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Literary Vocab
Literary Vocab
adage: a saying or proverb containing a truth based on experience and often couched in metaphorical language
allegory: a story in which people, things and events have another meaning
alliteration: repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of consecutive words or syllables
ambiguity: a vagueness of meaning; a conscious lack of clarity meant to evoke multiple meanings or interpretations
anachronism: a person, scene, event or other element that fails to correspond with the appropriate time or era
antagonist: a character or force in a work of literature that, by opposing the protagonist, produces tension or conflict
Apollonian: in contrast to Dionysian, it refers to the most noble, godlike qualties of human nature and behavior
arch: characterized by clever or sly humor, often saucy, playful and somewhat irreverent
archaic diction: the use of words common to an earlier time period; antiquated language
Aristotelian triangle: a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience
assonance: the repetition of two or more vowel sounds in a group of words in prose or poetry
bard: a poet; in olden times, a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment
bathos: insincere or overdone sentimentality
belle-lettres: a French term for the world of books, criticism, and literature in general
canon: the considered most important in a national literature or period; works widely read and studied
classic: a highly regarded work of literature or other art form that has withstood the test of time
classical, classicism: deriving from the orderly qualities of ancient Greek and Roman culture
clause: a group of words containing a subject and its verb that may or may not be a complete sentence
close reading: a careful reading that is attentive to organization, figurative language, sentence structure, vocabulary, and other literary and
structural elements of a text
comparision and contrast: a mode of discourse in which two or more things are compared and contrasted
complex sentences: a sentence that includes one independent clause and at least one dependent clause
concrete detail: a highly specific, particular, often real, actual or tangible detail; opposite of abstract
connotation: that which is implied by a word, as opposed to the word's literal meaning (see denotation)
consonance: the repetition of two or more consonant sounds in a group of words or a unit of speech or writing
coordination: grammatical equivalence between parts of a sentence, often through a coordinating conjunction such as and, or but
critique: an analysis or assessment of a thing or situation for the purpose of determining its nature, its limitations, and its conformity to a set of
standards
cumulative sentence: an independent clause followed by subordinate clauses or phrases that supply additional detail
cynic: one who expects and observes nothing but the worst of human conduct
de'nouement: the resolution that occurs at the end of a narrative or drama, real or imagined
deductive reasoning: a method of reasoning by which specific definitions, conclusions, and theorems are drawn from general principals
descriptive detail: graphic, exact, and accurate presentation of the characteristics of a person, place or thing
deus ex machina: in literature, the use of an artifical device or gimmick to solve a problem
dialectal journal: a double-column journal in which one writes a quotation in one column and reflections on that quotation in the other column
diction: word choice
didactic: having an instructive purpose; intending to convey information to teach a lesson usually in a dry, pompous manner
Dionysian: as distinguished from Apollonian, the word refers to sensual, pleasure-seeking impulses
dramatic irony: a circumstance in which the audience or reader knows more about a situation than a character
elegiac: mournful over what has passed or been lost; often used to describe tone
elegy: a poem or prose selection that laments or meditates on the passing or death of someone of something of value
ellipsis: the omission of a word or several words necessary for a complete construction that is still understandable
epic: a narrative poem that tells of the adventures and exploits of a hero
ethos: a Greek term referring to the character of a person; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals
explication of text: explanation of a text's meaning through an analysis of all of its constituent parts, including the literary devices used
expose: a piece of writing that reveals weaknesses, faults, frailties, or other shortcomings
exposition: the background and events that lead to the presentation of the main idea or purpose of an essay or other work
fable: a short tale often with nonhuman chacters from which a useful lesson may be drawn
farce: a comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose
figurative language: the use of tropes or figures of speech; going beyond literal meaning to achieve literary effect
figure of speech: an expression that strives for literary effect rather than conveying a literal meaning
fragment: a word, phrase, or clause that does not form a full sentence
frame: a structure that provides a premise or setting for a narrative or other discourse
genre: a term used to describe literary forms, such as novel, play, and essay
homily: a lecture or sermon on a religious or moral theme meant to guide human behavior
humanism: a belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity
idyll: a lyric poem or passage that describes a kind of ideal life or place
indirect quotation: a rendering of a quotation in which actual words are not stated but only approximated or paraphrased
inductive reasoning: a method of reasoning in which a number of specific facts or examples are used to make a generalization
inference: a conclusion or proposition arrived at by considering facts, observations, or some other specific data
irony: a contradition between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and results
irony: a contradiction between what is said and what is meant; incongruity between action and results
kenning: a device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of a thing is replaced by one of its functions or qualities
litotes: a form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity
logos: a Greek term that means "word"; an appeal to logic; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical appeals
loose sentence: a sentence that follows the customary word order of English sentences. The main idea of the sentence is presented first and is
then followed by one or more subordinate clauses
lyrical prose: personal, reflective prose that reveals the speaker's thoughts and feelings about the subject
malapropism: a confused use of words in which the appropriate word is replaced by one with a similar soud but inappropriate meaning
melodrama: a literary form in which events are exaggerated in order to create an extreme emotional response
metaphor: a figure of speech or trope through which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else, thus making an implicit comparison
metaphysical: a term describing poetry that uses elaborate conceits, expresses the complexities of love and life, and is highly intellectual
Middle English: the language spoken in England roughly between 1150 and 1500 A.D.
