Literary & Literary Devices for AP Literature and Composition Term Literary Definition Classic Example Modern Example ab-ovo + in-media-res literally meaning “in the middle of things” in Latin, this literary term describes a narrative that begins in the middle of a story,usually the turning point. The beginning of the story is revealed throughout the narrative. (Joshi 3) Inferno starts in res as Dante is considering suicide. We then learn the events leading up to his “veering off the path” and the story continues from there. (Dante’s Inferno) The Odyssey is another example. The movie Forrest Gump starts when the main character Forrest is waiting at the bus stop for the love of his life named Jenny. He then recounts previous events from his childhood that lead up to this scene. Pulp Fiction and Inception are other examples. additive monster The term used to describe a creature, usually in mythology or legend, which has body parts that are either altered in size or quantity, as in a creature with extra eyes or with very long limbs (Martin 2). There are many examples of additive monsters, especially in old Greek and Norse mythology. In the Odyssey, there is an additive monster named Scylla. She has six heads (Odyssey). A more modern example would be from the well known movie "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail". There is a giant who, after blocking the path of Sir Robin, ends up getting in an argument with himself, or namely his other two heads, providing a distraction enough that Sir Robin can bravely run away (Holy Grail). + composite monster The term is used to describe fantasy creatures in Greek, Babylonian, Assyrian and medieval europe legends in which the creature is made up of different body parts of different animals has been various composite monsters in greek myths and such. One that is known is the Chimera from the Greek Myth. It is the offspring Echinda and Typhon. The chimera has a body of a goat, In the Potter series there are lot of creatures that are considered composite monsters. Such as the Hippogriff which is suppose to be the offspring of a griffin and a mare.
pliancy of temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them." (Pride and prejudice).The sentence could have ended with the statement that she was very little disposed by the behavior,but instead there are comparisons between Elizabeth's attitude to her sister and explanations for her thoughts. of his wife. One story is told moving forward in time (in color) while the other story tells the story backwards (in black and white). Each time they switch there is more revealed about the plot. The story progresses in the fact that it amplifies the meaning of a simple idea and continues to implicate a desired understanding for the audience. Additional structure is added to give more meaning. anastrophe A reversal of the common order of words in a phrase, usually with minimal loss to literary meaning (Gevoian 2). The structure and writing style of Dante's Alighieri's poem Inferno is largely built around the use of anastrophe. Examples include "A poet was I, and I sang that just", "And never moved she from before my face" as well as "Through every city shall I hunt her down" (Inferno 2). Both Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey employ the use of anastrophe, as evident in this quote. '"Still I am willing to give her back, if such is the best way. I myself desire that my people be safe, not perish. Find me then some prize that shall be my own, lest I only among the Argives go without, since that were unfitting."(Iliad 2). anthropomorphism the attribution of human like qualities to a being or object that is (Karathanas 2) In the Bible and also in Milton's Paradise Lost, a serpent is given the ability to speak with Eve and convince her to eat the forbidden Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast is anthropomorphized. She is given the ability to talk, think and sing like a human would, but
fruit. Serpents do not have these abilities in real life. (Bible OR Paradise Lost) she is a tea pot. + personification The act of giving animals or objects the ability to perform humanlike actions.(Davila 3) In John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, the cotton in the fields are said to have robbed the land and sucked all the blood out if it. Its given the human traits of robbing since a cotton plant can't naturally do that. (Grapes Wrath) In the movie Doctor Dolittle, animals are able to talk to him to explain their health problems. These animals are given the ability to talk, therefore they have been personified. analogy A comparison is made between the subject and something else totally different that is usually familiar to most people in to prove the author's point. (Gulino 5) In John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, Joad’s journey resembles Moses’s journey when he leads the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land. (Grapes of Wrath) In The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion resembles Jesus as he sacrifices himself and is shaved and taunted just as Jesus was on his cross and then comes back to life to save the people of Narnia just as Jesus came back to save his people as well. antihero The main protagonist or a the person whom the text is centered around, that lacks heroic characters. This person is more "human" than the typical hero as he/she has the darker qualities that most heroes lack (Phan 5). Mr.Gatsby is an example of an He is in pursuit of the noble goal of love. However in the fact that Gatsby pursued his goal through illegal means and had an affair to accomplish his goals make him the anti-hero (Gatsby). one of the most famous modern day anti-hero is the dark knight of Gotham, Batman. Though Batman is a hero a, he is breaking the law by doing so. The origin of Batman is also an example of the darker nature that makes him an anti-hero as the Batman is born out of a desire to avenge a murder. anachronism The presence of a person, event, item, or expression that is used or placed in the wrong In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the swords which are used are rapiers, swords that In the film Titanic there are many examples of anachronism. Such as the Statue of liberty hero.
