Askjagden's Guide to Literature: Rudimentary Literary Terms E-H
Continuing from my past guide which ended at letter D, I hope you enjoy my guide on basic literary terms!
The first term is the epic, which is a long narrative poem on a great and serious subject that is centered on the actions of a heroic figure. The first known epic is called The Epic of Gilgamesh. Have you read Beowulf? That is also an epic. Usually what I think of when I think of the word "epic" is a hero that goes on a journey to defeat a monster or monsters with skill or wits.
The second term is the epic simile. Note that the epic simile is also called the Homeric simile (or extended simile, although this is rarely used), and Homer is the Greek poet and writer who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. Please correct me if I have spelled those two great pieces of writing wrong. An epic simile is the same thing as a simile (a comparison between two things using like or as) except it is extended. You can find a lot of Homeric similes in Homer's pieces.
The third term is the essay, which is a relatively short piece of informative nonfiction writing. Note that essays must be nonfiction, although in personal narrative you can "tweak" your life a little bit in the story (the SAT essay does not count inaccuracies, which can be used to good extent). Expository essays explain or analyze something; narrative essays relate true anecdotes; persuasive essays promote an opinion (not introduce).
The fourth term is the exposition, which is the introduction of the characters, the setting, and/or the situation at the beginning of a story. The exposition is the usual beginning of a plot.
Now moving on to F terms. The fifth term is the fable, which is a short and usually simple tale that demonstrates a moral. If you know a lot of fables, you will notice a lot have animals as characters. Examples of my favorite fables are Aesop's Fables, the Ugly Duckling, and the Three Little Pigs.
The sixth term is the falling action, which is the action that typically comes after the climax, which, if you have studied my first literature guide or have studied literature before, you would know that the climax is the most explosive and suspenseful event in the story. The falling action reveals the result of the climax.
The seventh term is fantasy, which is, basically, as simple as a highly imaginative type of fiction. My favorite fantasy novels or stories include Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Fantasy, as you can see in these examples, are all imaginative. Magic, hobbits, dragons, talking lions, and a wardrobe that leads you to another world are all non-existent. If you believe otherwise, ignore that comment.
The eighth term is farce, which is a type of comedy that incites laughter by placing flat characters in ridiculous situations. Farce is basically a sarcastic comedy. Visit to a Small Planet by Gore Vidal and Japanese plays called Kyogen have farce.
The ninth term is figurative language, which is language used for descriptive effect. Figurative language is not literally true but gives a broader sense beyond that. Examples of figurative language are oxymorons, hyperboles, metaphors, similes, understatements, and personifications.
The tenth term is the flashback, a literary device in which an earlier episode or event is inserted into the chronological sequence of a narrative. Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman has an example of a flashback, as the story shows a protagonist's memory from the past.
The eleventh term is folklore, which is, similarly to a ballad, tradition passed down orally, or through mouth. The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton is an example of a folklore.
The twelvth term is foreshadowing, which is someting that hints at events that might happen. In Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, there is foreshadowing that something may happen that may lead to conflict.
The thirteenth term is the free verse, which is poetry that has no fixed pattern, such as of meter, rhyme, length, or stanza arrangement. Random poetry with stanza but with no pattern is considered poetry.
Now moving on to G terms, or I should say, term. The fourteenth term is genre, which is a category or type of literature characterized by a particular form or style. The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper goes to the genre of fantasy, He-y, Come On Ou-t! by Shinichi Hoshi belongs to the short story genre, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy belongs to the science fiction genre.
Now moving on to H terms. The fifteenth term is the haiku, which is a form of poetry that has three lines and seventeen syllables. The first and third line each have 5 lines, while the second (middle) line has 7 lines. Haiku sounds foreign, doesn't it? That is because it orignated in Japan. A haiku I once developed in a class project is an example I would like to present:
A tornado came,
Decapitating many.
Oh, what a monster!
It was fun to see my teacher's reaction.
The sixteenth term is the hero, which is the main character in a literary work. A hero is typically a protagonist that has admirable qualities. Although hero refers to both males and females, the word heroine can also refer to females.
The seventeenth (and last) term is the hyperbole, which is excessive exaggeration. Hyperbole is a type of figurative language. "I've played this game a zillion times already!" If someone drawled this comment, that would be hyperbole.
Have fun with literature!
