Literary Terms

When a character detaches from reality and addresses an imaginary character in his speech.

Being with something general and from it drawing a conclusion about something specific

The repetition of a word or words at the end of two or more successive verses

The running on of a thought from one line to the next without a syntactical break

Speech or writing that attacks, insults, or denounces a person, topic, or institution

Obvious and intentional exaggeration

A statement that seems self-contradictory but in reality expresses a possible truth

A sharply ironical taunt

A statement of truth or opinion expressed in a concise and witty manner

A figure of speech which produces a seemingly self-contradictory effect

A character in a story that is actually a counterfeit or a copy of a genuine character

A literary devices that uses a part of something to refer to the whole or vice versa

Making a casual or indirect reference to something

A picture or description, exaggerating the peculiarities and defects of persons or things

When the plot is focused on the growth of the central character throughout the story

links all aspects of the literary work with one another and is basically the main subject

Refers to the practice of making fun of a human weakness or character flaw

Ideas, places, or characters presented in a way to appeal to one's senses

Polite, indirect expressions which replace harsh and impolite expressions

A figure of speech which employs an understatement by using double negatives

The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning

A recurring theme

A sharp, often virulent satire directed against an individual or institution