time period, either as a mistake or used as a creative preference to add to the story.(Boudreaux 5) had not been invented until the 16th century. (Hamlet) would still be a brownish copper color in the early 1900’s, The lake that Jack says he goes ice fishing on was actually a man made reservoir created five years after the ship sank. anecdote An interesting short story that recounts a specific incident that provides an example for a point made. (Lai 5) The in Romeo and Juliet has a silly anecdote where she recounts the story of when Juliet becomes an innocent accomplice in a joke( Act 1, Scene 3) In modern day television are plenty of anecdotes within each episode. For example, in the tv series Good Luck Charlie the mom always recounts different stories that teach her children the lesson of not lying to your parents by “fading back” into the past. archetype An idea, character, or plot that is easily identifiable in all cultures and is used as a base in literary works. (Tran 3) A common theme in literary works is eternal love. In Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, eternal love is expressed by the deaths of the two lovers in their search for each other. An archetypal character in literature is the gentle In the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, Rubeus Hagrid is literally a half giant that may look menacing but instead has maternal instincts for his pets and aids the protagonist in his quest. atmosphere/mood (Saleem 5) + tone The overall mood of a depicted through literary elements such as diction and dialogue. (Littler 2) In the classic novel Pride and Prejudice, acclaimed author Jane Austen conveys a romantic and humorous tone through her depiction of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s journey to love and the ludicrous behavior of the young Throughout Suzanne Collins’ successful series The Hunger Games, there is a tone of struggle and oppression as the characters brutally fight for survival within a tyrannical and unjust society.
reaches a moment in his life so beautiful and worthwhile that he never wants it to leave him. The moment when he finally says this represents both the climax of the tragedy, and an spiritual renewal for the fallen Faust prison, but instead finally stops lying to himself and the world and admits he’s an alcoholic. After this he goes to prison and goes through an emotional and spiritual renewal. character A term used to describe a person, animal, or force that has a prominent voice in literature or other bodies of work and its collective traits, thoughts, and features. Used to form plot, create a mood, and voice the author’s opinions. They can represent an idea, ethical principle, social standard, and moral belief. (November 3) In Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, the first few chapters are dedicated to a prologue that introduces the characters that hold some significance and will appear later on. Each person mentioned not only acts as a driving force to push the plot along, in this case recount stories in order to win a bet, but also hold some importance as embodiments of stereotypes of the time. (The Canterbury Tales) In Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the characters displayed are important to the plot and help to further advance their journey in their own individual ways. Each one offers a new set of thoughts and motives to add to the story. (The Lord of the Rings series) + foil This term is used for a character that contrasts another in order to highlight particular qualities in that character. Foils are usually completely different or very similar to the character in order to point out their differences. (Mauricio 3) In William Shakespeare's, "Hamlet", a good example of a foil is Fortinbras to Hamlet. Both Fortinbras and Hamlet have lost their fathers, however, Fortinbras will go to any length to avenge the death of his father. This characteristic of In the Disney movie, The Lion King, Scar and Mufasa, although brothers, are worlds apart as leaders atop Pride Rock. Mufasa was the righteous king that protected his people and understood the circle of life. However, when Scar took over the pride lands through
they both tragically kill themselves, it breaks the happy ending convention of the genre (Romeo and Juliet). warnings. When the audience is convince it's just another lame horror movie, the story completely shifts to a sci-fi when they find out they are being toyed with by a group of technicians in a control room that operates this "cabin in the woods." Deus Ex Machina Literally meaning "god in the machine", it refers to a situation of seemingly no escape that is suddenly intervened by a divine force or a previously unmentioned factor.