English 30 Vocab (Quiz 1)

character foil

a character that is in contrast with the protagonist - the character helps to define the protagonist (Leia/Han Solo)

verisimilitude

when a piece of literature contains a high level of validity (The Martian)

flashback

interrupting what is taking place in the present to tell of something in the past

onomatopoeia

the use of words in which meaning is suggested by sound (boom)

protagonist

the central character in a piece of fiction (Luke Skywalker)

setting

the place, time, or weather in which a story takes place (Shakespeare - setting matters)

theme

the abstract concept explored in a literary work - the big ideas that a piece of literature is about (not everyone is who they say they are - Othello)

assonance

repetition of vowel sounds (the rain in spain)

plot

the organizational logic that most drama and fiction follows (hero's journey - The Hobbit)

cliché

an expression that is used too often that its freshness and clarity are outworn (raining cats and dogs)

round character

a character that is complex and has many aspects to their personality and behaviour (Megamind)

archetype

a model or pattern; image, character, symbol, etc. that is used repeatedly in literature (damsel in distress)

hyperbole

an extravagant exaggeration (so hungry I could eat a horse)

juxtaposition

arrangement of two or more ideas, characters, words, etc. side-by-side or in similar narrative moments for the purpose of comparison, contrast, suspense, etc. (jumbo shrimp)

connotation

the meaning that a word carries beyond its definition (that's sick)

simile

a comparison using like or as (happy as a clam)

consonance

repetition of consonant sounds (peter piper picked a pack of pickled peppers)

cacophony

a harsh discordant mixture of sounds (screaming, screeching, grumbling)

metaphor

a comparison not using like or as (drowning in a sea of grief)

personification

humanizing something that is not human (the sun smiled down on us)

imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language (my head is pounding like a drum)

symbol

an object, person, situation, or action that has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other meanings (dove = freedom/peace) (crow = death)

euphony

pleasant to listen to because of a harmonious combination of words (so long as men can breathe, or eyes can see)

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one (Animal Farm)