modifier: a word, phrase, or clause that qualifies or describes another word, phrase, or clause
mood: the emotional tone or prevailing atmosphere in a work of literature or other discourse. In grammar, mood refers to the intent of a particular
sentence.
moral: a brief and often simplistic lesson that a reader may infer from a work of literature
motif: a phrase, idea, or event that through repition serves to unify or convey a theme in an essay or other discourse
muse: (n.) one of the ancient Greek goddesses presiding over the arts; the imaginary source of inspiration for an artist or writer. (v.) To reflect
deeply; to ponder
myth: an imaginary story that has become an accepted part of the cultural or religious tradition of a group or society
naturalism: a term often used as a synonym for realism; also a view of experience that is generally characterized as bleak and pessimistic
non sequitur: a statement or idea that fails to follow logically from the one before
objective: of or relating to facts and reality, as opposed to private and personal feelings and attitudes
ode: a lyric poem usually marked by serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject
Old English: the Anglo-Saxon language spoken from approximately 450 to 1150 A.D. in what is now Great Britain
parody: a piece that imitates and exaggerates the prominent features of another; used for comic effect or ridicule
pathos: a Greek term that refers to suffering but has come to be associated with broader appeals to emotion; one of Aristotle's three rhetorical
appeals (see ethos and logos)
pedantic: narrowly academic instead of broad and humane; excessively petty and meticulous
periodic sentence: a sentence that builds towards, and ends with the main clause
point of view: any of several possible vantage points; omniscient, limited to that of a single character, and limited to that of several characters
propaganda: a negative term for writing designed to sway opinion rather than present information
proverb: a short pithy statement of a general truth, one that condenses common experience into memorable form
pulp fiction: novels written for mass consumption, often emphasizing exciting and titillating plots
pun: a humorous play on words, using similar-sounding or identical words to suggest different meanings
realism: the depiction of people, things, and events as they really are without idealization or exaggeration for effect
rebuttal, refutation: the part of discourse wherein opposing arguments are anticipated and answered
reiteration: repetitin of an idea using different words, often for emphasis or other effect
repetition: reuse of the same words, phrases, or ideas for rhetorical effect, usually to emphasize a point
rhetoric: the study of effective, persuasive language use; according to Aristotle, use of the "available means of persuasion"
rhetorical mode: patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; modes include but are not limited to narration, description,
comparision and contrast, cause and effect, definition, exemplificaiton, classifcation and division, process analysis, and argumentation
rhetorical modes: patterns of organization developed to achieve a specific purpose; include but are not limited to narration, description,
comparison and contrast, cause and effect, definiton, exemplification, classification and division, process analysis, and argumentation
rhetorical question: a question asked more to produce an effect than to summon an answer
rhetorical stance: language that conveys a speaker's attitude or opinion with regard to a particular subject
rhetorical triangle: a diagram that represents a rhetorical situation as the relationship among the speaker, the subject, and the audience
rhyme: the repitition of similar sounds at regualar intervals, used mostly in poetry but not unheard of in prose
rhythm: the pattern of stressed amd unstressed syllables that make up speech and writing
romance: an extanded narrative abput improbable events and extraordinary people in exotic places
sarcasm: a sharp, caustic attitude conveyed in words through jibes, taunts, or other remarks
satire: an ironic, sarcastic, or witty composition that claims to argue for something, but actually argues against it
sentiment: a synonym for view of feeling; also a refined and tender emotion in literature
simile: a figure of speech that uses "like" or "as" to compare two things
speaker: a term used for the author, speaker, or the person whose perspective (real or imagined) is being advanced in a speech or piece of writing
straw man: a logical fallacy that involves the creation of an easily refutable position; misrepresenting, then attacking an opponent's position
