing the rural life (especially shepherds)

pity for a character in a play, usually a tragedy

the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize stupidity or vices

placing close together or side by side to emphasize a contrast

descriptive language that helps the reader "see"

very informal spoken words that become temporarily popular within certain groups

to believe unfairly that all people of a group are the same