Prose Fiction Vocabulary – Flashcards
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adage
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A saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language.
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allegory
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A story in which the narrative or characters carry an underlying symbolic, metaphorical, or possibly ethical meaning. Usually characters represent values beyond themselves.
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alliteration
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the repetition of one or more initial consonants in a group of words or lines of poetry or prose. Writers use this for emphasis or ornamnent.
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allusion
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A reference to a person, place, or event meant to create an effect or enhance the meaning of an idea.
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ambiguity
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a vagueness of meaning, a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings and interpretations.
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anachronism
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a person, scene, event or other element in literature that fails to correspond with the time or rea in which the work is set.
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analogy
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a comparison that points out similarities between two dissimilar things.
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antagonist
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a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict
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antithesis
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a rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentences.
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aphorism
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a short, pithy statement of a generally accepted truth or sentiment
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Apollonian
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In contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualities of human nature and behavior
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apostrophe
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a locution that addresses a person or personified thing not present
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archetype
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an abstract or ideal conception of a type; a perfectly typical example; an original model or form, see throughout the whole story
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bathos
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the use of insincere or overdone sentimentality
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belle-lettres
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French term for the world of books, criticism, and literature in general
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bibliography
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a list of works cited or otherwise relevant to a subject or other work
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Bildungsroman
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A German word referring to a novel structured as a series of events that take place as the hero travels in quest of a goal
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bombast
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inflated, pretentious language used for trivial subjects
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burlesque
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a work of literature meant to rididcule a subjet, a gross imitation
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cacophony
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grating, inharmonious sounds
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canon
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the works considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied
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caricature
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a grotesque likeness of striking qualities in persons and things
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carpe diem
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sieze the day, enjoy life, a common theme in literature
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catharsis
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a cleansing spirit brought about by the pity and terror of a dramatic tragedy
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classical classicism
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deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture; implies formality, objectivity, simplicity, and restraint
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coming of age story/novel
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A tale in which a young protagonist experiences an experience to adulthood. The character may develop understanding via disillusionment,education, doses of reality, or any other experience that alter his or her emotional or intellectual maturity.
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conceit
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a witty or ingenious thought, a diverting or highly fanciful idea, often stated in figurative language
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connotation
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the suggested or implied meaning of a word or phrase
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denotation
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dictionary definition of a word
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denouement
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the falling action
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deus ex machina
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the use of an artificial device or gimmick to solve a problem
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Dionysian
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the word refers to sensual, pleasure seeking impulses
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dramatic irony
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a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character
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elliptical construction
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a sentence containing a deliberate omission of words
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empathy
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a feeling of association or identification with an object or person
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epigram
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A concise but ingenious, witty, and thoughtful statement
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euphony
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pleasing, harmonious sounds
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epithet
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an adjective or phrase that expresses a striking quality of a person or thing
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eponymous
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a term for the title character of a work of literature
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euphemism
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A mild or less negative usage for a harsh or blunt term
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exegesis
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A detalied analysis or interpretation of a work of literature
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expose
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a piece of writing that reveals weakness, faults, frailties or other shortcomings
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exposition
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rising action
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explication
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the interpretation or analysis of a text
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extended metaphor
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a series of comparisons between two unlike objects
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fantasy
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a story containing unreal, imaginary features
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farce
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a comedy that contains an extravagen and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose
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figure of speech/figurative language
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implies meaning, symbols, etc
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first person narrative
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A narrative told by a character involved in the story using first person pronouns such as I and we
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flashback
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a return to an earlier time in a story or play in order to clarify present action or circumstances.
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frame
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a structure that provides premise or setting for a narrative
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Gothic novel
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a novel in which supernatural horrors and an atmosphere of unknown terrors pervades the action. Frankenstein would be an example
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harangue
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a forceful sermon, lecture, or tirade
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hubris
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the excessive pride that often leads tragic heroes to their death
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humanism
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the belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity
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hyperbole
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overstatement, gross exaggeration for rhetorical effect
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idyll
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a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place
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in media res
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A latin term for a narrative that starts not at the beginning of events but at some other critical point
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indirect quotation
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a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased
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invective
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a direct verbal assault/ a denunciation
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irony
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A state of affairs or events that is reverse of what might have been expected
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lampoon
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A mocking, satirical assault on a person or situation
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litotes
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A form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity.
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loose sentence
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A sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is them followed by one or more subordinate clauses.
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maxim
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A saying or proverb expressing common wisdom or truth
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melodrama
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A literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response
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metonymy
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A figure of speech that uses the name of one thing to represent something else with which it is associated
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Middle English
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The language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 AD
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mock epic
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A parody of traditional epic form. It usually treats a frivolous topic with extreme seriousness, using conventions such as invocations to the Muse, action packed battles scenes, and accounts of heroic exploits.
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mode
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The general form, pattern, and manner of expression of a work of literature
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montage
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a quick succession of images or impressions used to express and idea
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mood
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the emotional tone in a work of literature
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moral
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a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature
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motif
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a phrase, idea, or event that through repetition serves to unify or convey a theme in a work of literature
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muse
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once of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts. The imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer.
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narrative
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a form of verse or prose that tells a story
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naturalism/realism
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a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic
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non sequitur
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a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from that one before
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novella
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short novel
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novel of manners
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a novel focusing on and describing the social customs and habits of a particular social group.
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Old English
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the Anglo-Saxon language spoke in what is now England from approximately 450 to 1150 AD.
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omniscient narrator
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a narrator with unlimited awareness, understanding, and everything else
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onomatopoeia
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the use of words whose sounds sugges their meaning
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oxymoron
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condradictory events juxtaposed to have a paradoxical effect
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parable
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a story consisting of events from which a moral or spiritual truth may be derived
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paradox
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a statement that seems self-contradictory but is nevertheless true
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pastoral
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a work of literature dealing with rural life
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pathetic fallacy
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faulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects
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pathos
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that element in literature that stimulates pity or sorrow
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periodic sentence
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a sentence that departs from the usual word order of English sentences by expressing the main thought in the end.
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persona
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the role or facade that a character assumes or depicts to a reader, a viewer, or the world at large
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personification
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a figure of speech in which objects and animals are given human characteristics
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picaresque novel
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an episodic novel about a roguelike wanderer who lives off his wits
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protagonist
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main person
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pulp fiction
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novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and titillating plots
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rhetoric
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the language of a work and its style, words, often highly emotional, used to convince or sway an audience
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rhetorical stance
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language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a particular subject
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roman a clef
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French for a novel in which historical events and actual people appear under the guise of fiction
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sentiment
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A synonym for view or feeling, also a refined and tender emotion in literature
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sentimental
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a term that describes characters' excessive emotional response to experience; also nauseatingly nostalgic and mawkish
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stream of consciousness
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a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind
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subplot
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a subordinate or minor collection of events in a novel or play, usually connected to the main plot
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subtext
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the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a work of literature
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synecdoche
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a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole
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title character
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a character whose name appears in the title of the novel or play, also known as the eponymous character
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trope
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the generic name for a figure of speech such as image, symbol, similie, and metaphor
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verbal irony
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a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words
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verisimilitude
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similar to the truth, the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is
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wit
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the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene
