Literary Terms 26 to 30

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26. ellipses (ellipsis = singular)

• formerly known as “dot dot dot” (…)1. May be used to indicate omitted material from

a direct quote:• Curt Leviant noted that “Wiesel has taken his

own anguish and imaginatively metamorphosed it into art.”

• Curt Leviant noted that “Wiesel has taken…anguish and imaginatively metamorphosed it into art.”

Changing a word in a direct quote:

• Curt Leviant noted that “Wiesel has taken his own anguish and imaginatively metamorphosed it into art.”

• Curt Leviant noted that “Wiesel has taken his own anguish and imaginatively [changed] it into art.”

26. ellipses (ellipsis = singular)

2. May be used to indicate a trailing off of the voice or thought (see Night, pp. 50 and 51).

3. May be used where a word or phrase has been omitted so that a sentence is technically incomplete but still communicates meaning.

• Example: “Fire when ready.” (In the sentence, "you are" is understood, as in "Fire when you are ready.")

27. euphemism

• The substitution of a mild or less negative word or phrase for a harsh or blunt one.

27. euphemism

BATHROOM EUPHEMISMS:• Be Excused• Comfort Station• Do Your Business• Rest Room• Smallest Room In The House• Visit The Ladies Room

27. euphemism

DEATH EUPHEMISMS:• Asleep With Jesus• Being In Abraham’s Bosom• Bit The Big One• Bitten The Dust• Bought The Farm• Breathed One’s Last• Cash In Your Chips• Jesus Called

28. figurative language

• Antonym of “literal language”• Words used in a non-literal way

29. generalization

• A blanket statement based on a limited number of facts, examples, or statistics

30. Homily

• A sermon or tedious moralizing lecture or damonition

Elie Wiesel

Summary vs. Paraphrase

• summary: a brief statement covering the main points

• paraphrase: a rewording of something into your own words

Wiesel says that he is “a witness who believes he has a moral obligation to try to prevent the enemy from enjoying one last victory by allowing his crimes to be erased from human memory” (viii).