(Loew 3) In Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum", the story concludes with the hero being suddenly rescued from certain death by arriving forces. In Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", Sam and Frodo are suddenly rescued from Sauron's army atop Mt. Doom by huge eagles. dialect The language (including grammar and diction) or accent distinct to people of certain social classes or geographic locations, is used to provide more information about a character's background and possibly give insight into the character's status in society (Oueini 5) In Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Twain utilizes an exaggerated dialect to show the differences between the two main characters: Jim, a slave (uses improper grammar and mispronounces words, shows that he is uneducated), and Huck, a white young boy who was raised on a higher socioeconomic standard than Jim; more educated Example- Jim: "We's safe, Huck, we's safe! Jump up and crack yo' heels. In the The Help, various characters have a wide range of Southern accents as the movie takes place in Jackson, Mississippi. “The help”, including main characters Minnie and Aibileen, have very poor grammar, which shows their lack of education, due to their low status in society.
Epic/Saga A long, narrative form of poetry that typically focuses on the struggle and journey of a hero who often reflects a specific culture or people and whose actions affect a nation. Starting with an invocation to the muse to inspire the poet and often in mideas res, most epics use an elevated style of language. (Graham 5) In the epic, The Iliad, the poem starts off typically with this invocation to the muse: "Sing, Goddess, sing of the rage of Achilles, son of Peleus— that murderous which condemned Achaeans to countless agonies and threw many warrior souls deep into Hades, leaving their dead bodies carrion food for dogs and birds— all in fulfilment of the will of Zeus" (Iliad). The Lord of the saga qualifies as an epic as it followsa hero on his journey whose actions affect a grand mass of nations. It also begins with something very similar to an invocation: "Three Rings for the under the sky, Seven for the in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor the Shadows lie. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie" (Lord of the Rings). +tragedy A serious play in the main character, usually a hero who has a tragic flaw, goes through a series of events culminating in a final tragic event that brings the main character's downfall. Traditionally, a tragedy is composed of five Shakespeare’s Hamlet possesses vital elements of a tragedy as Hamlet’s cautious nature and inability to act is his tragic flaw and Hamlet’s tragic error is when Hamlet "accidentally" stabs Polonius and this ultimately causes his The story of the Titanic is a modern- day example of a tragedy in that the tragic flaw was every passenger’s overconfidence that the ship was unsinkable and due to this, less precautionary measures were taken which ultimately led the ship to
acts with act 1 being the exposition, 2 being introduction to dilemma, 3 being crisis which can be averted, 4 being failure to avert crisis, and 5 being dire consequences and falling action (Saleem 5) downfall. The audience pities the main character and the catharsis, a vital element in a tragedy, is gained when the prince of Norway decides to keep Hamlet’s story going as a (Hamlet) sink and to the deaths of many people which could have been prevented. The story is one of the most memorable modern-day tragedies as it really captures human error and brings about emotion in the audience, just like a tragedy would. +comedy A genre of literature that is generally light in tone, is humorous/satirical, and has a happy ending (such as a wedding) (Gibson 2) Jane Austen satirizes the English society of the 18th century in her novel Pride and Prejudice. This novel ends with a double wedding and opens with the light, humorous sentence "It is a truth universally acknowldged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." (Pride and Prejudice 3) modern comedies can take different shapes +drama A composition in verse or prose intended to portray life or to tell a story. Dramas usually involve conflicts and emotions through action and dialogue and are typically designed for theatrical 5) "From the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents' strife." (Romeo and Juliet) “Everyone makes mistakes. Are you that perfect that you can’t accept it?” -Khloe Kardashian “I’m not the one popping pills, babe. I’m not the one popping pills, getting drunk.” -Asa, Shahs of Sunset epithet A short, descriptive phrase that is coupled with a character's real In this quote from the Iliad, Neptune is surrounded by Today, many people refer to WWE star and actor Dwayne Johnson
