Literary Terms L to J Quiz

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Literary TermsL to J Quiz
L to J Hannah Harris and Jacob Kluch Horizon High
School Paradise Valley Unified School
District Phoenix, Arizona
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31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
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51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80
81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90
91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100






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What is a wise saying or proverb also a short
but memorable saying which holds some important
fact of experience that is considered true by
many people, or that has gained some credibility
through its long useEx There ain't no such
thing as a free lunch.Dont count your
chickens before they hatch.
Adage
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What is a form of extended metaphor in which
objects, persons, and actions in a narrative are
equated with the meanings that lie outside the
narrative itself? It communicates the message by
means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic
representation. Ex "There are obvious layers
of _______ in the movie Avatar. The Pandora
woods is a lot like the Amazon rainforest (the
movie stops in its tracks for a heavy ecological
speech or two), and the attempt to get the Na'vi
to 'cooperate' carries overtones of the U.S.
involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan."
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Allegory
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What is the repetition of initial sounds in
neighboring words?Ex"The soul selects her own
society.Ex A peck of pickled peppers."
Alliteration
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What is a brief reference to a person, event, or
place, that can be real or fictitious, or can be
related to a work of art?Ex Reference to
Shakespeare, the Bible, The Declaration of
Independence, etc.
Allusion
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What is a rhetorical term for all the ways that
an argument, explanation, or description can be
expanded and enriched?("In ___________, writers
repeat something they've just said, while adding
more details and information to the original
description. . . .)Ex "Mr. and Mrs. Veneering
were brand-new people in a brand-new house in a
brand-new quarter of London.
Amplification
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What is a word or phrase made by transposing the
letters?Ex Debit Card Bad CreditSchool
Master The ClassroomElection results Lies
Let's Recount
Anagram
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What is the transposition of normal word order
most often found in Latin in the case of
prepositions and the words they control? Ex
"Intelligent she was not. In fact, she veered in
the opposite direction.
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Anastrophe
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What is a little story, often amusing, inserted
in an essay or speech to help reinforce the
thesis?Side note A(n) ________ is always
presented as based on a real incident involving
actual persons, whether famous or not, usually in
an identifiable place.
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Anecdote
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What is a figure of speech that uses an
opposition or contrast of ideas for effect? (It
usually creates tension)Ex "When there is need
of silence, you speak, and when there is need of
speech, you are dumb when you are present, you
wish to be absent, and when absent, you desire to
be present in peace you are for war, and in war
you long for peace in council you descant on
bravery, and in the battle you tremble."
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Antithesis
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What is a figure of speech in which the speaker
expresses real or simulated doubt or
perplexity?This rhetorical ploy can make the
audience sympathetic towards the speaker or his
dilemma.Ex "I don't think it's proving
anything, Doc. As a matter of fact, I don't even
know what it means. It's just one of those things
that gets in my head and keeps rolling around in
there like a marble."
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Aporia
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What is an universal symbol, story pattern,
theme, or character that appears often in
literature, film, and art and is easily
recognizable? Ex The HeroA larger-than-life
character that often goes on some kind of journey
or quest. In the course of his journey, the hero
demonstrates the qualities and abilities valued
by his culture-King Arthur, Odysseus, Luke
Skywalker, Frodo
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Archetype
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What is an actors speech, directed to the
audience, not to be heard by others in the
story?Ex Fight Club, and Ferris Bueller's Day
Off use this technique throughout.
Aside
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What is the repetition of vowel sounds?
(Different than the repetition of consonant
sounds as in consonance)Ex "Flash with a
rash gimme my cash flickin' my ashRunnin with my
money, son, go out with a blast."(Busta Rhymes,
"Gimme Some More")
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Assonance
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What is a stylistic scheme in which conjunctions
are deliberately omitted from a series of related
causes?Ex Are veni, vidi, vici and its English
translation "I came, I saw, I conquered." Its use
can have the effect of speeding up the rhythm of
a passage and making a single idea more
memorable.
