NARRATION- an account of the actions or events in a story. It tells the reader what is happening in the story.

NARRATIVE VERSE- Non-dramatic verse which tells a story. “The Canterbury Tales” is an example. Common in literature up to the twentieth century but now narrative tends more to be used in prose forms and less in poetry.

NARRATOR-- the person who is telling the story.

NEMESIS- retributive justice. Generally a punishment for hubris, such as a fall from grace or death. (tragedy)

NOVEL-- a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length, portraying in a plot a variety of characters, actions or scenes representative of real life.

OBJECTIVE POINT OF VIEW -a third-person point of view in which the narrator does not comment on or interpret any of the characters or their actions. See point of view.

ODE- a long lyric poem, serious in subject, and dignified in style. Often a poem of praise.

OMNISCIENT POINT OF VIEW -third-person narrator who can see into the minds of all the characters and knows their hidden thoughts and emotions. Nothing escapes the narrator’s understanding. See point of view.

ONOMATOPOEIA- the use of words which in their pronunciation suggest their meaning ie. the baby splashed and giggled in the tub.

OXYMORON- a figure of speech consisting of two apparently contradictory terms that express a startling paradox, ie. loving hate; she is terrribly pleased; diet ice cream.

PARABLE- a short allegorical tale, intended to bring out an analogy between the story as told and some general moral truth.

PARADOX-at first glance a statement seems contradictory,or impossible, but on reflection proves true ie.We are a team of individuals; in war, armies fight for peace.

PARALLELISM- a balance of elements of equal importance.

PARAPHRASE- the restatement of an author’s ideas in other words.

PARODY- literature which humorously imitates another piece of literature in its words, style of writing, tone and/or ideas, ie. using 'Twas the Night before Christmas for 'Twas the night before finals/ And all through the college/ The students were praying/ For last minute knowledge.

PASTORAL-concerns country life.

PATHOS-the quality in literature which stimulates pity, tenderness, or sorrow in the reader.

PENTAMETER-a five-foot line.

PERIPHRASIS-flowery language, ie. Your prodigous and faithful attention to the demands of daily drudgery in a dusty classroom have progressed beyond the highest expectations of your lowly instructor's best hopes for your gloriously bright future.

PERSONA-an adopted personality, character or voice of the writer.

PERSONIFICATION- a figure of speech in which an animal, an object, or an idea is described as though it were human. The animal, object, or idea is given human qualities. Like other figures of speech, personification is used by a writer to arouse certain feelings or responses in the reader. See figurative language ie.Let your imagination run wild; B.C. households carry most debt in Canada; The truth hit hard.

PLATITUDE-a flat style, or trite statement uttered as though it were fresh and original.

PLOT-the sequence of events in a story. A plot usually has five sections: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. It may not always appear in chronological order.

POEM- an imaginative work in meter or in free verse, usually employing figurative language.

POET- writer of a poem.

POETRY-a type of literature in which the rhythm, sound, and meaning of language are arranged to create powerful images and feelings.

POETIC DEVICES-alliteration, asssonance, onomatopoeia, repetition, long and short vowel sounds, consonants, consonance etc.

POETIC LICENSE- a privilege or liberty taken by a poet of departing from normal order, diction, rhymne,or pronunciation to produce a desired effect.

POINT OF VIEW -the vantage point from which the narrator tells a story. See first-person and third-person or camera/objective point of view, limited omniscient, and omniscient or "god" point of view.

PROLOGUE-an explanatory poem or speech which provides information that is needed to start a play or introduce a book.

PROPS- a kind of humourous writing in which a writer imitates another, more serious piece of literature.

PROSODY-the study of the mechanics of versification. Includes stanza form,metre, and rhyme.

PROSE- anything that is not poetry, can be fiction or non-fiction.

PROTAGONIST- the leading character in the story.

PUN- a play on words with a similar sound but a different meaning ie. A man who angers his wife is likely to encounter flying saucers; My pony's a little hoarse; Who is Hu?(editorial on the Chinese leader-elect); Math teachers have problems. Types of puns are: Homographic - using a word with multiple meanings - Being in politics is like playing golf - you are trapped in one bad lie after another. Homophonic- using the words with similar sounds - A chicken crossing the road is pure poultry in motion.

QUATRAIN- 4 line stanza -- usually abad or aabb.

REALISM-writing that attempts to protray life as it is, relatively free of idealism and romanticism. Plot is less important than characterization and theme; characters are true-to-life and not necessarily heroic; settings and conflicts are realistic; conflicts arise out of human problems and human nature; the emphasis falls on human values, the human condition and understanding real life situations.

REALISTIC FICTION- a work of fiction in which the characters and events seem like those of real life.

REFRAIN- the repetition of a phrase, a line or a series of lines at the same point in each stanza throughout a poem.

REPETITION- re-use of poetical elements, often refrain. Any of the poetic sound effects may be repeated, ie. Joe laughed; Joe smiled; life has been good to Joe.

RESOLUTION-- the conclusion of the story in which the conflict or conflicts end. See plot.

RHETORIC/RHETORICAL QUESTION - any devices of speech which are particularly meant to move and sway an audience. A question asked not to evoke a reply but to achieve a stronger emphasis than a direct statement would ie. What does heaven look like?/Who do you trust? .