name in order to identify the character in a specific way. Often a descriptive nickname that can be either positive or harsh. (Graham 5) descriptive epithets. "Meanwhile Neptune lord of the earthquake cheered on the Argives, for he had come up out of the sea and had assumed the form and voice of Calchas" (Iliad). and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, due to his massive size and rock hard muscles. This is a modern epithet. erotesis (Lowe-Sadler 2) aka erotima; Similar to a rhetoric question where a question is asked to the reader. Through this device, an answer is implied through the question but is not specified. A classic example of this is seen throughout Dante’s Inferno where Dante is questioning the reader in order for them to think deeply over the questions. For example, Canto XXVIII begins with an erotima asking “Who, e’en in words unfetter’d, might at full tell of the wounds and blood that now I saw, through he repeated of the tale?” A modern example of this is seen in this video compilaion of popular Geico commercials where the narrator consistently asks the audience obvious questions: euphemism (Ebert 3) flashback An interruption of the forward moving plot to go back to a previous scene or event in the storyline. (Hoff 5) An example from classic literature is Poe’s The Cask Of Amontillado. The entire is itself a flashback because at the end the speaker returns to the present tense and reveals that 50 years have passed. “For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat!” (Poe) Flashbacks are commonly used in modern movies and TV. One example is most crime drama shows where a crime is shown happening to open the episode and the rest of the episode takes place after the crime as the investigators try to solve it. frame A device is, more or less, a story within a story. The author In the story Canterbury Tales all of the primary tales are told within the In the Inception, there are many short stories created within
creates a larger story to combine a series of shorter stories. (McGinley 2) frame story of the pilgrimage to Canterbury. the larger story. As Dom Cobb and his team go deeper into different dreams, they are filling the frame story with smaller stories. gothic A style of writing that was most popular during the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century which portrayed tales that dealt with despair, horror, grotesque, and other “dark” or supernatural aspects of life. (Ordonez 3) The Shakespearean play of Macbeth portrays a gothic style of writing as it shows Macbeth’s path of corruption as he interacts with the three witches and kills King Duncan. Shakespeare portrays these parts of the play in a very supernatural and grotesque manner as he uses imagery of Macbeth’s hallucinations, the three witches conversations, and Lady Macbeth’s slow descent into madness. (Macbeth, Shakespeare) Tim Burton is most commonly known to portray this gothic, “dark” style to his own works. Movies such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, Frankenweenie, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street show different supernatural views to life and actions of people. Especially within Sweeney Todd where the characters Benjamin Barker (Sweeney Todd) and Mrs. Lovette give into their darker desires of revenge and begin to grotesquely avenge people who have been mistreated through the murders of aristocrats. (Tim Burton) hamartia the hamartia is seen as the flaw or that leads to a tragic hero's downfall (Clark 3) In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, Oedipus’ hamartia is his inability to attain the knowledge of his family roots. He leaves his “parents” because he wants to avoid the prophecy of killing his father and sleeping with his mother. In the process The Bachelor’s Sean Lowe seems to be the perfect man; he is an all american Texan who is tall, handsome, kind, and he is a virgin waiting for the right woman....but his hamartia is that even though he seems to be the perfect husband he has probably told
of trying to avoid contact with those situations, he ends up confronting them unknowingly. His lack of knowledge about his origins causes him to flee and kill his father on the way to a town where he ends up in a relationship with his biological mother. multiple girls on the show that he loves them and he has no problem kissing every girl there. So even though he looks and seems to be perfect, his hamartia is that he has multiple relationships on the show; tarnishing his perfect and wholesome reputation. heroic code(s) a system of beliefs that is based on several basic concepts: bravery in the face of danger, the performance of a challenging and life threatening quest, the honoring of friends and family, and allegiance to one's leader. (Casey 5) "My friends, play the man, and take in your hearts shame of other men, and be ye mindful, each man of you, of children and wife, of possessions and of his parents, whether in the case of any they be living or be dead. For the sake of them that are not here with us do I now beseech you to stand firm, and turn not back in flight." (The Iliad) The best examples of the heroic code in moderns literature is the Harry Potter series. Harry is sent on one quest that others view as impossible: to kill Lord Voldemort. In each book, he faces many challenges, all of which he completes with great courage. His loyalty to his friends is one of his greatest traits as well as his devotion to his mentor, Professor Dumbledore. hubris Overconfident pride or arrogance found within a character, which usually leads to his/her demise or fall. (Sarkisian 5) In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his remaining men escape from the cave of the cyclops Polyphemus and return safely to their ship at sea, Odysseus turns to the shore and shouts insults and taunts at the blinded and defeated cyclops, which leads to Polyphemus cursing