stream of consciousness: a style of writing in which the author tries to reproduce the random flow of thoughts in the human mind
style: the distinctive quality of speech or writing created by the selection and arrangement of works and figures of speech
stylistic devices: a general term referring to diction, syntax, tone, figurative language, and all other elements that contribute to the "style" or
manner of a given piece of discourse
subject complement: the name of a grammatical unit that is comprised of predicate moninatives and predicate adjectives
subjective: of or relating to private and personal feelings and attitudes as opposed to facts and reality
subtext: the implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of an essay or other work
syllogism: a form of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion is supported by a major and minor premise
symbolism: the use of one subject to evoke ideas and associations not literally part of the original object
synecdoche: a figure of speech in which a part signifies the whole or the whole signifies the part
syntax: sentence structure
synthesize: combining or bringing together two or more elements to produce something more complex
thesis: the central idea in a work to which all parts of the work refer
thesis statement: a statement of the central idea in a work, may be explicit or implicit
topic sentence: a sentence, most often appearing at the beginning of a paragraph, that announces the paragraph's idea and often unites it with the
work's thesis
tragedy: a form of literature in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by a set of forces that cause the hero considerable anguish
trope: artful diction; the use of language in a nonliteral way; also called a figure of speech
understatement: lack of emphasis in a statement or point; restraint in language often used for ironic effect
verbal irony: a discrepancy between the true meaning of a situation and the literal meaning of the written or spoken words
verisimilitude: similar to the truth; the quality of realism in a work that persuades readers that they are getting a vision of life as it is
verse: a synonym for poetry; also a group of lines in a song or poem; also a single line of poetry
wit: the quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant things that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness
AP Vocab
aberration: a departure from what is proper, right, expected, or normal, a lapse from a sound mental state
abstruse: hard to understand
adjunct: something added to something else as helpful or useful but not essential; added or connected in a subordinate or auxiliary capacity
apprise: to give notice to, to tell, to inform of, to make someone aware
auspicious: [adj] propitious, promising, encouraging, favored by fortune, likely to turn out well, boding good things
bathos: grossly insincere or exaggerated sentimentally, trite material presented in an elevated tone, the lowest phase
bellwether: the male sheep that leads the flock to the slaughterhouse, a leader, indicator of trends
caprice: [n] whim, vagary; a sudden unpredictable change of one's mind; the tendency to change one's mind w/o apparent/adequate reason
casuistry: deceptive, over subtle, or false reasoning, the determination of right and wrong in specific questions of conduct by the application of
general ethical principles
commensurate: [adj] equal in size, extent, or duration, or importance, proportionate, measurable by the same standards
corollary: [n] a proposition that follows one already proven, a natural consequence or result
cul-de-sac: [n] a blind alley or dead end street, any situation in which further progress is impossible, an impasse
de facto: actually existing or in effect, although not legally required of sanctioned, in reality, actually
debauch: [v] to seduce or corrupt, to lead away from duties [n] an uninhibited spree or party
deracinate: to pull up from the roots, to root out, to uproot, or dislocate, to eliminate all traces of
derring-do: [n] valor or heroism, daring deeds or exploits (often used to poke fun at false heroics)
discursive: digressing from subject to subject; fluid and expansive rather than formulaic or abbreviated; related to discourse
divination: [n] the art or act of predicting the future or discovery hidden knowledge
edifice: [n] building, especially one of large size/imposing appearance; any large, complex system/organization
effete: weak, lacking wholesome vigor or energy, having lost character, vitality, or strength; worn out or exhausted, sterile or unable to produce,
out of date
elixir: [n] a potion once thought capable of curing all ills and maintaining life indefinitely.
