Key Terms

• Alliteration


  The repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of words in close succession
• Allusion


  An indirect reference to a concept or theme without explicit mention
• Antithesis


  The direct opposite of a concept or person
• Archetype


  A person or thing who is a typical example of something, usually a personality type, with clear, recognisable characteristics
• Caricature


  An imitation where particular notable characteristics are exaggerated to a comic or grotesque effect
• Colloquialism


  An informal word or phrase used in normal or familiar conversation
• Connotation


  An impression, idea, or feeling associated with a word or phase beyond its literal meaning
• Dramatic Irony


  When the audience knows more about a situation than the characters discussing or experiencing it, meaning they know whether a character's prediction or statement is correct
• Dichotomy


  A division or contrast between two opposed things
• Epithet


  Referring to a person or thing with an adjective or phrase that describes a defining characteristic
• Epitome


  A perfect example or embodiment of a concept
• Euphemism


  Replacement of a crude or offensive expression with a more vague, mild expression
• Foreshadowing


  Giving a hint or warning of a future event, either explicitly or implicitly
• Grotesque


  Ugly and distorted, physically or figuratively, in a way that is comic or repulsive
• Hyperbole


  Exaggerating in a way that should not be taken literally
• Imagery


  Using language to create a visual picture
• Innuendo


  An implicit remark or hint, particularly one that is supposed to be suggestive or inappropriate
• Interjection


  A sudden remark, used often as an interruption or aside in a text
• Juxtaposition


  Two contrasting concepts or characters placed close together in a text
• Manifestation


  A physical expression or realisation of an abstract idea through a character, object, place, or event
• Metaphor


  Describing a person, object, or concept as something it cannot literally be, but that has recognisable and defining implications for it
• Oxymoron


  A figure of speech where two contradictory terms are used in succession
• Parody


  Imitating a particular style, genre, or piece of work with deliberate exaggeration to create a comic effect
• Sarcasm


  Saying the opposite of what one means or something that is obviously not true or reasonable, in order to mock or show contempt
• Satire


  Using irony, exaggeration, humour, or ridicule to criticise someone's stupidity or cruel behaviour, particularly in a political context
• Semantic Field


  Using words that are linked by a particular concept, context, or connotation throughout a text or a section of a text
• Sibilance


  The repetition of an "s" sound in a word, sentence, or section of text
• Simile


  Comparing something to something else in a nonliteral way, in order to convey a particular idea or quality about the original thing
• Situational Irony


  When the outcome of an event is different than what was expected by the characters and the audience
• Symbolism


  Using a character, object, or event to represent something else, particularly an abstract idea
• Book-ending


  Starting and ending a piece of literature with the same word, sentence, event, or idea
• Chinese Box Narrative/Frame Narrative


  When a story is told within a story, often through different perspectives and forms
• Chronological


  When events are told in the order they occurred
• Cyclical


  When the same sequence of events repeats throughout a story
• Exposition


  Information provided through stage directions, narration, dialogue, or description, used to introduce the audience to crucial background information
• In Media Res


  Starting in the middle of the action
• Parallelism


  Using components that are similar in grammar, structure, or meaning within a sentence or multiple sentences, or throughout the text as a whole
• Refrain


  A word, phrase, or sentence that is repeated throughout a text
• Tricolon


  Three parallel clauses, words, or phrases in quick succession
• Allegory


  A story, character, place, or event is used to convey a hidden meaning, typically moral or political, about real-world events or issues