BC English 12 Provincial Exam Fiction/Nonfiction Terms

Definition

Term

A literary work's rapid departure from what would be considered normal life; often requires a sustained suspension of disbelief

A quick reference to a well known cultural or literary work

A story which engenders curiosity and suspense due to concealed facts

A likeness or comparison between two things that have similar features

An intensive analysis of something, usually done in an effort to then use it as a baseline in comparison to something else

Informal evidence based on eyewitness acounts, instead of scientific proof

An expectant uncertainty concerning the outcome of the plot

Words or phrases that were once commonly used, but are not now, due to the evolution of language

The putting together of two or more unlikely things

A short theatrical spoken passage that expresses a speaker's intimate thoughts; usually directed at the audience and assumed to be unheard on the stage

An account of one's own life, generally written as a continuous narrative of major life events

A person's need to hold on to a particular viewpoint, despite being aware of other, equally valid, opinions

The portrayal of a character who's features or personality is exagerated for comic effect

Term used to describe the resolution of plot effect in Ancient Greek drama and liturature; not necessarily bad

The person(s) or force(s) opposing the protagonist

The idea that an event is the reason behind the occurance of a later related event

General name for a narrative agent in a story, but can also refer to a person's overall personality and sense of morality

The way in which a character's personality or portrayal is shown by the author

A character who contrasts with another character (often the protagonist) in order to highlight particular qualities/traits of the main character

An expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect

A poem consisting of a single character's words that reveal his/her own thoughts, nature, or dramatic situation

A way of organizing the plot to ensure that vital information is kept from the characters and/or the audience until the last minute, which then makes the climax have more of an impact

A word or phrase used in normal or informal language and settings, but not in more formal ones

Overall language used in ordinary or informal settings, designed to put the speaker and listener on an equal verbal footing

A comic element put into a tragic or serious work in order to provide some momentary light relief

The deliberate downplaying of something to make it seem less than it really is

The final events following the major climax of the plot; French for 'unknotting'

The 'type' of person a work is written for, or a more general group of people who experience a work together

Generally a literary work that compares the similarities and differences of something

Agreeable sounds as well as word combinations that are pleasing to the ear and mind

Relating the similarities of 2 different things; also the degree to which something's value relates to something else

Intellectually amusing phrases designed to delight and surprise

The implications or suggestions that people associate with a particular word

Identifying the differences between 2 things

The thing or situation to which a word refers, a definition, or literal meaning

Gives details, facts, or figures for the specified topic; supporting evidence should be provable and measurable

The words spoken by characters to each other in a narrative or a play

Extended narrative that carries a second meaning in addition to the main meaning/story

A person's private, everyday autobiographical writings

The point of highest tension in the story; also where the crisis is generally resolved

Any play which invokes laughter through the use of 'low' or physical comedy, clowning around, etc...

The choice between 2 unpleasent outcomes; often involves a character's moral or ethical issues

An effect which works against the climax, often using a quick descent from something lofty or noble to something much more common

When a character's traits, motivations, etc... are actually described by the author

A work designed to be represented on the stage by actors; term restricted to serious plays only

Expression in which the subject of the sentense carries out the action directly

Used to describe a situation when a character in a play speaks lines that have a double meaning to the audience, but not to the characters on stage

A passionately delivered speech done to engender feelings of sympathy or empathy in audience

The ending of a speech, fable, or play, in which the moral is identified

Debating method where an argument is given and explained through deliberate interactions between characters

The choice and arrangement of words in a literary work

Informal words that take the place of more formal language

A sudden understanding or realization about something; often shown as a lightbulb appearing over someone's head

Essay form in which the point of view or assertion is presented in an attempt to prove a position or to convince the reader of something

To use a replacement word or phrase to describe something either unpleasent, or that would not fit into the present conversation

An account of a person's life, generally written as a continuous narrative of major life events by someone else

The mood or emotion conveyed by a setting; can also relate to the ways in which the author uses words to describe a scene

The evidence given by someone who has recognized expertise in a particular area, such that his or her opinion can be relied upon during legal proceedings

The beginning of a short story or play in which the audience is given much needed background information

Conflict that originates outside the protagonist(s)

Something that stands in opposition, but not necessarily in conflict, with something else - often meant in terms of character

Where and when a story takes place

A brief story which illustrates a moral truth

Story as told by the narrator

A 'type' of literature

Language which uses figures of speech to compare dissimilar objects; often uses similes and metaphors, etc...

Narrative told from the point of view of 'I'

The use of a literary work to explain some moral, political, religious, etc... teachings or beliefs

An inserted scene which gives information about events which happened at an earlier time

A non-serious literary or dramatic work, which commonly is assumed to have a happy ending

When the reader learns about a character through his/her actions, or the explanations of these actions by other characters

Events or character experiences that can be seen to hint as to what will happen later on

When a metaphor is continued into the sentences beyond in order to continue the analogy

Language used without slang, colloquiallisms, or informal language in order to reflect the seriousness of the subjec matter

Text that is seperate from the main body of a literary work; often another colour, font, size, etc...