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Asyndeton
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What is a prediction based on a Bible Verse or
literary passage chosen at random?Ex "What the
Vedas were to the Hindus, Homer to the Greeks,
and Ovid and Virgil to the Romans, the Old
Testament was to the Jews, the Old and New
Testaments to the Christians, and the Koran.
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Bibliomancy
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What is the term in poetry referring to the use
of words that combine sharp, harsh, hissing, or
unmelodious sounds? (It is the opposite of
euphony)Ex "She sells sea shells by the sea
shore."
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Cacophony
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What is a natural pause or break in poetry,
reading, or music?In musical notation, _______
denotes a brief, silent pause, during which
metrical time is not counted.
Caesura
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What is a method used by a writer to develop a
character?There can be indirect or direct
__________.Examples(Direct) The author
literally tells the audience what a character is
like. This may be done via the narrator, another
character or by the character him- or
herself.(Indirect) The audience must induce for
themselves what the character is like through the
characters thoughts, actions, speech (choice of
words, way of talking), looks and interaction
with other characters, including other
characters reactions to that
particular person.
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Characterization
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In rhetoric, a verbal pattern (a type of
antithesis) in which the second half of an
expression is balanced against the first with the
parts reversed. What is this called?Ex "In the
end, the true test is not the speeches a
president delivers its whether the president
delivers on the speeches."
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Chiasmus
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What is placing events in a story by order of
how they happened?Side Note You can also have
Reverse __________ which is a method of
story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in
reverse order.
Chronology
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What is the use of a long phrasing in place of a
possible shorter form of expression a roundabout
or indirect manner of writing or speaking?Think
inflammatory language.Ex Body of liquid
Hydrogen bonding molecules mixed with Oxygen in a
blue state of liquid above 32 degrees.
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Circumlocution
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What is an overused expression that has lost its
freshness, force, and appeal? Ex Happy as a
lark."I'm high on life!"
Cliché
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What is the point in the story that generates the
most interest the most exciting part of a story,
drama, play, etc? The turning point in a
literary work.
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Climax
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What is a word or phrase that is common in
everyday, unconstrained conversation rather than
in formal speech, academic writing, or
paralinguistics?These are sometimes referred to
collectively as "youknowhatitis language"
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Colloquialism
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What is the struggle found in fiction?It is a
concept in literary studies that seeks to analyze
plots by finding their driving sources of
_______.Ex Man v. Man, Man v. SelfMan v.
Nature, Man v. Society
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Conflict
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What is the emotional implications and
associations that a word may carry, in contrast
to its denotative meanings?An implied meaning
of a word. Think urbandictionary.comYo, that
is sick!
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Connotation
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What is the literal meaning of a word, the
dictionary meaning?Side Note You know a phrase
I never understood? King size. It's used to
denote something larger, but most of the kings
you see are short. You ever notice that? Usually
a king is a short little fat guy.
Denotation
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What is an authors word choice?In its
original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's
or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices
and style of expression in a poem or story.
Diction
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What is moving away from the main plot or theme
by preventing additional information that may or
may not be relevant?Laurence Sterne famously
used the digression throughout his work Tristram
Shandy (1759) to produce a startling
unconventional narrative form the story begins
with a description of the title characters
conception, but the event of his birth is delayed
for some 200 pages of asides and anecdotes.
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Digression
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What is the double of a living person, typically
representing evil or misfortune? The word has
come to refer to any double or look-alike of a
person.Ex Venom is the _____________ of
SpidermanEx Bizzaro is the _____________ of
SupermanEx Incredible HulkEx Fight Club
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Doppelganger
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What is an occasion in a play, film, or other
work in which a character's words or actions
convey a meaning unperceived by the character but
understood by the audience? In There's Something
About Mary (1998), Ted thinks he's been arrested
for picking up a hitchhiker while the audience
knows he's being questioned by police about a
murder. His otherwise innocent lines, such as
I've done it several times before and It's no
big deal, generate laughter from the audience.
