the wordtropeoften signals a common or overused literary device. The wordtrope(pronounced “trohp”) comes from the Greek wordtropos, meaning a turn or change of direction—a trope, in the original sense of the word, is a turning of language to a new use...
the wordtropeoften signals a common or overused literary device. The wordtrope(pronounced “trohp”) comes from the Greek wordtropos, meaning a turn or change of direction—a trope, in the original sense of the word, is a turning of language to a new use...
What is characterization in a short story? What is a symbolic archetype? What is hasty generalization in literature? What is theme in literature? What are the features of realistic fiction? What is mimesis in literature? What genre is 'The Story of Keesh'?
What is a trope in literature? What is the short story "Everyday Use" about? What is a short story with a moral? What is personified in The Tell-Tale Heart? What is the lesson in the short story "The Lesson"? What is the short story How It Happened about?
Dangerous ones in the West often work by distorting the wishes of those they are supposed to serve or by taking their words very literally. This trope in Western folklore predates the arrival of the genie in Western consciousness and is summarized in the adage, "Be careful what you wish ...
The gothic novel—one of the most important popular genres in literary history. This article offers a glimpse into the genre and its origins.
Red herrings are a standard trope in mystery novels. They stop the reader from discovering the true villain, and their intentions, too quickly. So what exactly is a red herring, and what purpose does it serve? The term red herring refers to a false clue that distracts the reader from wh...
In one sense, all memorable stories are coming-of-age stories, if what we mean by the term is a story about someone who moves from one stage of development to a more advanced one. […]Films explicitly labelled a“coming-of-age story,” however, are often about nothing more than someone...
of Art, which has made these 72 stone steps famous as the “Rocky Steps.” All subsequent films in the franchise feature a training montage and it is a common movie trope. A variation is the preparation montage, for example in a heist movie, during which the mastermind assembles a crew....
In a good story, every single scene has at least a little dramatic irony. Hitchcock and Spielberg are well-known for their ability to know what the audience is thinking at any given moment, and then work with it. To employ dramatic irony successfully, the storyteller must understand their au...