understand both her mother’s relationship with Dimmesdale and the letter she wore. nostos Nostos, in literary terms, refers to a longing for home or the past, or a journey back to home. This is also the term from which the word “nostalgia” comes (Martin 2). The feeling described by this term is very present in Homer’s “Odyssey”, as throughout the whole epic, Odysseus is taking this long adventure so he can get back home to his wife and people (Odyssey). Nostos, or nostalgia, is a very common feeling in modern times both in and out of books. This occurs in pop culture, especially, where old treasures, movies, books and videogames are looked on fondly by many people. Oedipal Complex The Oedipal complex refers to a man's innate (and often subconscious) sexual attraction to his mother. This often implies a hatred to their father as well. (McLeod 2) "So excellent a king that was to this Hyperion to a satyr, so loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly." (Hamlet) This quote shows Hamlet's attraction to his mom that leads to be threatened later on when his uncle pursues her. In Pippin, Pippin's brother Lois has an implied sexual love for his mother as well a clear attempt to want to be the favorite and gain his mother's attention. Omen A sign/indication the predicts a future event or circumstance whether good or evil. Sometimes believed to be a sign from God/the gods or another “higher being”.(Goulding 3) When Odysseus’s starving sailors slaughter and eat the holy cattle on the Isle of Helios, they recieve an omen as the cattle is cooking. “And soon the gods sent portents: The flayed hides crawled along the ground; the flesh Upon the spits, both roast and raw, began To bellow; we heard the sounds of lowing In A Christmas Carol, the ghost of Christmas future shows Scrooge what will become of him in the future; the ghost gives Scrooge an omen.
cows” (Odyssey) pedantic An adjective that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish to describe phrases, or the tone. This type of language is considered to be "show-offy". (Mohan 2) In Jane Asuten’s Pride and Prejudice, Mary Bennet is described to be pedantic by her bookish behavior throughout the novel. (Pride and Prejudice) In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Hermione Granger is described as a very scholarly wizard who knows more about wizardry than her peers attending school with her. parallelism Series of words and clauses that are similar in structure and follow one another. (Gandhi 2) “The Loss we felt was not the loss of ham but the loss of pig” (Death of a Pig) “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” +anaphora The usage of a certain word of set of words at the beginning of at least two consecutive clauses as a way to build a sense of rhythm, create a powerful emphasis, and/or to reinforce a key idea in the mind of the reader. (Pealer 5) "It was the best of it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity..." (A Tale of Two Cities) "I do not like them in a box. I do not like them with a fox. I do not like them in a I do not like them with a mouse. I do not like them here or there. I do not like them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am." (Green Eggs and Ham) +anastrophe +epistrophe
parody A humorous or sarcastic remake of a serious piece of literature (Kohn 5) Pride and Prejudice contained parodies against society rather than another piece of literature. Including Satire in the novel to show Austen’s displeasure with society, class, and the marriage market(Austen). Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Smith is a Parody of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. A novel which includes elements from the classic novel as well as a elements from modern zombie films. +satire Satire is used in literature often to make fun of society and people and the weaknesses of them. Often writers use it as a statement in an attempt to correct the subject or at least point out how silly it is to the masses. (Harrelson 5) “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” (Pride and Prejudice) Here, Jane Austen comments on how women in her time would always try to marry rich and would assume, that if they met a single man, he’d want to marry. She states it humorously to point out how silly it really is. A modern example of satire can be found on the television show, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Actors like Tina Fey poke fun at politics/politicians through witty comedy sketches. For example, Tina Fey once pretended to be Sarah Palin to point out something she didn’t like about it +farce A is a piece of literature with highly exaggerated plots and characters. Most of these elements are meant for comedic "I can call spirits from vastly deep...why, so can I, or so can any man; But will they come when you do call for them?...Why, I can A modern age farce is "The Hangover." The director of this movie created an extremely unlikely plot with a man getting lost in Las