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Dramatic Irony
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What is a speech that expresses a characters
feelings and gives the audience insight into the
characters feelings?Also linked with
soliloquies such as in Macbeth, when Lady Macbeth
reads a letter to herself and then speaks her
thoughts as though she is thinking.
Dramatic Monologue
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What is a mournful, melancholy poem like a
funeral song or a lament for the dead?Ex "Here
Captain! dear father!/This arm beneath your
head/It is some dream that on deck,/You've
fallen cold and dead."-"O Captain! My Captain!"
by Walt Whitman.
Elegy Not to be confused with eulogy.
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What is a short poem or speech spoken directly to
the audience following the conclusion of a
play?Ex In films, the final scenes may feature
a montage of images or clips with a short
explanation of what happens to the characters.
American Graffiti, National Lampoon's Animal
House, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Four
Weddings and a Funeral, and Changeling are
examples of such films.
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Epilogue
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What is a short descriptive phrase that points
out traits associated with a certain person or
thing?In contemporary usage, it often carries a
negative connotation and is treated as a synonym
for "term of abuseEx Alfred the Great,
William the Conqueror, Ivan the Terrible, Mr.
Kluch the Awesomest, Ms. Harris the Horrible.
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Epithet
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What is a deliberately misleading statement that
is only half true?Side Note Is classified as
both a formal and informal logical fallacy.Ex
Everything that runs has feet. The river runs.
Therefore the river has feet.
Equivocation
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What is the substitution of an agreeable or less
offensive expression?The substitution of an
inoffensive term (such as "passed away") for one
considered offensively explicit ("died").Dr.
House Who were you going to kill in Bolivia? My
old housekeeper?Dr. Terzi We don't kill
anyone.Dr. House I'm sorry--who were you
going to marginalize?
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Euphemism
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What is the agreeableness of sound, pleasing
effect to the ear, especially a pleasant sounding
or harmonious combination or succession of
words?Ex The majestic ______ of Milton's
poetry. Think sound tracks, Rudi, Harry Potter,
etc.
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Euphony
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What is the part of a literary piece that
provides the background information necessary to
understand characters and their
actions?Sometimes movies will show a scene
before providing the title and opening credits.
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Exposition
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What is a fictional story with animals? (Also
myths and a narrative meant to teach a moral
lesson)Ex The Lion and the Mouse.The Rabbit
and the Turtle
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Fable
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What is the series of events that take place
after the climax?
Falling Action
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What is a type of exaggerated comedy that
features an absurd plot, ridiculous situations,
and humorous dialogue?Think comedies like Three
Stooges and The Hangover.
Farce
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What is the form of any narrative that deals, in
part or in whole, with information or events that
are not factual, but rather, imaginarythat is,
invented by the author?
Fiction
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What is symbolic language that literary devices
use to create special effects of feelings this
symbolic language makes comparisons, exaggerates
and means different things based on its context?
Figurative Language
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What are literary devices used to create special
effects or feelings by making comparisons or
exaggerations?A word or words diverging from
its usual meaning.
Figures of Speech
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Who is a character who serves as a contrast to
another perhaps more primary character, so as to
point our specific traits of the primary
character?Ex Sherlock Holmes, is tall and lean
his right-hand man Doctor Watson, meanwhile, is
often described as middle-sized, strongly built.
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Foil
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What is an action that interrupts to show an
event that happened at an earlier time?Ex One
of the most famous examples of non-chronological
flashback is in the Orson Welles' film Citizen
Kane (1941).
Flashback
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What is the basic metrical unit that generates a
line of verse?
Foot
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What is the method used to build suspense by
providing hints for what is to come?
