Lit Terms #4

interior monologue: a form of stream-of-consciousness writing that represents the inner thoughts of a character
-The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe.

inversion: reversal of the usual or natural order of words; anastrophe
-"United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do." -JFK

juxtaposition: an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast
-The room was filled with a deafening silence.

lyric:having the form and musical quality of a song, and especially the character of a songlike outpouring of the poet's own thoughts and feelings, as distinguished from epic and dramatic poetry
-Lyric written in 1830 by Alexander Pushkin.

magic(al) realism: a style of painting and literature in which fantastic or imaginary and often unsettling images or events are depicted in a sharply detailed, realistic manner
-Beloved by Toni Morrison.

metaphor (extended, controlling, & mixed): see below

extended metaphor: a metaphor introduced and then further developed throughout all or part of a literary work, especially a poem
-The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

controlling metaphor: a symbolic story in which the real meaning is not directly put across the whole poem or may be a metaphor for something else
-Winsome.

mixed metaphor: the use in the same expression of two or more metaphors that are incongruous or illogical when combined
-“The president will put the ship of state on its feet.”

metonymy: a figure of speech that consists of the use of the name of one object or concept for that of another to which it is related, or of which it is a part
-"the bottle" for "strong drink".

modernism: modern character, tendencies, or values; adherence to or sympathy with what is modern
-Theology.

monologue: a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker
-Usually when auditioning for a play you have to memorize a monologue.

mood: a prevailing emotional tone or general attitude
-The books mood was rather gloomy.

motif: a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work
-Mrs. Byrne stressed to us sophomore year to use motifs in our essays.

myth: a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature
-We discussed some Greek myths in English class freshman year.

narrative: a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious
-We seemed to right a lot of narratives in elementary school.
 
narrator: a person who gives an account or tells the story of events, experiences, etc
-I was cast as the narrator in the elementary school play.

naturalism: a manner or technique of treating subject matter that presents, through volume of detail, a deterministic view of human life and actions
-Emile Zola was one of the creators of the naturalist movement.

novelette/novella: a brief novel or long short story
-Animal Farm by George Orwell

omniscient point of view: the reader is all seeing and all knowing
-The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

onomatopoeia: the formation of a word, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent
-Boom.

oxymoron: a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect
-Jumbo shrimp.

 pacing: a rate of activity, progress, growth, performance, etc
-tempo.

 parable: a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson
-The Lost Coin.

 paradox: a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth
-"I always lie."