purposes. A farce also refers to an entire branch of works as well as the characteristic involved in such literature. (Cole 2) teach you, cousin, to command the devil...And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil--by telling the truth. Tell truth and shame the devil." (Henry IV) In this short comedic moment of Shakespeare's creation, two men quarrel over spirits and the devil, but they are depicted as fools, stumbling over their thoughts and reaching a parodic conclusion to tell the truth and shame the devil. Vegas during his bachelor party. as the movie progresses the lead characters find a baby, Mike Tyson's tiger, and a nude Asian man with fighting skills in the back of their car. All of these is highly exaggerated for comedic purposes and to entertain the audience. pathetic fallacy Giving human emotions and feelings to an inanimate or inhuman object [much like personification]. It should be noted that the term pathetic, here, alludes to pathos rather than the pejorative pathetic. (Nestor 5) “The apothecary came, and having examined his patient, said, as he supposed, that she had caught a violent cold...” (Pride & Prejudice) Violence is an emotion felt by humans. This emotion is given to an inanimate object (the cold) to describe its ferocity. The popular brand “Glad Bags” is a pathetic fallacy. Obviously trash bags cannot be glad, but because they are easy to use and endure a lot of weight, they leave the customer feeling glad. pathos Usually used in literature to evoke the audience to have a feeling of sympathy, pity, or compassion towards the main characters in novels or main characters in films or TV shows. (Odar 5) In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” pathos is used when Romeo makes his last soliloquy about his love for Juliet when he sees and believes that she is dead and thinks that he must die also. “And never from this palace of dim night In the movie “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” the main character is starting his first year of high school and he doesn’t make any friends the first day of his freshman year except his english teacher. During lunch he sits by himself
symbolism Symbolism is when a word or object is used to represent some other abstract idea or concept to add deeper meaning to the story or to portray the overarching feeling/mood. (Albert 3) Found in many/ most literary works. One example would be the “A” Hester is forced to wear. It symbolizes Adultery, then later Able/ Angel. (The Scarlet Letter) In the movie Castaway, the volleyball (later named Wilson) is symbolic of man’s need for companionship and social interaction. Tom Hank’s character interacts with Wilson for the time he is stranded on the island. syntax Syntax is the structure a writer uses for his/her writing style (shoaib 2) In & Prejudice by Jane Austen, the author uses syntax to convey a message more effectively to a reader. "You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner" (Austen) In The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie's character writes in journal form because his character is writing a diary of his high school years and the author tries to convey that in journal syntax. +diction Diction is the words an author uses in order to establish meaning, style, and tone. For example, if an author is talking about a pretty dress, there are many different words and phrases the author can use to talk about that dress, such as the "elegantly embroidered gown," depending on the image or emotion the author wants the reader to take. Also, if "We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big, still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn't ever feel like talking loud, and it warn't often that we laughed — only a little kind of a low chuckle." - Mark Twain "The Adventures of The "The Help," is a good example a film that uses diction as a way to make a distinction between the African American nannies and the snobby White housewives. Since they grew up in a time where African Americans were highly discriminated against, the nannies used very poor grammar, due to lack of education. The housewives spoke
