LIT TERMS #2

circumlocution: a form of writing where the writer uses long and complex sentences in order to convey a meaning that could have been conveyed through a shorter sentence; the use of more words than necessary to express an idea.
ex: "a beautiful flower with a number of thorns along the stem" could just be "a rose" 

classicism: literature or art that reflects the principles of ancient Rome and Greece. 
ex: the works of Dante, Dickens, and Shakespeare

cliche: a common sentence or phrase that has lost originality.
ex: "better late than never" "the apple of my eye"

climax: the highest or most intense point. 
ex: when Biff confronts Willy in Death of a Salesmen

colloquialism: a word or phrase that is not formal; slang.
ex: y'all wanna go to the store.

comedy: a play, movie or literature of light and humorous character. 
ex: That 70's Show (TV show)

conflict: a struggle or situation that causes problems. 
ex: Hamlet's internal conflict (To be or not to be)

connotation: an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal meaning; beyond a dictionary definition.
ex: a dove implies peace, a home implies security

contrast: a rhetorical device by which one element (idea or object) is thrown into opposition to another for the sake of emphasis or clarity.

ex: There lies a bowl of rice, yet I have no appetite to eat it.

denotation: a dictionary definition.
ex: the definition of love is an intense feeling of deep affection

denouement: loose ends tied up in a story after the climax, closure, conclusion.
ex: denouement in Lord of the Flies is when Ralph opens his eyes and sees the naval officer 

dialect: the language of a particular district, class or group of persons; the sounds, grammar, and diction employed by people distinguished from others. 
 ex: ese meaning friend, y'all meaning you guys

dialectics: formal debates usually over the nature of truth. 
 ex: "In the simplest form of Socratic dialectic, the questioner and respondent begin with a proposition or a stock question, such as What is courage? Then, through the process of dialectical interrogation, the questioner attempts to lead the respondent into contradiction. The Greek term for the contradiction that generally signals the end of a round is aporia."

dichotomy: split or break between two opposing things.
ex: good vs bad

diction: the style of speaking or writing as reflected in the choice and use of words. 

ex: Gary Soto's choice of words in Buried Onions, Francisco Jimenez's word choice in The Circuit 

didactic: having to do with the transmission of information; education. 

ex: writing that aims to teach something

dogmatic: rigid in beliefs and principles. 
ex: "All illegal immigrants are criminals."

elegy: a mournful, melancholy poem, especially a fimeral song or lament for the dead, sometimes contains general reflections on death, often with a rural or pastoral setting. 
ex: "If I cried out/who would hear me up there/among the angelic orders?/And suppose one suddenly/took me to his heart/I would shrivel" by Rainer Maria Rilke

epic: a long narrative poem unified by a hero who reflects the customs, mores, and 
aspirations of his nation or race as he makes his way through legendary and historic exploits, usually over a long period of time.
ex: The Odyssey, Beowulf 

epigram: witty aphorism 
ex: "Here lies my wife: here let her lie! Now she's at rest - and so am I." - John Dryden

epitaph: any brief inscription in prose or verse on a tombstone; a short formal poem of commemoration often a credo written by the person who wishes it to be on his 
tombstone. 
ex: "death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity."

epithet: a short, descriptive name or phrase that insults someone's character, characteristics or a person or a thing. 
ex: lovely-haired, and silver-footed for Thetis.

euphemism: the use of an indirect, mild or vague word or expression for one thought to be coarse, offensive, or blunt. 
ex: mentally challenged people meaning stupid people

evocative: a calling forth of memories and sensations; the suggestion or production through artistry and imagination of a sense of reality. 
ex: writing an autobiography