a textual reference to another literary, political, mythological, or religious contemporary work, text, or event.

a typical character, action, or situation that seems to represent such universal patterns of human nature; also known as universal symbol, may be a character, a theme, a symbol, or even a setting.

intentional decisions by an author that may impact meaning, style, development, formatting, conventions, and/or plot progression.

the emotional value of the words; the subtext

the technical meaning of the words; the literal meaning.

quotes or references to a passage that support claims or statements.

words or phrases with non-literal meanings used for comparisons or clarity, usually evoking strong images.

this term can refer broadly to the general category that a literary work falls into (drama, poetry, fiction, nonfiction) or more specifically to a certain subset of literary works grouped together on the basis on similar characteristics.

phrases or fixed expressions that have figurative or nonliteral meanings ("It's raining cats and dogs.")

our perceptions of the meanings of words that are unstated.

explanations of meanings; they depend on inferences (perceptions of meanings that are unstated) and on stated meanings.

tension created by the contrast between what a character says or thinks and what the audience knows to be true; as a result, some words and actions take on different meaning for the audience than for the characters.

a discrepancy between what seems fitting or expected and what actually happens.

a figure of speech that occurs when a speaker or character says one thing but means something else, or when what is said is the opposite of what is expected, creating a noticeable incongruity. Sarcasm is one form of verbal irony with express purpose of being derisive.

text that tells about the sequence of events, usually with the structure of a story, fiction or nonfiction; often contrasted with expository text, which reports factual information and the relationship among ideas (Example of nonfiction narratives: memoir, research methodology, personal statement for applications).

subtle variation in meaning, expression, or tone.

in narrative writing, establishing a situation and introducing a narrator.

the sequence of events in a story.

the position or perspective conveyed or represented by an author, narrator, speaker, or character; chiefly in literary texts, the narrative point of view can be labeled (as in first- or third person narration); in literary nonfiction, the point of view might also be the perspective.

the use of words that mean the opposite of what the speaker really means, especially in order to insult/offend, show irritation, and/or be funny; ironic language.

making references and appealing to the senses through word choice and details.

always expressed as complete thought with original and universal language, theme is the overarching message, abstract idea, or universal truth that emerges from a literary text's treatment of the subject matter. (Example: A theme of The Great Gatsby might sound like the following: No matter how much monetary wealth a person accumulates, when he becomes consumed by an elusive dream that never really existed, lives are destroyed and his own existence becomes meaningless.)

the author's attitude toward the subject.

in grammar, the quality of a verb that indicates whether its subject acts (see active voice) or is acted upon (see passive voice). In writing, voice is the quality that makes an author's writing unique and which conveys an author's attitude, personality, and character. In literature, voice is the characteristic speech and thought patterns of a first-person narrator; a persona.

the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning; usually refers to the use of sensory/figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor), descriptive words, and appropriate, relevant vocabulary to convey purpose, meaning, and tone to various audiences.