eminence: [n] high station, rank, or repute; outstanding reputation, distinction, reown; high elevation; title of honor for cardinals
empathy: a sympathetic understanding of or identification with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of someone or something else
explicit: [adj] fully and clearly expressed or demonstrated; leaving nothing merely implied, unequivocal, definite and unreserved in expression;
having sexual acts or nudity clearly depicted
harbinger: a portent, herland, one that tells us something is coming, to indicate the approach of
hedonism: the belief that the attainment of pleasure in life's cheir aim, devotion to or pursuit of pleasure
hegemony: [n] predominant influence exercised by one nation over another; aggression or expansionism by large nations in an effort to achieve
world domination
hidebound: narrow-minded and rigid, especially in opinions or prejudices, stubbornly and unthinkingly conservative
imbibe: [v] to drink
incendiary: [adj] tending to arouse strife, inflammatory, pertaining to a criminal setting on fire of property. [n] a person who stirs up strife, an
agitator
incredulous: [adj] skeptical, doubtful, unwilling or unable to believe; showing disbelief; [adj] gullible, too willing to believe
inquiry: [n] seeking or requesting for truth, information, or knowledge, and investigation, as into an incident
lampoon: a harsh satire, usually directed against a person or institution; to make the subject of a ____, to ridicule
lucubration: [n] laborious study or thought, especially at night, the result of such work
mien: [n] demeanor, air, manner, deportment, or bearing; the affect created by one's behavior & appearance
mnemonic: [adj] relating to or designed to assist the memory. [n] a device to aid the memory
modulate: the change or vary the intensity or pitch; to temper or soften; to regulate or adjust
morass: a patch of soft, wet grounds, a swamp, a quagmire; a confusing situation in which one is entrapped as in quicksand
obloquy: [n] public abuse indicating strong disapproval or censure, the strong disgrace resulting from such treating
pander: to cater to or provide satisfaction for low tastes or vices of other; in law, to sell/distribute by pandering; person who panders, pimp
parameter: [n] determining or characteristic element; a factor that shaped the total outcome, a limit, a boundary.
penitent: [adj] repentant, contrite, remorseful, sorry for having sinned & seeking atonement; [n] person who confess sin & submit to penance
philistine: [adj] lacking in hostile to or smugly indifferent to cultural and artistic values or refinements
physiognomy: [n] "science" of determining a person's character from physical features of his/her face/body; a person's face, when used as an index
to his/her character
pièce de résistance: an outstanding accomplishment, the best part of something excellent, the main dish of a meal, incident, or item
polarize: to break one group into two separate, opposing, groups (polar opposites)
premise: [n] a basis stated or assumed on which reasoning proceed; a proposition supporting a conclusion; a tract of land including its buildings [v]
to set forth beforehand as by way of introduction or explanation
progenitor: [n] ancestor; precursor, that which originates something & serves as a model
rejoinder: [n] an answer to a reply, a quick reply (especially a witty or critical one) to a question or remark
remand: to send or order back, in law, to send back to jail or to lower court
sacrosanct: [adj] very sacred, extremely holy, inviolable, set apart or immure from questioning or attack
savoir-faire: [n] the ability to say and do the right thing in any situation, social incompetence, tact
semantics: [n] the study of meaning, the meaning or interpretation of meaning, word, or sentence
solecism: [n] a nonstandard or ungrammatical usage; a breach of manners or etiquette, faux-pas, gaffe; any error, improperly, or inconsistency
syndrome: a group of symptoms or signs that collectively characterize or indicate a disease, disorder or abnorality
tendentious: [adj] intended to promote a particular point of view, doctrine, or cause; biased or partisan
verisimilitude: [n] the state of being life like, appearing to be true, real, likely, or probable
vicissitude: [n] a change, variation, or alteration, successive, changing phases, "ups and downs"
éclat: [n] dazzling or conspicuous success or acclaim, great brilliance (of performance or achievement)
Bathos: a transition from the illustrious to the commonplace, overdone pathos, triteness
