Literary Terms #3

exposition - noun an account that sets forth the meaning or intent of a writing or discourse; a systematic interpretation or explanation (usually written) of a specific topic

expressionism - noun an art movement early in the 20th century; the artist's subjective expression of inner experiences was emphasized; an inner feeling was expressed through a distorted rendition of reality

fable - noun a short moral story (often with animal characters); a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events

fallacy - noun a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning

falling action – part of literary plot after climax and resolution

farce - noun a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations

figurative language – imaginative language characterized by figures of speech like simile and metaphor

flashback - noun a transition (in literary or theatrical works or films) to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story

foil - noun  anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; verb cover or back with foil; enhance by contrast

folk tale – tale or legend passed down as part of oral tradition

foreshadowing - noun the act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand

free verse – poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter

genre - noun a class of art (or artistic endeavor) having a characteristic form or technique; a kind of literary or artistic work;

gothic tale – style of literature characterized by gloomy settings, mood of decay/decadence, violent/grotesque action

hyperbole - noun extravagant exaggeration

imagery - noun the ability to form mental images of things or events; vivid descriptions

implication - noun meaning/understanding derived by readers but not explicitly stated by authors

incongruity - noun the quality of disagreeing; being unsuitable and inappropriate

inference - noun the reasoning involved in drawing a conclusion or making a logical judgment on the basis of circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions rather than on the basis of direct observation

irony - noun incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs