lit+terms+examples


 * Anaphora** Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the beginning of two or more sentences in a row. This device is a deliberate from of repetition and helps make the writer’s point more coherent.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice,” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
 * Example** “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."


 * Function** The memorable conclusion of MLK’s I Have a Dream address is filled in anaphora. For many phrases, he repeats “I have a dream” and later the line “Let freedom ring” starts several successive sentences. With each of these examples, MLK is building towards the climatic message of his speech. By creating emotional appeal and rallying together the hopes, goals, and dreams of the people to whom he speaks, MLK’s speech is powerful in uniting people for a cause. This was critical for his speech, which was trying to spread a message to very large masses of people that injustice against blacks could be stopped. However a goal as big as this would take many people’s support, which this speech helped to gain.


 * Foreshadowing** The introduction early in the story of verbal and dramatic hints that suggest what is to come later.


 * Example** "He [Raskolnikov] had become so completely absorbed in himself, and isolated from his fellows that he dreaded meeting, not only his landlady, but any one at all. He was crushed by poverty, but the anxieties of his position had of late ceased to weigh upon him"( Dostoevsky 1).


 * Function** This is a massive hint foreshadowing the future actions of Raskolnikov by describing his emotional state. Dostoevsky not only characterizes Raskolnikov in this passage, but also hints that Raskolnikov is very desperate for money and hope, both of which he has none. This is a good section hinting that Raskolnikov will probably do an act of crime in order to establish his self worth as well as gets some money. One can see this in his isolation from all society because individuals who separate themselves from other usually end up mad or insane due to the fact that people need other people to function correctly. Also, by stating that he is crushed by poverty gives more foreshadowing that Raskolnikov needs the money in order to survive.


 * Antithesis** A balancing of two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses.


 * Example** "Ebony and Ivory" by Paul McCartney


 * Function** The antithesis that McCartney uses here is the stark contrast between ebony and ivory. Ebony is generally defined as a very dark, almost coal colored wood while ivory is the complete opposite - a bright white, like that in elephant's tusks. McCartney's lyrics (though I prefer the version sung by Stevie Wonder) could be interpreted in one of two ways - the obvious one that pops up is that McCartney/Wonder are singing of their pianos, ebony and ivory being the white and black keys, respectively. However, the way that I feel it is meant to be interpreted is based in race - ebony and ivory, white and black. What McCartney is trying to say is that despite the obvious visual differences, the obvious antithesis, people really "are the same wherever you go". Ebony and Ivory, despite being polar opposites, can live in "perfect harmony".


 * Tone** A writer’s attitude toward his or her subject matter revealed through diction, figurative language, and organization of the sentence and global levels.

“I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news, But she just smiled and turned away. I went down to the sacred store Where I’d heard the music years before, But the man there said the music wouldn’t play.
 * Example** American Pie by Don McLean

And in the streets: the children screamed, The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed. But not a word was spoken; The church bells all were broken. And the three men I admire most: The father, son, and the holy ghost, They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died.”
 * Function** This song is so interesting, because the tone changes quickly, from happy to reminiscent, to sad, to mournful. I chose these lines because they are both consistent and telling of the tone that Don McLean seems to be trying to create throughout the rest of the song, without being completely somber. He phrased these stanzas interestingly, so that they begin with hope, the narrator asking for happy news, but quickly change to a sadder, less optimistic tone when the girl “smiled and turned away.” He quickly realizes that the music has stopped, and so has the contentment. The people begin to lose their equilibrium, and children start screaming, while lovers cry (they should be happy), and poets dream of making this into something. The most interesting part of this is that the narrator talks about the three men that he “admires most.” The three holy figures, however, leave, supposedly for good, because the music has died. The tone overall becomes very bleak with these last lines, because the people that should be a beacon of hope, especially if they are admirable, desert their people when the music dies.