Bivouac: temporary encampment
Comport: to behave
Determinism: a philosophy that says things are determined in ways that are out of human hands
Ignominious: disgraceful, dishonorable
Iniquitous: evil, unjust
Intransigent: uncompromising, stubborn
Libidinous: lustful, lascivious
Mendacious: dishonest, deceitful
Naïve: charmingly gullible
Nihilism: the belief that there are no values or morals in the universe, that existence is senseless or useless
Obdurate: stubborn
Philistine: a smugly insensitive and ignorant person who has no knowledge of intellectual or artistic objects
Pluralism: a society in which distinct groups function together but retain their identities
Probity: honesty, uprightness
Remuneration: payment, recompense
Sallow: sickly, greenish-yellow
Somnolent: drowsy, sleepy
Umbrage: displeasure or resentment
Veracious: truthful, honest
Wont: custom, habit
Literary Criticism Terms
particularly as that quality is called to AHISTORICAL Denoting universal or ideal qualities; the
mind by other values in the text. In idea that a literary work transcends or
deconstruction, the gap that is left after exists outside of its historical context. A
the meanings implied in the text are formalist reading attempts to be ahistorical.
deconstructed; silence.
with opposite and irreconcilable differences. ANTI-COLONIAL Writing which attempts to resist the forces
of colonization.
theory designating the distance between the ANTIHEGEMONIC A force of resistance to a dominant ideology
reader's expectations about a work (from the or power, with an attempt to weaken or call
theories.
AGENCY The power by which a particular individual, (Lentricchia); a kind of gap in the meaning,
means of action.
conclusion, usually for purposes that are APPROPRIATION Taking something over and using it for one's
seen as political. Critics have agendas for own ends, particularly when one theory takes
points of the actual world of the performed BINARY OPPOSITION A dialectical relation in which there are two
act or deed" (Bakhtin, 54). units: a thing and its opposite or its
according to a formal set of criteria BOUNDARY That set of points which a theory marks out
determined within the system. This for itself as the extreme limit of its
signification system (aesthetics) is bound discursive reach or the sum total of the
within and interdependent with other systems negative oppositions that are generated by
(culture, language, etc.), but at the same qualities that lie at the center of the
time contains its own logic, axioms, theory; see also margins and centers.
go to make up the set of criteria used CANONIZE To make a work of art part of a set of good
(though the criteria may change according to or pure or worthy works that everyone should
time, culture, viewer, and so on). A "work react to as being good or worth knowing
choosing to operate from within this CARNIVALESQUE Contravening expected social, ideological,
aesthetic signification system chooses to and traditional norms using different voices
subject of the aesthetic response. CARNIVALIZATION From Bakhtinian dialogics, a linking, within
AUTHORITY Having control or power or assumed or real disparate qualities, such as the sacred and
dominance. the profane, the high and the low, formal and
CODED A process in which a set of meanings may be (and others): "Said, in other words, offers
inscribed or written within a text or a set of alternatives and at the same time
discourse, though such meanings may not by legitimates the most attractive alternative
commercial exchange and thus subject to the intellectual practice, and the social order þ
COMPLICITOUS Being a partner in some wrong-doing. CRISIS A point at which a paradigm or other
contains elements of key features of that with difference to create the concept of
particular culture at a particular time, and to a particular time, place, or social group"
awareness and expectations, etc. the linguistic mechanism that permits the
DECENTER To undermine the usual hierarchy of a between the here and the there, the now and
dominant system by showing that its center the then, the we and the you. It establishes
may hold only a relative, not a fixed point, the existence of an 'out there' that is not
or that the center may be exchanged with a an 'over here,' and thus it is fundamental to
DECOLONIZATION The attempt to cleanse a particular culture DELEGITIMATION To question or negate the legitimacy of a
DEDIFFERENTIATION The loss of a specialized form. DENATURALIZE To make something which seems natural and
familiar nature.