an author is writing about a poorly educated person, the author might use slang and improper language to properly portray the person. Overall, diction is an author's purpose for choosing the words he or she chooses. (Moore 2) Huckleberry Finn" "Yes-en I's rich now, come to look at it. I owns mysef, en I's wuth eight hund'd dollars. I wisht I had de money, I wouldn' want no."- Mark Twain "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Both examples show how Twain's diction illustrated Huck's lack of education and the slave, Jim's, lack of education and stereotype accent. Twain's choice of words helps the reader understand what kind of characters he is trying to create and who they are. clearly and properly. style An author's style is how the author writes using diction, literary devices and other writing styles that makes the author stand out from other writers. (Delaplane 2) A classic example of style is Edgar Allen Poe. Through his poetic diction and morbid plots one can easily catch one to Poe's style. One modern example of style is Nicholas Sparks. His writing and movies are romantic novels with almost identical plot lines, only with different characters and setting. synecdoche (Marisa 2) A theme is an idea that is repeated throughout a literary work, representing a general moral or social idea (Kelsey, 2). One classic example of theme is that of Dante's inferno. Through examples of imagery and figurative language the theme of man's journey for discovery is One modern example of theme would be in Harry Potter. The theme demonstrated is the common theme of good vs. evil, the struggle between doing the right thing, and the
demonstrated. temptation of the dark side. thesis A thesis is a proposed argument defining and outlining the main concepts of a written work. (Gonzalez, 2) A classical example of a thesis can be shown through the play Romeo and Juliet. Its a classic story about two teens who fall in love despite their family feud and the only way they can be together is through death. In the book the Perks of Being a Wallflower a thesis is clearly shown. The book explains that even though many students in high school go through struggles, they always find a way to overcome them because of the friends they make and the experiences that they have. triad tropes The use of a word or phrase in a non-literal sense, having an implied meaning. Various kinds of literary terms fall under this category. Irony, metaphors, metonymy, and synecdoche all imply a greater meaning making them tropes. (Emma 2) "Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then." (Pride and Prejudice) ironic +metaphor Comparison between two unlike things without using like or as. (Quentin 3) The poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost hosts an extended metaphor in which he uses the traveler who is trying to determine which road to travel down and compares this to making a life decision and how it will affect your life. “Life's a journey not a destination And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings.” Aerosmith’s Amazing +simile A figure of speech in which two things are "Your profusion me saving; and if you "You could make out his eyes, glinting like black
paradoxes emphasize truth by making audiences consider messages in different ways. (Vasquez 3) theme, emphasizing the idea that things can be different than they appear. (Macbeth) Paradoxes”, which is of course paradoxical because the statement explaining that a title is not needed is, indeed, the books title. +juxtaposition To place something side by side to compare and typically to reflect or highlight certain contrasting qualities whether it be characters, ideas, things, etc. Juxtaposition is a great tool to enhance an important key to a novel because it allows for a deeper understanding of the portrayed notion. (ex: good v. evil) (Zumwalt 3) In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Macbeth’s character is juxtaposed by his Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth a devious and evil demeanor naturally whereas Macbeth actually shows hesitance to doing the acts his wife is so willing to do. Macbeth’s evil prospers out of Lady Macbeth’s insistence. His actions are curated by his wife as opposed to coming from his own will. “My house was at the very tip of the egg, only fifty yards from the Sound, and squeezed between two huge places that rented for twelve or fifteen thousand a season. The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard-it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden.”…”My own house was an eyesore, but it was a small eyesore, and it had been overlooked, so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor’s lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires-all for eighty dollars a month.” (Great Gatsby, By F. Scott Fitzgerald) - compares lavish homes to his dwelling +apostrophe The act of addressing someone or something that is not physically present in the scene. It “Oh! Stars and clouds and winds, ye are all about to mock me; if ye really pity me, crush “Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.” (Paul Simon - “The
