Literary terms

allegory-- As a literary device, an allegory in its most general sense is an extended metaphor
alliteration-- use of similar consonants: a poetic or literary effect achieved by using several words that begin with the same or similar consonants
allusion-- Allusion is a figure of speech, in which one refers covertly or indirectly to an object or circumstance from an external context.
ambiguity-- doubt about meaning: a situation in which something can be understood in more than one way and it is not clear which meaning is intended
anachronism-- chronological mistake: something from a different period of time, e.g. a modern idea or invention wrongly placed in a historical setting in fiction or drama
analogy-- comparison: a comparison between two things that are similar in some way, often used to help explain something or make it easier to understand
analysis-- the process of breaking down a something into its parts to learn what they do and how they relate to one another.
anaphora-- repetition for effect: the use of the same word or phrase at the beginning of several successive clauses, sentences, lines, or verses, usually for emphasis or rhetorical effect.
anecdote-- somebody's account of something: a short personal account of an incident or event
antagonist-- a character, group of characters, or institution that represents the opposition against which the protagonist or protagonists must contend
antithesis-- used in writing or speech either as a proposition that contrasts with or reverses some previously mentioned proposition, or when two opposites are introduced together for contrasting effect.
aphorism-- succinct comment: a succinct statement expressing an opinion or a general truth
apologia-- justification: a formal, usually written, defense or justification of a belief, theory, or policy
apostrophe-- rhetorical term for breaking off discourse to address some absent person or thing.
argument-- disagreement: a disagreement in which different views are expressed, often angrily
assumption-- something taken for granted: something that is believed to be true without proof
audience-- people watching performance: a group of people assembled to watch and listen to a show, concert, movie, or speech
characterization-- portrayal of fictional character: the way in which the writer portrays the characters in a book, play, or movie
chiasmus-- inverted word order in phrase: a rhetorical construction in which the order of the words in the second of two paired phrases is the reverse of the order in the first.