Lit Terms #6

simile: a figure of speech comparing two essentially unlike things through the use of a specific word of comparison

soliloquy: an extended speech, usually in a drama, delivered by a character alone on stage

spiritual: a folk song, usually on a religious theme

speaker: a narrator, the one speaking

stereotype: cliche' a simplified, standardized conception with a special meaning and appeal for members of a group; a formula story

stream of consciousness: the style of writing that attempts to imitate the natural flow of a character's thoughts, feelings, reflections, memories, and mental images, as the character experiences them

structure: the planned frame work of a literary selection; its apparent organization

style: the manner of putting thoughts into words; a characteristic way of writing or speaking

subordinate: the couching of less important ideas in less important structures of language

surrealism: a style in literature and painting that stresses the subconscious or the nonrational aspects of man's existence characterized by the juxtaposition of the bizarre and the banal

suspension of disbelief: suspended not believing in order to enjoy it

symbol: something which stands for something else, yet has a meaning of its own

synesthesia: the use of one sense to convey the experience of another sense

synecdoche: another form of name changing, in which a part stands for the whole

syntax: the arrangement and grammatical relations of words in a sentence

theme: the main idea of the story; its message(s)

thesis: a proposition for consideration, especially one to be discussed and proved or disproved; the main idea

tone: the devices used to create the mood and atmosphere of a literary work; the author's perceived point of view

tongue in cheek: a type of humor in which the speaker feigns seriousness; aka "dry" or "dead pan"

tragedy: in literature: any composition with a somber theme carried to a disastrous conclusion; a fatal event; protagonist usually is heroic but tragically (fatally) flawed

understatement: epposite of hyperbole; saying less than you mean for emphasis

vernacular: everyday speech

voice: the textual features, such as diction and sentence structures, that convey a writer's or speaker's persona

zeitgeist: the feeling of a particular era in history