Balanced Sentence:
Construction in which both halves of the sentences are about the same length of importance.


Example:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." 
-A Tale of Two Cities

Explanation: 
Charles Dickens uses a balanced sentence for many reasons. In this case, this is a balanced sentence with a purpose. The sentence adds suspense, and foreshadows what the novel will be about. The use of a balanced sentence adds to parallelism and creates a certain rhythm that Dickens is known for. This sentence compares to contrasting phrases. Dickens does this on purpose to add to the suspense and show that it is not ine or the other... but in fact, it's both.

Atmosphere:
The emotional mood created by the entirely of a literary work, established partly by the settling and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather can contribute to the atmosphere. frequently, atmosphere foreshadows events.


Example:
"A throng of bearded men, in sad–coloured garments and grey steeple–crowned hats, inter–mixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes."
-The Scarlet Letter


Explanation:
The beginning of The Scarlet Letter is a great example of atmosphere. Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the people as dark, gloomy, plain people with dark depressing colors on. He then goes on to describe the wooden door with iron spikes. The descriptions of the objects (hats and door) shows that its not a happy place with friendly people.. which can help the reader foreshadow the characters and events that will happen later in the novel. This is exactly what Hawthorne wanted, and that is why he described the atmosphere as early as he possibly could in the novel.

Assonance:Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity.



Example: 
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great and would suffice.
-Robert Frost

Explanation:
Robert Frost uses assonance in many of his poems. His purpose in this poem is to create a smooth and soothing transition between line to line. The poem does not have a perfect rhyme scheme, so the assonance adds flexibility and allows the poem to have a nice tone and flow, and not just be dull and boring. Also the assonance adds a spin on the poem and makes the reader have fun and be entertained while reading.

Antecedent:
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

Example:
"Mr. Gore was a grave man, and, though a young man, he indulged in no jokes."
-Frederick Douglass An American Slave


Explanation:
The author uses Mr. Gore as an antecedent to make the sentence less confusing. The purpose of using an antecedent makes the sentence more professional and sophisticated and it allows you to know what the pronoun has to do with. In this case the antecedent is not that significant, it just allows the reader to know who the person that is being described is.

Apostrophe: 
A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, a personified  abstraction, or sometimes an inanimate object.

Example:

Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour:
England hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,
Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower
Of inward happiness. We are selfish men:
O raise us up, return to us again;
And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea,
Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free;

So didst thou travel on life's common way
In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart
The lowliest duties on herself did lay.

-William wordsworth

Explanation:

This poem has an apostrophe to Milton, one of the greatest writers of epic poems. William Wordsworth directly talks to Milton as if he knows him and they are best buds. This type of apostrophe adds an emotional intensity to the poem, which is what Wordsworth was going for. He also wants the reader to feel a sense of familiarity when reading the poem, this is why he refers to the apostrophe, Milton, as an old friend. The main purpose of the apostrophe is to address someone that is gone, but very important and needs to be remembered, which is exactly what Wordsworth does. 

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

Example:

"They were, in fact and at last free. And the lives of these old black women were synthesized in their eyes—a puree of tragedy and humor, wickedness and serenity, truth and fantasy.”
—Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye

Explanation:
This is a great example of antithesis. This quote compares contrasting words multiple times. "tragedy and humor", "wickedness and serenity", and "truth and fantasy". The author uses this to show the reader all of what the women had to endure in her lifetime. The ups and downs, which are best realized when compared next to each other. The author uses this to make the argument as strong and evident as possible.

Analogy:
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them. The comparison is often between two things in which the complex is explained in terms of the simple, or something unfamiliar is associated with something more familiar. The comparison suggests that if two things are alike in certain respects, they will probably be alike in other ways as well. Analogies can make writing more vivid, imaginative, or intellectually engaging. They must be used effectively to persuade, but logically they prove nothing

Example:
"Dumb gorgeous people should not be allowed to use literature when competing in the pick-up pool. It's like bald people wearing hats." - Matt McGrath from Broken Hearts Club


Explanation:
This analogy compares one thing with something that it shouldn't be associated with, and compares this one thing with another. In this case, dumb gorgeous girls and literature, compared with bald people and hats. This analogy allows the reader to see that dumb gorgeous people should not be allowed to use literature. The analogy allows you to clearly see this because everyone knows bald people wearing hats is ridiculous, they are trying to cover up their real self.  

