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alliteration
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the repetition of the initial cound in two or more words; often the repetition of an initial letter, but not always; most popular figure of speech
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allegory
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a story or narrative that teaches a moral or truth by using people, animals, events, etc. as symbols of that moral or truth
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allusion
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a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication
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anecdote
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a short account of a particular incident or event of an interesting or amusing nature, often biographical
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anagnoresis
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the critical moment of recognition or discovery; precedes peripetia
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antagonist
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a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent, adversary
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aphorism
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a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation, as “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton)
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apostrophe
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a digression in the form of an address to someone not present, or to a personified object or idea, as “O Death, where is thy sting”
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archetype
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the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kinds are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype
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aside
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a part of an actor’s lines supposedly not heard by others on the stage and intended only for the audience
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assonance
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(also called vowel rhyme) rhyme in which the same vowel sounds are used with different consonants in the stressed syllables of the rhyming words as in penitent and reticence
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atmosphere
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the dominant mood or emotional tone of a work of art
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autobiography
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the history of a person's life as told or written by that person
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ballad
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a narrative poem, often of fold origin and intended to be sung, consisting of simple stanzas and usually having a refrain
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biography
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a written account of another person's life
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blank verse
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unrhymed verse, especially the unrhymed iambic pentameter most frequently used in English dramatic, epic, and reflective verse
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round character
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a character in fiction whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated by the author
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flat character
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an easily recognized character type in fiction who may not be fully delineated but is useful in carrying out some narrative purpose of the author
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static character
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a literary character who remains basically unchanged throughout a work
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dynamic character
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(also called developing character) in literature or drama, a character who undergoes a permanent change in outlook or character during the story
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characterization
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representation of a character or characters on the stage or in writing, especially by imitating or describing actions, gestures, or speeches
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climax
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(in a dramatic or literary work) a decisive moment that is of maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot
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cacophony
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the use of harsh or discordant sounds in literary composition, as for poetic effect
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circular novel
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when the plot of a novel begins in the present and goes back in time working back up to the present, making a full circle, such as in Kite Runner
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conceit
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a fanciful poetic image, especially an elaborate or exaggerated comparison; a poem passage containing such an image
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internal conflict
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in literature and drama, a struggle which takes place in the protagonist’s mind and through which the character reaches a new understanding or dynamic change
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external conflict
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in literature, a struggle between the protagonist and another character against nature or some outside force
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connotation
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the associated or secondary meaning of a word or expression in addition to its explicit or primary meaning
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consonance
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repetition of consonant sounds in a short sequence of words, like alliteration, only not restricted to the beginnings of words
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conflict
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opposition between characters or forces in a work of drama or fiction, esp. opposition that motivates or shapes the action of the plot
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couplet
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a pair of verses forming a unit, not necessarily rhyming together
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denotation
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the strict, literal definition of a word
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description
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speaking of the characteristics of something, for example what it looks, sounds, and feels like, to define it in detail
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deveopment
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the dynamic process of improvement, which implies a change, an evolution, growth and advancement, frequently of a theme or character over the course of a literary work
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dialect
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the variation on a language used by speakers in a particular geography area, it can be used to lend realism to a work
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diction
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the art of speaking in such a way that each word is clearly heard, or a poet’s distinctive choices in vocabulary
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drama
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literary work with dialogue written in verse and/or prose and spoken by actors playing characters experiencing conflict and tension
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dramatic irony
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when the audience of a play knows more than the characters within the play, making the plot suspenseful and dramatic
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dramatic poetry
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use of poetry to portray, using discourse between characters, a story or situation
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dramatic monologue
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a type of lyric poem, developed during the Victorian period, in which a character delivers a speech explaining his or her feelings, actions, or motives
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elegy
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a somber poem or song that praises or laments the dead
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epic
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long narrative on a serious subject chronicling heroic deeds and important events
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epiphany
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the moment in a drama when a character discovers his or her true identity, first found in Greek drama
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epitaph
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an inscription on a tomb or a written work praising a dead person; a commemoration, eulogy, or remembrance
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euphony
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flowing and aesthetically pleasing speech
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Existentialism
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a philosophical and literary movement during the 20th century, it is concerned with how there is existence before essence, and its adherents portray the concept of an essential self as illusionary
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essay
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a short, nonfiction composition on a single topic
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exposition
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the part of a story’s plot that introduces the setting and characters and presents the events and situations that it will focus on. It can also be an essay that informs but does not argue
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extended metaphor
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also called a conceit, these are a figure of speech found commonly in metaphysical poetry. An extended metaphor is a metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work
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fable
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story that teaches a lesson or a rule of living; the characters are usually animals that speak and act like humans
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