Literary Tones and Styles

Compiled By: Aparna Singh

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Abstract
Absurd
Accusatory
Acerbic
Affected
Aggressive
Ambiguous
Amused/Amusing
Analytical
Anecdotal
Apathetic
Apologetic
Apprehensive
Archaic

Argumentative
Arrogant

Atmosphere
Attitude
Audacious
Awe
Bantering

Baroque
Belligerent
Biased
Bizarre
Bland
Bombastic
Breezy
Callous

theoretical without reference to specifics

contrary to logic, but sometimes artistically viable
charging of wrong doing
harsh/ severe; bitter
assuming a false manner or attitude to impress others
forceful; tending towards unprovoked offensiveness, angry/indignant
open to more than one interpretation/ doubtful or uncertain
agreeable, pleasing, entertaining, cause pleasure
inclined to examine things by studying their contents or parts
involving short narratives of interesting events
emotionless; not interested/ concerned; indifferent; unresponsive
expressing remorse, regret, sorrow for having failed, injured, insulted or wronged another
anxious, fearful, uneasy about the future
in the style of an earlier period
type of discourse in which one debates a topic in a logical way
having of displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or importance
the pervasive mood or tone of a literary work.
the author's viewpoint regarding his subject matter. attitude can usually be detected in author's tone.
fearless, often recklessly daring, bold
solemn wonder
good-humored, playful
a grand and exuberantly ornamental style
aggressively hostile; bellicose
favoring one thing/person/group over another for personal reasons.
unusually strange or odd
non-disturbing, unemotional, uninteresting
pretentious and pompous
quick-paced, but sometimes superficial
unfeeling; insensitive to feelings of others

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Candid
Caustic
Childish
Choleric
Cinematic
Classical

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Critical
Cynical
Decadent

Classification
Colloquial
Comic
Commiserating
Condescending
Confessional
Confused

Connotation
Contemplative
Contemptuous
Contented

Convention
Conventional
Convoluted

Denotation
Depressing
Derisive
Detached
Detached

Dialect
Dialogue
Diatribe

unprejudiced, impartial, open & sincere

intense use of sarcasm; stinging; biting; acerbic
immature (when applied to adults or writing)
hot-tempered, easily angered
having the qualities of a motion picture
formal, enduring, and standard, adhering to certain traditional methods
organization wherein the writer explains the relationships between terms or concepts
characteristic or ordinary and informal conversation
humorous, light, funny (there are many levels)
feeling/ expressing sorrow for; empathizing with; pity
patronizing; showing/implying patronizing descent from dignity/ superiority
characterized by personal admissions of faults
unable to think with clarity or act with intelligence
the range of further associations that a word or phrase suggests in addition to its straightforward dictionary meaning.
studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue
expressing contempt/ disdain ; showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect
satisfied with things the way they are.
a device of style of subject matter so often used that it becomes a recognized means of expression.
lacking spontaneity, originality and individuality
very complicated or involved (as in the case of sentences with many qualifiers, phrases, and clauses)
finding fault
displaying a belief that people are always self-seeking and never altruistic in their actions
marked by a decay in morals, values, and artistic standards
the precise literal meaning of a word, without emotional associations or overtones.
sad, gloomy (without any of the redeeming qualities of true tragedy)
unkind and displaying contempt ; ridiculing, mocking
separated, disconnected, aloof or impartial
disinterested, unbiased, emotionally disconnected
the version of a language spoken by people of a particular region or social group.
the conversation of two or more people as represented in writing.
violently bitter verbal attack

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Diction

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Erudite
Ethical
Eulogistic
Euphemistic
Evocative

Didactic
Diffident

Digression
Discursive
Disdainful
Disparaging
Dogmatic

Dramatic Irony
Dreamlike
Earnest
Earthy
Effeminate
Elegiac
Elegiac
Emotional
Emotional