A character with admirable traits such as courage, idealism, fortitude; also can be a generic term for the protagonist

When a reference is made in a literary work to an actual event that occured in the past - an event that the audience will recognize and draw conclusions from; only works if the audience knows what is being referred

Plot conclusion that was not forseen by the reader/audience

An essay that must prove a position and attempt to convince the audience of the position; combines logic and emotion to spur the audience to some form of action

When emphasis is achieved through deliberate exaggeration

The actual wording of this in a formal literary work such as an essay

An expression, word, or phrase that has figurative as well as literal meaning

Any character who has few traits, or whose personality is based on a single trait or quality

Essay that uses informal, everyday language and conventions

Language not designed for serious topics of discussion

A newspaper article that expresses someone's opinion on something; written either by the paper's editor, or as a letter sent to him/her by a reader in response to something

When a character in a play is thinking to him/herself, although of course he/she must actually speak out loud, so the audience can hear it

Person vs self; when a character wrestles with hard choices from within

A device in which the writer expresses a meaning that is different frm the meaning of words; usually comes across as humorous or sarcastic

Essay in which the author asserts an opinion without having to prove a verifiable point

Character whose traits do not change throughout the story

Specific words or language used by a certain group, usually technical or professional

A well-known story which has basis in fact but may contain imaginary material

The straight man in a comedy double act, whose job it is to endure the laughter of the other person

POV in which the narrator gives the reader an idea about his/her inner thoughts and self, but cannot do so for others - the reader is left to discover them through their words and actions

Originally menat as a synonym for opera, but now means anything that is deliberately overacted in a dramatic fashion

A serious work of literature, suing formal language and essay structure

The arrangement of equally important ideas, presented in a similar way, which then indicates their equal importance

An extended speech delivered by one person

Character whose traits/motivations change over the course of the plot - the character learns something from his/her experience

The feeling or atmosphere presented in a literary work

A visual picture, described in words

Things listed in order of time

A supposedly historical anonymous tale, the origins of which are unknown

Person telling a story

A story in which a character's actions are not commented on tonally by the author

The plot climax wrapping up of plot points

A differing form of language spoken in a particular geographical area or by members of a particular group; different from an accent in that it is the actual vocabulary of the speakers that is changed, rather than how the words are spoken

A 'story within a story', in which both are of equal interest to the audience

When an author presents his or her characters in an impersonal non-committal fashion without offering any judgement on them or their actions

A figure of speech that presents two apparently contradictry terms in a paradoxial way

An apparently contradictory statement which does actually contain truth that reconciles the seeming opposites

The use of images in literature to add meaning

To ridicule a specific type of literature by recreating its style in a comic manner

Explaining the topic; using a combination of fact and opinion to support the thesis

Literature that deliberately seeks to evoke sympaty, pity, tenderness, etc... from its audience

The particular 'voice' an author uses in a work, which may indicate his/her attitude towards the subject matter

A single feature who gives the prologue, epilogue, and sometimes introduces the scenes in plays

The opposition of 2 forces or characters

Term used to describe method used to attempt to change someone's opinion

What happens in a story

The particular perspective a story is told from

Technique that compares and contrasts an idea's good and bad points

'blurb' at the beginning of a play that gives a brief overview of the plot, theme, or action

Literature devised and distributed in order to put forward a persuasive argument; can also b used to dissuade people from doing something

An ironic verbal device, in which what is said is actually opposite of what is meant, or involves a mildly insulting play on words

The main character in a story

A short saying, often one that has a lesson behind it

Words or phrases that are to be understood exactly as they are, with no interpretative or figurative meanings involved

A play on words involving: the use of a word with two meanings, the similarity of two words that are spelled differently but sound the same, two words that look the same but have different meanings

The reason why something happens

The events following the climax of a play or story; also known as falling action

A question asked, not to seek an answer, but for dramatic effect

The sequence of plot events that leads to the climax

A character who displays many traits

Writing in which the expression of personal feeling or experience is most important

An extended speech in which a single onstage character expresses thoughts aloud so the audience can hear

The person doing the talking

A story told by a narrator

To look stuff up

POV in which the Narrator, 'God like', knows everything about everyting

Term that describes the inner experience and feelings through the mind of a character; can also refer to a type of writing done without pause or editing

Evidence based on scientific numerical proof

A set of assumptions about someone or a group of people; often with little basis in fact or reality

A recognizable version of the above, by a particular writer or group of writers

The type of drama being presented - tragedy, comedy, farce, etc...

Expression in which the subject of the sentence carries out the action indirectly

The particular way in which a writer carries on in terms of word choice, sentence structure, rhythms, use of language, etc...

The overall use of symbols in a narrative

Something that represents both itself and something else

The character or 'mask' taken on by the speaker or narrator in a poem or work of fiction

An ending in which the outcome of the plot is not immediately clear

The central idea, thesis, or subject of a work, stated directly or indirectly; different from moral, which is the esson that can be extracted from a work

The stated main arument or point that a work is written around, or that the author is trying to make

POV in which the action is described by an external narrator, who may or may not have much insight into the thoughts and motives of the characters

The ridiculing of any subject in order to demeen it and make it laughable

Generally, a plot in which unfortunate events take place, especiallly the death(s) of many of the main character(s)

Character who is representative of a general class of people and displays the 'usual' assumed traits associated with them

A secondary plot sequence and/or its particular point of delivery