Foreshadowing
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What is separation of words that belong together,
often to emphasize the first of the separated
words or to create a certain image?Ex "Object
there was none. Passion there was none. I loved
the old man."(Edgar Allan Poe, "The Tell-Tale
Heart")
Hyperbaton
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What is a figure of speech (a form of irony) in
which exaggeration is used for emphasis or
effect an extravagant statement?I had to walk
15 miles to school in the snow, uphill.
Hyperbole
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What is vivid descriptive language that appeals
to one or more of the senses (sight, hearing,
touch, smell, and taste)?
Imagery
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What is a judgment based on reasoning rather than
on direct or explicit statements?Ex Just
because the famous actor was seen in the jewelry
store, all the tabloids reported that hes going
to ask his singer girlfriend to marry him.
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Inference
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What is a rhyme within a line?Ex Try the song
"Ricky Ticky Tock" by Eminem. The line "Anybody
I throw flames at gets a name it's a game."ame"
is repeated in the middle of the line, as well as
the end
Internal Rhyme
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What is the use of words to convey the opposite
of their literal meaning a statement or
situation where the meaning is contradicted by
the appearance or presentation of the idea?
Irony
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What is the placement of two unlike things
(usually abstract concepts, though it can refer
to physical objects) near each other?Ex
Lost-BLACK/WHITEBernard uses black rocks (on the
white sand) in order to build his sign.
("S.O.S.")
Juxtaposition
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Using figurative language instead of concrete
single-word nouns is____?Ex raven swan of
bloodthe sun sky-candlewind breaker of trees
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Kennings
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What is a rhetorical effect when an idea is
expressed by a denial of its opposite,
principally via double negatives? For example,
rather than saying that something is attractive
(or even very attractive), one might merely say
it is "not unattractive."
Litotes
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What is substituting a word for another word
closely associated with it?Ex "crown" for
"royalty"
Metonymy
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What is an act or habit of misusing words
ridiculously, especially by the confusion of
words that are similar in sound?Ex promise
to forget this fellow - to illiterate him from
your memory. Correct word obliterate
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Malapropism
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What is a form of autobiographical writing in
which a person recalls significant events in his
or her life?
Memoir
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What is a literary figure of speech that refers
to one thing as something else, especially when
comparing two things?Ex The goalkeeper was a
rock
Metaphor
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What is the emotional attitude the author takes
toward his/her subject?Ex "Ask not what your
country can do for you. Ask what you can do for
your country."
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Mood
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What is a recurrent thematic element in an
artistic or literary work? (A dominant theme or
central idea)
Motif
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What is the opening of the story that grabs the
readers attention?Ex It was a bright cold
day in April, and the clocks were striking
thirteen (1984, by George Orwell).
Narrative Hook
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What is it when a character rejects the strict
sets of rules that the world has defined as a
way to live life?
Negative Capability
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What is the principle of retributive justice by
which good characters are rewarded and bad
characters are appropriately punished? Or what is
a fancy name for enemies?Ex The crew of
Oceans 11 and Terry Benedict
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Nemesis
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What is a figure of speech that combines
contradictory terms?Ex open secret, clearly
confused, act naturally, Hell's Angels, deafening
silence, seriously funny, jumbo shrimp, unbiased
opinion, virtual reality, same difference
Oxymoron
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What is a word that imitates the sound it
represents?Ex "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what
a relief it is."(slogan of Alka Seltzer, U.S.)
Onomatopoeia
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Giving human qualities to inanimate objects in a
broad and allusive way is what?Ex "The stars
will awaken / Though the moon sleep a full hour
later"Percy Bysshe Shelley
Pathetic Fallacy
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What is a brief story meant to teach a
lesson?Ex The Boy Who Called Wolf
Parable
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It reveals a kind of truth, which at first seems
contradictory two opposing ideas. It is a
____?Ex How can Bumblebees fly?
Paradox
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What is a figure of speech in which the latter
part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or
unexpected in a way that causes the reader or
listener to reframe or reinterpret the first
part? It is frequently used for humorous or
dramatic effect."If I could just say a few
words... I'd be a better public speaker." Homer
Simpson
Paraprosdokian
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What is adding in words to extend your
message?In rhetoric, its a roundabout
description of something.Ex "The Denver Post
elongated 'mustache' into 'under-nose hair
crops.'