Epigraph
Epistolary

Expository
Expressionistic
Facetious
Factual
Fanciful
Farcical
Fatalistic

the choice of words used in a literary work

author attempts to educate or instruct the reader
reserved in manner; timid
a portion of a written work that interrupts or pauses the development of the theme or plot.
moving pointlessly from one subject to another; rambling
scornful
speak slightingly; depreciating; belittling
asserting opinions in an arrogant manner; imperious; dictatorial
a situation in which the audience knows more about the character's situation than the character does.
having the characteristics of a dream
intense, a sincere state of mind
realistic, rustic coarse, unrefined, instinctive, animalize
soft, delicate, unmanly
expressing sorrow for that which is irrecoverably past
expressing sorrow or lamentation
much given to strong feelings
easily affected by feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear and the like
the use of a quotation at the beginning or a work that hints at its theme.
a novel written as a series of documents. the usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings and other
documents are sometimes used
learned, polished, scholarly
dealing with principles of morality; honest; righteous
involving formal praise in speech or writing, usually in honor of someone dead
substitution of mild, indirect or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh or blunt
having the ability to call forth memories or other responses
type of discourse in which one explains or describes
stressing the subjective and symbolic is art and literature
amusing, but light, unserious, frivolous
real, provides facts
using the imagination
humorous but in a light way, comedy with high exaggeration
believing that everything that happens is destined and therefore out of the hands of the individual

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Flamboyant

Flashback
Flippant
Forthright
Gloomy
Grandiose
Haughty
Horrific
Humanistic
Humorous

Hyperbole
Idiomatic

Illustration
Imagery
Impartial
Incendiary
Indignant

Inference
Insolent
Intimate
Introspective

Invective
Irate

Irony
Irreverent

Jargon
Jovial
Judgmental

Juxtaposition
Laudatory

Local Color
Lugubrious

conspicuously bold or colorful

a way of presenting scenes or incidents that took place before the opening scene.
disrespectful levity or casualness, pert.
directly frank without hesitation
darkness, sadness, rejection
more complicated/ elaborated than necessary; pompous
proud and vain to the point of arrogance
terrifying
evincing keen interest in human affairs, nature, welfare, values
funny and amusing
a bold overstatement or extravagant exaggeration used either for serious or comic effect.
peculiar to or characteristic of a given language
organization wherein the topic sentence is stated and then followed by the details
language that evokes sensation as opposed to an abstract idea.
unprejudiced, not biased
causing strong feelings
marked by anger; aroused by justice
a conclusion the reader can draw based upon details presented by the author.
presumptuous and insulting in manner or speech, arrogant, disrespectful, rude, impertinent
very familiar
consider one's own internal state of feelings
direct denunciation or name-calling.
extremely angry, enraged
in its broadest sense, the incongruity or diff between reality and appearance
showing disrespect for things that are usually respected or revered
the special language of a profession or group
happy, jolly, full of good humor
authoritative and often having critical opinions
the side by side comparison of two or more object
praising; extolling; applauding
the use of the physical setting, dialect, customs, and attitudes in a region
mournful, dismal, gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree

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Lyrical

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Patronizing
Pedantic
Pedestrian

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Poetical

Malapropism
Malicious
Matter Of Fact

Metaphor
Metaphorical
Mocking

Mood
Morose
Motivating
Mournful
Mundane

Narrative Pace
Naturalistic
Nostalgic
Objective
Obsequious
Ominous
Optimistic
Parody