DEVALUATE To undervalue or lessen the value of a
Mikhail Bakhtin emphasizing that meaning DOMAIN The area in which a particular discourse may
voices in a novel represent multiple and DOMINANCE The control that one particular ideology or
story unfolds, the linguistic actualization DYSTOPIC An anti-utopic vision, in which the future is
differences between it and other terms. CRITURE FMININE The new language of the female Other
which
or power.
DISCURSIVE SPACE The area in which a discourse takes place,
previously oppressed.
DISPLACEMENT The substitution of one set of theories or
etc.
changing, challenging, or otherwise altering FETISHIZED To create a sense that a material object, an
previously have been in control. art, etc., may have magical or extraordinary
powers.
EPISTEMOLOGY The study of ways of knowing, the theory of meanings are found directly in the text, with
the nature and limits of knowledge. "What little input from the reader, and little hope
gives this model such persuasive power is its of finding there traces of the author or the
ESSENTIALIST The idea that ideas, words, or meanings have be inserted by the reader þ or in which two
an actual reality which may be discovered. ideas are juxtaposed but not connected.
between two subjects or a subject and an GENEALOGY An attempt to trace the history of an idea by
EXHAUSTION The end result of studying for a Ph.D. in cultural forms, and the traces that it
all possible explorations for its purposes. GROUNDED Based upon a set of theories or principles.
EXPRESSIVIST The theory that a work of art is the direct GYNESIS The French feminist theory that looks to
imagination of the artist and bears marks of believing that the Other, the female, must be
resituated not in opposition but within, to these disjunct dimensions, to provide an all-
open the unconscious (Alice Jardine), destroy embracing hermeneutic model" (Norris 39).
modes employing chaos, flux, playfulness, HETEROGLOSSIA Having many written or spoken voices; the
opted by the repressive structures they fight HISTORICAL MOMENT A point in a particular culture at a
clauses or ideas.
HERMENEUTICS The study of interpretation and systems of
group, which beliefs may or may not have a theories such as deconstruction which are
basis in reality, may or may not be concerned with emphasizing the distinct
questioned by those who hold the beliefs, and nature of the act of writing.
According to Althusser, ideology is "the language at the level of the letter, 'prior'
their real conditions of existence" but at syllable or the word" (de Man). "Art, then,
the same time, "an ideology always exists in is for Adorno at the inscription of social
real relations which govern the existence of INSTITUTION A formally or informally organized unit
individuals, but the imaginary relation of within society that has as its purpose the
which they live." For Lukacs, the "true objectives. Institutions tend to run on
bearers of ideology in art are the very their own inertia even when the goals are
IDIOLECT One's individual mode of speaking. provides the framework within which the
INDETERMINACY The idea that within a text, there are self-positing of the Self in language"
INFRASTRUCTURES Structures within the body of the text, with a text. "All ideology hails or
it and serve to organize it and direct its concrete subjects, by the functioning of the
INSCRIBE To write, either physically or INTERPRETATIVE COMMUNITY That body within a larger culture or
community which shares a set of assumptions,
terminologies, reading strategies, and LOCATE To situate, to place a particular idea within
same results, or for whom the text was LOGOCENTRISM A theory or proposition that language is at
assumed to be written, with the assumption the center of all things; a kind of extreme
that they would read the text in a nominalism. "To treat logocentrism as an
particular, more or less fixed way. epoch, in the wake of Heidigger and
INTERROGATION A questioning of the methods and assumptions Nietzsche, is to still hold out for a
188).
relationship with other individuals, with the MAGISTERIAL Used pejoratively: Assuming the role as a
relationships. "For Kant, the fact that the any other magisterial intellectual modifies
individual could not experience the object as and perpetuates one central component of
it was in itself required the postulation of humanism: the sublime role of the leading þ
intersubjectivity" (Godzich, 46). is able both to shake the order of forces and
repetition.
LEGITIMATION "The process by which a ruling power comes to or hegemonically defined structure,
secure from its subjects at least tacit institution, or culture, either by choice (as
consent to its authority" (Eagleton 54). from a desire to resist the structure or
LIBERAL HUMANISM A concept from the Enlightenment that or culture consigns individuals or groups to
proposes that individualism is of a high the edges, with correspondingly fewer rewards
value and that rationalism and reason will from the dominant group.
