Analysis - a method in which a work or idea is separated into its parts, and those parts given rigorous and detailed scrutiny
Anaphora - a device or repetition in which a word or words are repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences
Anecdote - a very short story used to illustrate a point
Lincoln told a story of Ethan Allen, an American Revolution war hero who went to Britain after the war. (And who oddly enough has a furniture company named after him.) After he arrived, the British, still upset about having lost the war, put their measly Brit minds together and came up with a plot to try to embarrass Allen by putting a large portrait of George Washington in the only outhouse where he might encounter it. They had hoped Allen would be upset about the indignity of George Washington being in an outhouse. That night, after dinner and conversation, Allen made his way out, candle in hand, and did his business. He came back in as high of spirits as ever.
“Didn’t you see George Washington in there?!” they said.
“Oh yes,” said Allen. “Perfectly appropriate place for him”
“What do you mean?” They said.
“Well,” he said, “there is nothing to make an Englishman shit faster than the sight of George Washington."
Antagonist - a person or force opposing the protagonist in a drama or narrative
Antithesis - a balancing of one term against another for emphasis or stylistic effectiveness
Aphorism - a terse, pointed statement expressing some wise or clever observation about life
Apologia - a defense or justification for some doctrine, piece of writing, cause, or action; also apology
"Good evening.
This afternoon in this room, from this chair, I testified before the Office of Independent Counsel and the grand jury.
I answered their questions truthfully, including questions about my private life, questions no American citizen would ever want to answer.
Still, I must take complete responsibility for all my actions, both public and private. And that is why I am speaking to you tonight.
As you know, in a deposition in January, I was asked questions about my relationship with Monica Lewinsky. While my answers were legally accurate, I did not volunteer information.
Indeed, I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible.
But I told the grand jury today and I say to you now that at no time did I ask anyone to lie, to hide or destroy evidence or to take any other unlawful action.
I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that.
I can only tell you I was motivated by many factors. First, by a desire to protect myself from the embarrassment of my own conduct.
I was also very concerned about protecting my family. The fact that these questions were being asked in a politically inspired lawsuit, which has since been dismissed, was a consideration, too.
In addition, I had real and serious concerns about an independent counsel investigation that began with private business dealings 20 years ago, dealings I might add about which an independent federal agency found no evidence of any wrongdoing by me or my wife over two years ago.
The independent counsel investigation moved on to my staff and friends, then into my private life. And now the investigation itself is under investigation.
This has gone on too long, cost too much and hurt too many innocent people.
Now, this matter is between me, the two people I love most--my wife and our daughter--and our God. I must put it right, and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so.
Nothing is more important to me personally. But it is private, and I intend to reclaim my family life for my family. It's nobody's business but ours.
Even presidents have private lives. It is time to stop the pursuit of personal destruction and the prying into private lives and get on with our national life.
Our country has been distracted by this matter for too long, and I take my responsibility for my part in all of this. That is all I can do.
Now it is time--in fact, it is past time to move on.
We have important work to do--real opportunities to seize, real problems to solve, real security matters to face.
And so tonight, I ask you to turn away from the spectacle of the past seven months, to repair the fabric of our national discourse, and to return our attention to all the challenges and all the promise of the next American century.
Thank you for watching. And good night." - Bill Clinton
Apostrophe - a figure of speech in which an absent or dead person, an abstract quality, or something inanimate or nonhuman is addressed directly
Argumentation - the process of convincing a reader by providing either the truth or the falsity of an idea or proposition; also, the thesis or proposition itself
Assumption - the act of supposing or taking for granted that a thing is true
"Never assume because you make an ass out of u and me."
Audience - the intended listener or listeners
"I aimed for the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach." - Upton Sinclair
Characterization - the means by which a writer reveals a character's personality
Chiasmus - a reversal in the order of words so that the second half of the statement balances the first half in inverted word order
"We remember what we want to forget, and forget what we want to remember." - The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Circumlocution - a roundabout or evasive speech or writing, in which many words are used but few would have served
Classicism - art reflecting ancient Greece and Rome; tradition
Cliche - a phrase or situation overused in society
"YOLO" "Swag" "n00b"
Climax - the decisive point in a narrative or drama; the point of greatest interest or intensity at which plot question is resolved or answered
Colloquialism - folksy speech, slang words or phrases usually used in informal conversation
Comedy - a ludicrous, farcical, or amusing event designed to provide enjoyment or produce smiles and laughter
Conflict - struggle or problem in a story causing tension
Connotation - implicit meaning going beyond dictionary definition
Childish vs. Youthful
Contrast - a rhetorical device by which one element is thrown in opposition to another for the sake of emphasis or clarity
Denotation - plain dictionary definition
Childish vs. Youthful
Denouement- loose ends tied up in a story after the climax, conclusion
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