is as if the character is speaking to this person or thing as if it were present at the time of the speech. (Steiker 5) sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness” (Frankenstein). Sound of Silence”) +figurative lang. Words or phrases used differently than the literal meaning in order to evoke certain images or emotions, most commonly to emphasize, clarify, or compare. Similes, metaphors, hyperboles, alliteration, personification, and onomatopoeia are all examples of figurative language. Also known as figures of speech. (Porter 2) "As Indian Moors obey their Spanish lords, So shall the spirits of every element Be always serviceable to us Like lions shall they guard us when we please; Like Almain rutters with their horsemen's staves, Or Lapland giants, trotting by our sides" (The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus) “Blue jeans, white shirt, walked into the room, you know you made my eyes burn. It was like James Dean, for sure. You’re so fresh to death and sick as (Lana Del Rey, Blue Jeans) +schemes A methodical arrangement for acquiring a specific object or by arranging certain ideas or concepts and finding the outcome of them. (Stutson 2) have been many classic examples of schemes in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” particularly having to do with the children trying to investigate Boo Radley’s house. They put a plan into action having to do with them trying to send a letter by using a fishing pole and casting the letter up against the window. This plan makes it We see many examples today of schemes used in modern day entertainment. In the Disney Channel original series, “That’s So Raven”, there are plenty examples of schemes used. Every time a disaster occurs Raven always comes up with a scheme to try and fix it, yet her plans always consist of disguising herself to try and fix the situation. Another example would be in the
easy for them to see Boo Radley without him seeing them. Since they are so curious to understand what kind of person Boo Radley is, and from the rumors they’ve heard about him, they come up with many ideas to put into action to finally see the kind of person Boo Radley really is with their very own eyes (Mockingbird). movie Inception, they sum up many ideas which involves dreaming, which is how they create their plans and by dreaming, they are putting them into effect. unities (3) verisimilitudes What one appears realistic or believable in a fictional work. If the author successfully convinces the audience that something fictional could happen in real life, they have done their job. In works of science fiction of fantasy, it is used to convince the audience to suspend disbelief (Alvarado 2). In George Orwell’s 1984 is verisimilitude in the sense that its a depiction of a totalitarian society in the future that is probable to occur and therefore scares the audience out of any path that could lead them to such a fate. In Jurassic Park, scientists explain the science behind the creation of dinosaurs through extracting the blood from prehistoric mosquitoes fossilized in amber. This scene allows us to disregard any disbelief of the dinosaurs’ existence; in fact most of the audience might even wonder if it is actually scientifically possible. vernacular The domestic or native language of the people of a country or geographical area or the everyday lingo of a people. The common slang. (Holcombe 3) "It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn't do him no more men tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd a knowed it would make him feel potter uses many terms that are not common English. Examples of this are terms like "half-blood" or "muggle". There are also many British terms mixed in with the wizard slang such as "bloody hell". This vernacular helps set the setting of the story and helps the
that way." (Huck Finn). In this use of vernacular, it shows how educated Huck Finn is. Even though he is fairly illiterate, one can tell that he has some knowledge of the English language. reader determine someone's nationality. wergild/wyrd Wergild: A person’s to be paid to the person's family by their murderer. Wyrd: The unalterable force of fate (Bustamante 5) Wergild: “Once your father brought about a great feud when he killed Heathoaf with his own hand among the Wulfings.....I then paid to settle the feud for your father.”(Beowulf, lines 459-470) Wyrd: “If battle bears me off, send to Hygelac the best 0f war-garments defending my beast....Wyrd goes ever as it must.”(Beowulf, lines 452-455) In the The Monkey’s Paw, the paw was created by a holy man who, “wanted to show that fate people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow.” Wergild can also be observed in the same story when Herbert is killed in an accident at work. The company sends his family pounds in compensation. willing suspension of disbelief An acceptance of new or uncommon ideas to better the understanding and appreciation of literary works or theatrical performances; used by audiences (Delgado 5) zeitgeist Literally broken down to “Spirit of the Time or Age." The spirit of the age means what values and trends were sought in a specific time period. It refers mostly to the political, artistic, Inferno outlines the spirit of the age in the various circles of hell where political, artistic, and social trends are taken as being sinful but still occur in Dante’s The Hunger reveals a world where different societies are broken into districts and how they host a universal game that signifies peace for the districts to maintain a