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allegory
- writing with double meaning
- writing has an extended metaphor where (ex.) characters are represented by a symbol
- teaches a moral lesson
- ex: Frog and scorpion "we're both arabs"
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anachronism
- placing event, person, or item in wrong historical period
- ex: Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
- Brutus: Peace! count the clock...
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antihero
- protagonist is does not have all the traits of the traditional 'Hero'
- might be clumsy or clownish --> at the end become a hero
- ex: House
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antithesis
- opposite meanings of phrases in same sentence
- ex: Evil men fear authority, good men cherish it
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aphorism
- a saying or principle
- ex: Your children need you presence more than your presents
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apostrophe
- addressing someone or something that is not physically present
- ex: adressing the dead, death, or life as if they can understand
- ex: Twinkle twinkle little star
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archetype
- a basic idea of a character, situation, or action that later characters etc. are based on
- ex: Red = symbol of blood, fire, or passion
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aside
- dialogue spoken by a character addresed to the audience and the other characters on stage apparently can't hear him
- ex: Romeo Romeo where art thou Romeo
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bathos
- in attempt to make something passionate and serious it turns out silly or stupid
- ex: "In the United States, Usama bin Laden is wanted for conspiracy, murder, terrorism, and unpaid parking tickets."
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caesura
a pause separating phrases within lines of poetry
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catharsis
a release of emotions which results in a relief from tension or anxiety
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chiasmus
- rearrangement of the words
- said first in one way and then said again switched around
- ex: I lead the life I love, I love the life I lead
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colloquial
- a word or phrase used everyday in releaxed speech
- not street slang but not in formal writing
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conceit
- extended metaphor which compares two dissimilar things
- ex: lovers and a compass
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convention
- common feature which is expected or traditional within a type of genre
- ex: Fairy tales: prince and princes, little problem, then all lived happily ever after
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deus ex machina
- where some super power comes out of nowhere to save the protagonist and cure him of all his problems
- ex: Eragon's scars are magically cured by 'power of dragons' at Blood Oath ceremony
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