Glossary
Archetype
A recurring character type, symbol, or motif that represents universal patterns of human nature or experience across different cultures and stories.
Example:
Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings embodies the 'wise old mentor' archetype, guiding the hero with wisdom and magical aid.
Character Motives
The underlying reasons, desires, or impulses that drive a character's actions, choices, and speech within a narrative.
Example:
Hamlet's character motives are complex, shifting between a desire for revenge for his father's murder and a profound contemplation of life and death.
Commentary (in literary argument)
The explanation and analysis provided in a literary essay that connects textual evidence to the thesis, elaborating on how the evidence supports the main argument.
Example:
After quoting a character's dialogue, the commentary would explain how those specific words reveal the character's hidden motives or contribute to the story's theme.
Evidence (in literary argument)
Specific textual details, such as direct quotes, paraphrases, or specific plot points, used to support and validate claims made in a literary analysis.
Example:
To support an argument about a character's fear, one might use evidence like their trembling hands, whispered words, or repeated attempts to avoid a confrontation.
Flashback
A literary device that interrupts the chronological sequence of a narrative to present an event or scene that occurred at an earlier time.
Example:
In The Secret Life of Bees, Lily often experiences a flashback to the day her mother died, revealing crucial details about her past and shaping her present actions.
Foil
A character who serves as a contrast to another character, typically the protagonist, to emphasize specific qualities or traits of that other character.
Example:
In Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy acts as a foil to Harry, highlighting Harry's humility and moral compass through Draco's arrogance and prejudice.
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues provided by the author about future events or outcomes in the story, building suspense or preparing the reader for later developments.
Example:
The ominous storm clouds gathering at the beginning of a horror novel serve as foreshadowing for the terrifying events that are about to unfold.
In Media Res
A narrative technique where the story begins in the middle of the action, rather than at the beginning, often with little or no exposition.
Example:
Many epic poems, like Homer's The Odyssey, start in media res, plunging the audience directly into the hero's journey without prior setup.
Literary Argument (in broader context)
An analytical essay that interprets a literary work by connecting it to larger literary trends, historical periods, or other texts to deepen understanding.
Example:
A strong literary argument might analyze 1984 not just as a dystopian novel, but within the broader context of Cold War anxieties and totalitarian regimes.
Metaphor (as applied to characters)
A character who is implicitly compared to something else, representing a quality or idea without using 'like' or 'as'.
Example:
The character of Miss Havisham in Great Expectations is a metaphor for decay and stagnant bitterness, forever trapped in her wedding dress and ruined mansion.
Narrator's Bias
A particular inclination, prejudice, or perspective held by the narrator that influences how events and characters are presented in the story.
Example:
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield's cynical narrator's bias against 'phonies' shapes his perception of nearly every character he encounters.
Narrator's Tone
The attitude or feeling conveyed by the narrator's voice towards the subject matter, characters, or reader, often revealed through word choice and sentence structure.
Example:
The sarcastic narrator's tone in A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift highlights the satirical nature of his shocking proposition.
Nonlinear Narrative Structures
A storytelling approach that presents events out of chronological order, often to create suspense, reveal character depth, or emphasize themes.
Example:
Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction famously uses nonlinear narrative structures, presenting interconnected stories in a jumbled timeline that keeps viewers engaged.
Symbol (as applied to characters)
A character who represents or stands for an abstract idea, concept, or theme beyond their literal role in the narrative.
Example:
In The Crucible, Abigail Williams functions as a symbol of unchecked power and mass hysteria during the Salem witch trials.
Thesis Statement (in literary argument)
A concise, defensible claim presented at the beginning of a literary analysis essay that states the main argument or interpretation of the text.
Example:
A compelling thesis statement for an essay on Frankenstein might argue that Victor's ambition, rather than the creature's nature, is the true monster of the novel.
Unreliable Narrator
A narrator whose credibility is compromised, making their account of events questionable or untrustworthy due to factors like mental instability, immaturity, or deliberate deception.
Example:
The narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' is a classic unreliable narrator, whose insistence on his sanity only serves to highlight his madness.