Jet Lag by Eve Robillard He flies over the ocean to see his girl, his Sorbonne girl, his ginger-skinned girl waiting for him in the City
 * Caesura** A pause within a line of poetry that contribute to the rhythm of the line. A caesura can occur anywhere within a line and need not be indicated by punctuation.
 * Example**

of Light. Everywhere river and almost-spring gardens, everywhere bridges and rainy statues. Streets going

nowhere, streets going on all night. I love you my mona my lisa, my cabbage, my gargoyle, Degas’ little dancer

in dawn’s ragged gown. But on the third day she picks up her books, tells him she needs to study:

she adores this town, she’s not coming home in May, she’s going to stay all summer. Lowers her morning-calm eyes.

He’s all right in the cab, all right on the plane droning him home in only three hours American—key in his lock now

his tick-tock apartment, shiver his shadow, his need to sleep. Then with a tiredness washing over and

over him and through his raveling bones he begins to know.


 * Function** Robillard uses many different caesuras in this poem to emphasize various words. Generally, the words directly after the caesura are especially important to the meaning overall. They are visual, like “of light,” at the beginning of the second stanza to describe the city (Paris). “In dawn’s ragged gown” is also a strong image, hat shows the reader something significant, as well as “she adores this town.” Both of these phrases are made stronger because of the pause inserted before them. “Nowhere” is also a strong word placed after the caesura for emphasis. It is interesting that the author would say streets going nowhere, but without the pause before it, it would not feel as significant to the poem as a whole. Having a pause, in the form of caesura, before each phrase placed greater importance on them.


 * Dramatic Irony** When the reader is aware of an inconsistency between a fictional or nonfiction characters perception of a situation and the truth of that situation.


 * Example** Oh I knew it! Broadsea broke in... Youre no athlete. I can see that. With a dark glance wily Odysseus shot back, Indecent talk, my friend. You, youre a reckless fool... Your slander fans the anger in my heart! Im no stranger to sports-for all your tants- Ive held my place in the front ranks, I tell you, long as I could trust to my youth and striving hands. But now Im wrestled down by pain and hardship, look, Ive born my share of struggles, cleaving my way through wars of men and pounding waves at sea. Nevertheless, despite so many blows, Ill compete in your games, just watch. Your insults cut to the quick- you rouse my fighting blood!


 * Function** Odysseus acts offended and surprised by Broadseas insult and challenge at first, asserting that he is tired from his long journey and that he essentially is better than giving in to the taunts that Broadsea had doled out. However, at the end of a long speech on the character of a man and the way the gods give out traits (a person may be handsome but inept at giving speeches, for example), he accepted the challenge and showed Broadsea and his fellow city men how able he truly was. Homers use of dramatic irony in this case, showing Odysseus as proud but confident and unwilling to give in to the taunts of Broadsea, and then quickly having him accept the challenge of Broadsea to prove himself, was quite effective. Odysseus could not resist accepting the challenge, even though he professed how tired he was, and that he was above giving in to mere taunts. In this way, Homer revealed a character trait of Odysseus: competitiveness and need to prove his ability. He showed that Odysseus was an extremely proud man.


 * Motif** A frequently recurrent character, incident, or concept in literature.


 * Example** Dawn with her rose-red fingers (The Odyssey).

I also thought that it was interesting that she had rose-red fingers. The sunrise, at least in my experience, is rarely pink or red. It seems, then, that Homer used this perhaps symbolically. The saying goes, Red in the morning, sailors take warning. It seems that each day Dawn and her rose-red fingers welcome the day the sailors have trouble. As the story goes on and the symbol becomes somewhat overused it loses its significance visually, however it does not lose the meaning of both innocence and impending trouble. I really enjoy Homers use of this to show a consistency throughout Odysseus journey.
 * Function** This line is used over and over in The Odyssey to signify the coming of morning. At first, it is both effective and visual, showing the bringing in of the morning with a nice symbol that is easy to read and easy to comprehend. Dawn is described as a young girl with rose-red fingers, and in the morning, she shines. This seems to bring the sailors delight, even though they are suffering and struggling to get home. It is a very innocent symbol, especially because she is not seen as a sex symbol as many of the goddesses are. It shows that even though their trip is grueling, they have a fresh start every day.