Literary Terms Part 1

Figurative Language Figures of speech such as metaphor, simile, personification, and hyperbole. Figurative language does not mean exactly what it says, but instead forces the reader to make an imaginative leap.

Speaker The imaginary voice (often unnamed) assumed by the poet.

Charles Dickens

Hyperbole Exaggeration or overstatement. Examples: I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.

Metaphor A type of figurative language that compares two different things. My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun In corners – till a Day The Owner passed identified - And carried me away. Emily Dickinson

Simile Figurative language that expresses the resemblance of two different things usually introduced by "as" or "like." Example: Blue as the summer sky. 

Personification Personification is a kind of metaphor that specifically states that a non-living object has living or life-like qualities. Examples: Nature smiles down on us. The angry winds blew.

Oxymoron A statement with two parts which seem contradictory. Examples: sad joy, a wise fool, the sound of silence, or Hamlet's saying, "I must be cruel only to be kind"

Tone Tone The author’s attitude, stated or implied, toward a subject. Some possible attitudes are pessimism, optimism, earnestness, seriousness, bitterness, humorous, and joyful. An author’s tone can be revealed through choice of words and details.

Tone (continued) It must be described or identified in order to be analyzed properly; it would be incorrect to simply state, “The author uses tone.” The poem has a bitter and sardonic tone, revealing the speaker’s anger and resentment.

Mood The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting. Mood refers to the general sense or feeling which the reader is supposed to get from the text; it does not, as a literary element, refer to the author’s or characters’ state of mind.

Mood (continued) It must be described or identified in order to be analyzed properly. It would be incorrect to simply state, “The author uses mood.” The mood of Macbeth is dark, murky and mysterious, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty.

Imagery Anything that affects or appeals to the reader’s senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

Emily Dickinson

Epiphany Eureka! A sudden flash of insight. A startling discovery; a dramatic realization.

Allusion A reference in a literary work to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of literature.

Denotation The exact meaning of a word, without the feelings or suggestions that the word may imply. Example: heart: an organ that circulates blood throughout the body. Here the word "heart" denotes the actual organ, while in another context, the word "heart" may connote feelings of love or heartache.

Connotation An association that comes along with a particular word. Connotations relate not to a word's actual meaning, or denotation, but rather to the ideas or qualities that are implied by that word. Example: The denotation of gold is a malleable, ductile, yellow element. The connotations, however, are the ideas associated with gold, such as greed, luxury, or avarice.

Irony Irony is an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant. Three kinds of irony: 1. verbal irony is when an author says one thing and means something else. 2. dramatic irony is when an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not know. 3. irony of situation is a discrepancy between the expected result and actual results.

Prose Spoken or written language as in ordinary usage, distinguished from poetry by its lack of a marked metrical structure

Poetry Verse Prose Form from “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” written by Robert Frost. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. Prose Form The woods look lovely against the setting darkness and as I gaze into the mysterious depths of the forest, I feel like lingering here longer.  However, I have pending appointments to keep and much distance to cover before I settle in for the night or else I will be late for all of them.