LOCALIZED Confined to a particular area, said of a group at the margins and denying them access
deconstruction.
individuals, groups, texts, etc., with the MISREADING Bloom says that all readings are misreadings:
purpose of gaining something new by this a recognition that when you read a text there
MEDIATION The outcome of the act of creating a interpretation. Strong misreadings open
relationship between two different things bold, new interpretations; weak misreadings
where no relationship might normally exist. only serve to capture and canonize the text
objects.
METONYMY The use of a part to represent the whole of theoretical approach. "What matters most,
(eg., I saw two skirts coming down the in Adorn's view, is that each individual
street). This is compared to metaphor, which analysis bring out the fundamentally critical
finds an identity between two unlike objects. moment in the artefact, whereby it stands in
Metonymy is seen to be a mark of the novel, opposition to, and negates, the order and
especially the realistic novel, and metaphor ideology of its society" (Godzich 44).
a mark of poetry.
MISE EN ABYME "A mini-narrative encapsulating the narrative single ideological stance or perspective,
that contains it, a specularity, a mirroring often used in opposition to the Bakhtinian
Romantic conceit of the oak tree potential characters' voices are subordinated to the
MISE EN SCENE The stage space in which the action of a play MOVES The process of applying critical or
or a movie takes place, together with the theoretical procedures or methods to a text
properties within that space; the physical in order to further the process of the
recuperates the text for the reader. NOMINALIST A philosophical idea beginning in the late
NARRATIVE MOMENT That point in a narrative when a number of conventional þ something everyone agrees on þ
issues and events take a major turn or change and not indicative of any higher reality
NARRATIVE SPACE The setting or physical context in which the that there is a reality, especially a higher
work takes place. The narrative space may or reality, connected with names. Nominalism is
may not coincide with the actual space that to Realism as Materialism is to Idealism.
the writer may claim for the story (eg., Deconstruction can be seen as an extreme form
NATURALIZATION Making something purely fictional or mystical them without any qualms" (Godzich 26).
or defamiliarization, in which the real is NUANCE To make a thing more complex, more finely
made to seem unreal or exceptional. tuned according to the standards and methods
NEGOTIATION A relationship that is worked out between a nuanced and addressed criticism from both
imposed by one on the other, but arises from OBJECTIFICATION "The moment of empathizing is always followed
NEUTRALIZE To take a critical argument that makes a understood through empathizing, a separating
strong assertion and undermine it by showing of it from oneself, a return into oneself"
(Bakhtin 14). the audience of a representation with the
OCCASION A moment for critical or theoretical inquiry. intrusion that disrupts the fictional
sense, for it presupposes an ontological PARADIGM The way a discipline studies its subject,
OPACIFICATION Making something that seemed clear opaque or systems of knowledge production and
cloudy. "It [theory which seeks difference] dissemination, and so on. "This essay . . .
attempts to render visible all the language examines a paradigmatic shift in the nature
that has been erased by the imperatives of of pleasure and its consequences for our
transparency, thus becoming a labor of conception of art that occurred between the
OPPOSITIONAL Attempting to resist a dominant theory or similarities in sound, meaning, and so on, as
not constitute break within the history of PARALEPTIC Calling attention to a thing by stating its
OTHER A notion from the psychology of Jacques Lacan PARATAXIS The coordinate relationship of clauses or
that we project negative feelings or fears ideas that do not have connectives.
other people, creating a view of that other PATRIARCHAL Having to do with the idea that males
opposite to ourselves.