Personification
Persuasive
Pessimistic
Philosophical
Picturesque
Pious

expressing a poet's inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like

the comic substitution of one word for another similar in sound but different in meaning
purposely hurtful
accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional
a direct comparison that does not use "like" or "as."
having the characteristics of melodrama in which emotions are plot are exaggerated and characterization is shallow
treating with contempt or ridicule
the prevailing emotional attitude in a literary work
gloomy, sullen, sourly, despondent
impelling; inciting
sorrowful, sadness, melancholy
ordinary or common, as in everyday matters ("his mind was filled with mundane matters")
the speed at which an author tells a story
tending to present things in art and literature as they appear in nature or actuality
inclined to long for or dwell on things of the past; sentimental
an unbiased view - able to leave personal judgments aside
fawning; showing servile complaisance; flattering; deferent ; polite and obedient in order to gain something
menacing, threatening
hopeful, cheerful
a satirical imitation of something serious, such as a comic takeoff of Romeo and Juliet (the parody must have enough
elements of the original for it to be recognized)
air of condescension; haughty; looking down upon
overly concerned with minute details or formalisms,
lacking vitality, imagination, distinction
the attribute of human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas.
intended or having the power to induce action or belief
seeing the worst side of things
interested in the study of basic truths of existence and reality
strikingly expressive or vivid
having or displaying a reverence for god and religion; sometimes used pejoratively, when the display is excessive and overly
righteous
having the qualities of poetry, such as pleasing rhythms or images

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Poignant
Pompous
Populist
Provincial
Provocative
Prurient

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Sentimental

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Skeptical
Solemn

Pseudonym
Puritanical
Quizzical
Realistic
Reflective
Regretful
Restrained
Reverent
Ribald
Ridiculing
Romantic
Sanguineous

Sarcasm
Sarcastic
Sardonic

Satire
Satirical

Simile
Sincere

Situational
Irony

Soliloquy

affecting or moving the emotions

displaying one's importance in an exaggerated way; sometimes this quality is found in comic characters
egalitarian; pertaining to the characteristics of common people/ working class
limited in perspective; narrow and self centered
inciting; stimulating; irritating; vexing
preoccupied with lewd and lustful thoughts
pen name, alias
strict or severe in matters of morality
odd, eccentric, amusing
inclined to represent things as they really are
illustrating innermost thoughts and emotions
sorrowful because of what is lost, gone, or done
held-back, deprived, checked
treating a subject with honor and respect
offensive in speech or gesture
slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of
fanciful; impractical; unrealistic; extravagant; exaggerated
optimistic, cheerful
harsh cutting personal remarks not necessarily ironic
harsh, bitter derision; taunting; sneering; cutting remarks
scornfully and bitterly sarcastic
any form of literature that blends ironic humor and wit with criticism. seeks to correct through ridicule
ironical; taunting; human folly held up to scorn/ derision/ ridicule ; ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point or to
teach
resulting from or colored by emotion rather than reason or realism
a comparison using "like" or "as."
without deceit or pretense, genuine
the contrast between what is intended or expected and what actually occurs.
doubtful, apprehensive in agreement
deeply earnest, tending towards sad reflection
a speech delivered while the speaker is alone, calculated to inform the audience of the character's thoughts.

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Speculative

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Subjective
Surrealistic
Technical
Terse
Timorous

Stream-OfConsciousness

Tone
Trite
Turgid

Unity
Urbane
Veneration

Verbal Irony
Vexed
Victorian
Vitriolic
Vituperative

Voice
Whimsical
Wry

theoretical rather than practical; thoughtful; reflective; hypothetical

a technique that allows the reader to see the continuous chaotic flow of half formed thoughts
relying on one's own inner impressions, as opposed to being objective
stressing imagery and the subconscious and sometimes distorting ordinary ideas in order to arrive at artistic truths
using terminology or treating subject matter in a manner peculiar to a particular field, as a writer or a book
effectively concise, brief
funny, witty
the reflection in a work of the author's attitude toward his or her subject
lacking power to evoke interest through overuse or repetition; hackneyed
excessively ornate or complex in style or language; grandiloquent
the quality of oneness in a literary work
sophisticated, socially polished
admiration, wonder
a contrast between what is said and what is meant
distressed, annoyed, perplexed
prudish, stuffy, and puritanical (qualities associated with queen victoria's reign)
full of anger and hatred
cruel and angry criticism
the sense a written work conveys to a reader of the writer's attitude, personality and character
odd, strange, fantastic
devious in course or purpose; misdirected