Annotated Glossary by Lydia Houle

1. Allegory

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A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.

2. Allusion

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A literary device, that makes a passing reference to a book, play, movie, song, or other work people are likely to be familiar with.

3. Anaphora

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A figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences.

4. Apostrophe

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To direct the reader's attention to something other than the person who's speaking, like an absent person or a third party. They may also focus on an inanimate object, a place, or an abstract idea

5. Antithesis

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A literary device where two contrasting ideas are intentionally placed, usually in a parallel structure, to emphasize their differences and create a striking effect.

6. Diction

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The selection of words an author uses to create a specific impact or tone in their writing.

7. Dramatic irony

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Occurs when the audience knows information that the characters do not, creating tension or humor.

8. Enjambment

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The continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line of poetry to the next without a pause or punctuation mark.

9. Foil

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A character that often has similar experiences to the protagonist, but their values often differ. A foil can be the opposite of the protagonist, the main character in a story, but they do not have to be the antagonist

10. Imagery

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The use of descriptive language that appeals to the five senses to create vivid mental images in the reader's mind.

11. Juxtaposition

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A literary device where two concepts, such as characters, ideas, or objects, are placed side by side to reveal their differences or surprising similarities.

12. Metaphor

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A figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things by stating one is the other, without using words like "like" or "as".

13. Motif

lydiah13536 — 2025-07-31 20:16:09 UTC

A recurring element, such as an image, idea, or symbol, that helps develop a story's central themes.

14. Paradox

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A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel of truth or reason.

15. Personification

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A literary device where non-human things are described as having human qualities or actions.

16. Simile

lydiah13536 — 2025-07-31 20:16:41 UTC

A literary term where you use "like" or "as" to compare two different things and show a common quality between them.

17. Symbolism

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The use of objects, people, or ideas to represent something else, often an abstract concept or idea.

18. Syntax

lydiah13536 — 2025-07-31 20:17:03 UTC

The term used to refer to the arrangement of words, phrases and clauses in a sentence to make them sound and look meaningful.

19. Theme

lydiah13536 — 2025-07-31 20:17:09 UTC

The inferred stance taken on the central topic or message of a story.

20. Tone

lydiah13536 — 2025-07-31 20:17:18 UTC

The author's attitude or feeling towards the subject matter, which is conveyed through their word choices and writing style.