Common Literary Terms

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Allegory

Back

A story or poem where characters, settings, and events stand for abstract ideas or moral qualities.

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Alliteration

Back

Repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together.

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Allusion

Back

Reference to someone or something well-known in culture, literature, or history. Often indirect.

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Analogy

Back

Comparison made between two things to show how they are alike.

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Anaphora

Back

Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses.

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Antagonist

Back

The opponent who struggles against or blocks the protagonist.

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Characterization

Back

The process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

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Conflict

Back

The struggle between opposing forces or characters in a story.

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Connotation

Back

The emotional or cultural associations of a word, beyond its literal meaning.

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Dialect

Back

A way of speaking unique to a region or group.