PARABASIS "A gesture of address that suddenly confronts done, as opposed to constative language
(Austin). the plot being created). Postmodern (Po Mo)
PHENOMENAL Existing in reality, directly apprehendable genre, but do not try to integrate them with
by sense. The phenomenal aspects of language one another; rather, they are dealt with
POLYSEMOUS Having many meanings; a layered text with POSTURE A particular critical or theoretical stand.
system which establishes the organic unity of PRAXIS Employing theory and critical methods in a
the text, the discovery textual polysemy particular way. The indissolubility of
takes on the form of an irruption which is action and significance (Eagleton re Marx
POST-ANTI-COLONIAL Theories which recognize the limits of anti- PRIVILEGED Given a higher value than would be granted in
literature is written when a colony achieves at issue here is the high valuation of
POSTMODERN A trend in modern art in which the creator symbol" (Norris, 28).
the traditional generic forms. The work of PROBLEMATIC "A particular organization of categories
art calls attention to itself as artificially which at any given historical moment
constructed and claims itself to be a work of constitutes the limits of what we are able to
art and only a work of art þ without denying utter and conceive" (Eagleton 137).
comment. Often the structural seams of the PROBLEMATIZE To concentrate on an issue or point or moment
work are left visible and even highlighted in a text which seems to be easily resolved
and commented upon (in architecture, the and show that it is not easily resolved.
may not be hidden; a novelist may comment on PROSOPOPEIA Impersonation of an imagined or removed
speaker; personification. and other linguistic features go to create a
a culture.
READING A process of interpretation in which all It might be claimed that direct resistance
parts of a text are made to fit one pattern. (as in a dialectic) is co-opted by the
RECEPTION The way a reader or a group of readers which resistance might take. "This
receive a particular text, including the resistance [of theory to a system] is not
reasons for their reactions to it and the way determined by a negation. It results from a
(Godzich 30).
context, putting it into a new context in RETERRITORIALIZATION To put a thing back into its territory.
important. "Echo can thus be transformed RUPTURE A moment in a text when there are
from a symptom of loss into the force of irreconcilable meanings or events that cannot
backward but advances cumulatively" (Godzich SELF-REFLEXIVITY Referring to itself and awareness of itself,
(Barthes).
REGISTER In discourse theory, the way diction, syntax, particular sign, usually a word.
SIGNIFIED The object or idea that is purported to be SPECIALISM The confinement of a theory or critical
SUBSTANTIALIST Based on the assumption that there is a true constructive activities, that could be
SUBVERT To undermine fixed or unquestioned be seen. "In our effort to define things, we
to de Man, rhetorical forces at work in this TRANSCENDENTAL Reaching beyond the everyday world to an
SURFACE The words themselves that make up a text, whole being of a subject to an Other which
together with their prosaic, everyday might or might not be a part of this subject.
meanings.
SUTURE A point in the text at which two divergent said to be beyond the influence of the
meanings may be joined together. particular time and place in which they may
virtue of the syntactic context of the words, TROPE The use of an artistic construction of a
TACTIC The employment of a critical or theoretical UNDECIDABILITY The idea that within a work there may be
procedure to accomplish one part of a larger meanings that cannot be resolved either
TELEOLOGICAL Finding within natural processes evidence of analysis, critical method, or subjective
interpretation. Compare indeterminacy. narrative and descriptive sequences. "The
UNGROUNDED Not based on a particular theoretical seemingly based on the referentiality of its
UNIVERSALIZATION The idea that ideas and ideals may be true is entirely within the text's boundaries."
for all people at all times. But R. argues that "exterior referentiality
UTTERANCE "A link in the chain of speech communication, representations in the text refer to verbal
which cannot be broken off from the preceding givens borrowed from the sociolect" and that
links that determine it both from within and these exist in the text, explicitly or
without giving rise within it to unmediated implicitly "as presuppositions." "Thus the
Bakhtin, "the utterance is constructed while intratextual, since both are derivations from
taking into account possible responsive a given that selects simultaneously the
reactions for whose sake, in essence, it is abstract structure that serves as a model for
VALORIZE To treat a thing as being of higher worth make it visible and readable. The reader can
than it might otherwise deserve, generally neither perceive nor decode the one without
not because of valuable qualities in the the other, since the narrative structural
thing itself, but rather because it serves invariant must be actualized, and it is the
"conformity with ideological models" or terms, the dominant group is at the center,
"consecution rather than in the mimesis the victims are marginalized. In current
superimposed on it" þ a kind of motivation in theories, the victims become the center, the
[parallel] signifying chains" that create the VOICE The idea of a speaking consciousness.
VOLITIONAL INTERDEPENDENCE Decisions are never completely free