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WE have discussed parts of speech in English Language. It has become clear that understanding parts of speech leads to the proficiency of the language.
Today’s article presents words mainly used in Literature in English. Remember, different words are used across the curriculum and you can come across them.
Going through a Handbook of Literary terms you find terms like alliteration. What is this? Alliteration is the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in words that are close together in a poem. Argument is a form of persuasion that uses reason to try to lead a reader or listener to think or act in a certain way.
Like all persuasive writing, argument is aimed at winning people to the writer’s point of view, but argument uses only facts and logical reasoning to achieve its purpose. Other persuasive writing may use different methods, including an unashamed appeal to the emotions.
Debating societies use arguments to win points. Good arguments may be found in editorials and magazine articles. Aside are words that are spoken by a character in a play to the audience or to another character but that are not supposed to be overheard by the others on stage.
Assonance is a repetition of similar vowel sounds that are followed by different consonant sounds, especially words that are close together in a poem. The words base and fade and the words young and love are examples of assonance.
Biography is an account of a person’s life, written or told by another person. Today, biographies are written about movie stars, TV personalities, politicians, sports figures. Biographies are among the most popular forms of contemporary literature.
Character is a person in a story, poem or play. Sometimes, as in George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, the characters are animals. In myths, the characters are divinities or heroes who have superhuman powers. Most often, a character is an ordinary human being.
The process of revealing the personality of a character in a story is called characterisation. A writer can reveal a character by: letting us hear the character speak, describing how the character looks and dresses, letting us listen to the character’s inner thoughts and feelings.
Revealing what other characters in the story think or say about the character, showing us what the character does — how he or she acts, telling us directly the character’s personality is like, cruel, kind, sneaky, brave and so on. The few examples of words describing a character’s personality shows that describing a character helps in the development of vocabulary.
Students come up with many words describing characters hence develop their vocabulary for use in various aspects of learning. The first five ways of revealing a character are known as indirect characterisation. When a writer uses indirect characterisation, we have to use our own judgment to decide what a character is like, based on the evidence the writer gives us.
But when a writer uses the sixth method known as direct characterisation, we do not have to decide for ourselves, we are told directly what the character is like. Characters can be classified as static or dynamic. A static character is one who does not change much in the course of the story. By contrast, a dynamic character changes as a result of the story’s events.
Characters can also be classified as flat or round. A flat character has only one or two traits and those can be described in a few words. Such a character has no depth, like a piece of cardboard. A round character, like a real person, has many character traits, which sometimes contradict one another.
The fears or conflicts or needs that drive a character are called motivation. A character can be motivated by many factors, such as vengeance, fear, greed, love, even boredom. Climax is a moment of great emotional intensity or suspense in a plot. The major climax in a story or play usually marks the moment when the conflict is decided one way or the other.
Comedy in general is a story that ends happily. The hero or heroine of a comedy is usually an ordinary character who overcomes a series of obstacles of what he or she wants. Comic relief is a comic scene or event that breaks up a serious play or narrative. Comic relief allows writers to lighten the tone of a work and the humorous side of a dramatic theme.
Conflict is a struggle or clash between opposing characters or opposing forces. In an external conflict, a character struggles against an outside force. The outside force might be another character, or society as a whole, or something in nature.
By contrast an internal conflict takes place entirely within a character’s own mind. An internal conflict is a struggle between opposing needs or desires or emotions within a single person.
Considering elements of literature helps students acquire more vocabulary to use in general writing. For views link with [email protected] or sms to0772113207.
