Fundamentals of Literary Concepts Literary Terms English 10

Prose A literary medium using language that reflects the patterns of everyday speech; the opposite of verse

Genre A category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content

Irony An inconsistency between the actual result of a sequence of events, or a use of language, and the normal expected result

Verbal Irony A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

Dramatic Irony An inconsistency between what a character says or thinks and what the reader knows to be true

Situational Irony A situation in which there is an inconsistency between appearance and reality, or between expectation and fulfillment, or between the actual situation and what would seem appropriate.

Symbolism Something that means more than what it is; an object, person, situation, or action that in addition to its literal meaning suggests other meanings as well; a figure of speech which may read both literary and figuratively

Predictions A statement about what will happen or might happen in the future

Analysis A careful study of something to learn about its parts, what they do, and how they are related to each other; an explanation of the nature and meaning of something

Synthesis The composition or combination of parts or elements so as to form a whole

Evaluation To judge the value or condition of (someone or something) in a careful and thoughtful way