Ambiguity:
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage. 

Example:
  "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" -The Kendalls


Explanation:
The title of the song "Heaven's Just a Sin Away" is ambiguous, in a religious way. Committing a sin keeps us out of heaven, but it could also mean that committing a sin will bring heaven (pleasure). This is found out through the lyrics of the song. This is used because you see that the title/song has a double meaning, which is what the writer wanted.  

Asyndeton:
Commas used (with no conjunction) to separate a series of words. The parts are emphasized equally when the conjunction is omitted; in addition, asyndeton speeds up the flow of the sentence.

Example:
"Anyway, like I was saying, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That--that's about it."
(Bubba in Forrest Gump, 1994)


Explanation:
Asyndeton is seen in this every time Bubba says the type of shrimp. He does this in order to make the  sentence choppy, upbeat and fast, without any pauses or hesitations. This helps set the character and how he acts, all because of the comma usage; also known as asyndeton. Bubba crams it all in as fast as he can, which shows the enthusiasm and eager tone that Bubba has. 

Allusion: 
A direct or indirect reference to something which is commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Allusions can be historical, literary, religious, or mythical. 

Example:
"Pearl of great price" -Scarlet Letter 


Explanation: 
Pearl is the name of Hester's daughter. Hawthorne uses this as her name because it is an allusion to the gospel of Matthew: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." This explains it all, Hawthorne uses this allusion in his novel to refer to pearl as the jewel that Hester won, but through a great price (her scarlet letter), just like in the gospel of Matthew. Hawthorne uses biblical allusions in this novel because it is relevant for that time period. 

Anecdote:
a brief recounting of a relevant episode, frequently personal or biographical. Anecdotes are often inserted into fiction or nonfiction as a way of developing a point or injecting humor


Example:
"Six decades ago in this enchanting hideaway, less than a mile downstream from where the Mormon steps meets the gulch, twenty-year-old Everett Ruess carved his nom de plume into the canyon wall below a panel of Anasazi pictographs, and he did so again in the doorway of a small masonry structure built by the Anasazi for storing grain. "NEMO 1934," he scrawled, no doubt moved by the same impulse that compelled Chris McCandless to inscribe "Alexander Supertramp/May 1992" on the wall of the Sushana bus."
-Into The Wild, Jon Krakaurer



Explanation:
Krakauer uses different anecdotes in his telling of the true story of Christopher McCandless. His main purpose of doing this is to provide valuable perspective to the reader's understanding of Chris McCandless and why he thought wealth/happiness was not from money, but from the spirit. This anecdote describes a man who did the same thing, this helps the reader get more information and helps them relate the two stories. Another purpose of this is to give more evidence and examples of the themes of rebellious youth, and finding joy and happiness through nature.

In Medias Res:
beginning a narrative in the middle of the action. Often this technique will be accompanied by flashback or dialogue that explains what has gone before. (May be used in the narrative essay)


Example:
 "He saw the townlands and learned the minds of many distant men, and weathered many bitter nights and days in his deep heart at sea, while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home.
But not by will nor valor could he save them, for their own recklessness destroyed them all." -The Odyssey


Explanation:
The opening lines of the Odyssey start in the middle of a small amount of action. It is not violent, but is in the middle of a scene, that we have no knowledge about. The reader has to wonder why they have been at sea for a long time, and why they are fighting to stay alive due to their own recklessness. Starting a scene in the middle of  "action" allows the reader to foreshadow and suspect what will happen later in the novel, which is what the author wants. It builds suspense and mystery, and makes the reader want to read more. Homer also does this so he can create flashbacks later on in the novel, which makes it more dramatic. 

Alliteration: 
The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words. The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, and/or supply a musical sound.


Example: 

Rain

Rain races onto the porch
Hitting hard like
Rockets rushing in a race to the glass.
Rattling rain, rattling the window panes.
The droplets dance daintily
Until they cleverly connect in
A pool of promise for a rainbow.

                         -Poetry by Natasha Niemi

Explanation: 
Alliteration gives poetry a unique sound, emphasizing on specific phrases and represent the action that is taking place. In the example the alliteration helps the reader see the action of the rain, by the constant repetition of alliteration in the description of the rain. The alliteration creates imagery in the readers mind, and also lets them see the tone and mood of the poem. Alliteration is useful in helping create a lyrical tone, and emphasize the action and imagery throughout the poem.