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Periphrasis
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What is the voice through which the author
speaks?
Persona Narrator
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What is giving human qualities to animals or
objects in a direct and detailed way?
Personification
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What is an introduction or preface, especially a
poem recited to introduce a play or story
called?Ex "A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away...."
Prologue
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Who is the hero or central character of a
literary work?Ex Captain Jack Sparrow, Harry
Potter, etc. (thousands more)
Protagonist
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What is a sacred song or rhyme?(Think religious
books)
Psalm
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What is a false name or alias used by a writer?
(Can even be a character in a story)Woody
Allen Allen Stewart Konigsberg Actor /
directorJennifer Aniston Jennifer
Anistonapoulos / ActressMel Brooks Melvin
Kaminsky Actor / DirectorSnoop Doggy Dogg
Calvin Broadus / Singer
Pseudonym
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What are words that mean more than two
things?Also called paronomasia, is a form of
word play which suggests two or more meanings, by
exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of
similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous
or rhetorical effect.Ex Last week I was
diagnosed with insomnia, and now I'm just so
tired of it.
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Pun
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What is the recurrence of words, phrases, or
lines?
Repetition
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What is a question to which no answer is expected
because the answer is obvious?Ex Is U of A
better than ASU? Duh.. Of course, this question
did not need to be asked. It is considered to be
_________.
Rhetorical Question
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What is the similarity between the syllable
sounds at the end of two or more lines?(Think
basic) Busta ____
Rhyme
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What is the appearance of truth within
writing?This word is a semblance of truth
likelihood probability, real.
Verisimilitude
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What is a text or performance that uses irony,
derision, or wit to expose or attack human vice,
foolishness, or stupidity? (Can use irony,
parody, sarcasm)Ex All Austin Powers
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Satire
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What is the time and place in literature?
Setting
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What is the comparison of two unlike things using
LIKE or AS?Ex "Life is like an onion You peel
it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you
weep."
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Simile
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A form of poetry that has 14 lines and follows a
strict rhyme scheme and specific structure,
typically uses iambic pentameter.
Sonnet
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What is the shuffling of the first letters of
words to make different words, and therefore
change the actual meaning of the sentence, or
else produce a humorous, non-sensual sound?Ex
fighting a liar lighting a fire you hissed my
mystery lecture you missed my history lecture
cattle ships and bruisers battle ships and
cruisers
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Spoonerism
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What is an unified group of lines in
poetry?(Think Basic)
Stanza
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What is a person, place, or object that has a
concrete meaning in itself and also stands for
something beyond itself, such as an idea or
feeling?Ex Colors (Red, Black, White, Yellow,
Etc.)
Symbol
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What is a device in literature where an object
represents an idea?
Symbolism
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What is understanding one thing with another the
use of a part for the whole, or the whole for the
part?Referring to people according to a single
characteristic "the gray beard" representing an
older man or "the long hair" representing a
hippie. Describing a complete vehicle as
"wheels"Calling workers "hands", e.g. Many hands
make light work All hands on deck!
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Synecdoche
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What is the way in which linguistic elements are
put together to form phrases or clauses? (word
order matters)Ex The young man carries the
lady. vs. The lady carries the young man.
Syntax
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What is the attitude a writer takes towards a
subject or character?Ex serious, humorous,
sarcastic, ironic, satirical, tongue-in-cheek,
solemn, and objective
Theme
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What is a written record or words originally
spoken aloud? (Meant to be passed on)
Transcript
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What is a statement that lessens or minimizes the
importance of what is meant? (Underscores the
situation)
Understatement
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