Literary Analysis Terminology

adjective a word or phrase that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, antithetical describes something that is in opposition or contrast to something else

• The concept of individualism is often seen as antithetical to collectivism.
• Some people believe that cats and dogs are antithetical pets.
• His love for spicy food is antithetical to his friend's preference for bland dishes.
• The politician's actions were antithetical to the values he claimed to uphold.

verb to examine two or more things in order to note similarities and differences

• It is important to compare different investment options before making a decision.
• I like to compare prices at different stores before buying anything.
• I always compare my selfies to make sure I look good.
• She couldn't help but compare her current relationship to her past ones.

noun a word or phrase that indicates a higher degree of a quality or quantity when comparing two or more things

adjective relating to or involving comparison between two or more things

• The study involved a comparative analysis of the two economic systems.
• She did a comparative review of the new smartphones before making a decision.
• I did a quick comparative check online to see which store had the best deals.
• His comparative advantage in the project allowed him to excel and outperform others.

noun a small piece or fragment of something, especially food

• The archaeologist carefully examined the gobbet of bone found at the excavation site.
• I found a weird gobbet of chewing gum stuck under my desk.
• He threw a gobbet of mud at his friend during the playful fight.
• The professor presented a gobbet of information for the students to analyze during the lecture.

noun a mistake in reading or interpreting something

verb present participle form of 'misread', meaning to read or interpret something incorrectly

• The misreading of the contract led to a costly legal dispute.
• She misread the recipe and ended up adding too much salt.
• I totally misread the situation and thought he was mad at me.
• His misreading of her intentions caused him to make a big mistake.

adjective relating to or constituting a preface or introduction

• The author included a prefatory section in the book to provide background information.
• The prefatory remarks at the beginning of the speech were quite interesting.
• I skipped over the prefatory paragraphs in the article because they seemed boring.
• The prefatory notes set the tone for the rest of the presentation.

adjective describing someone who does not think deeply or consider their actions carefully

• His unreflecting actions led to serious consequences.
• She made an unreflecting decision without thinking it through.
• Don't be so unreflecting, take a moment to consider your choices.
• His unreflecting behavior was like a bull in a china shop, causing chaos wherever he went.

noun a man who idles about in public places

• The flaneur strolled through the city streets, observing the architecture and people.
• I feel like a flaneur when I wander around aimlessly in the city.
• Check out that cool flaneur just casually walking around like he owns the place.
• She was a flaneur of the mind, wandering through memories and emotions.

adverb to the full or in full extent; at full length

preposition in full; completely; entirely

• The court decision was published in extenso in the legal journal.
• The whole court decision was printed in the legal journal.
• They printed the whole shebang in the legal journal.
• The details were laid out in extenso for all to see.

noun a note or comment added after something has been completed or finished

• The author included an afternote at the end of the book to provide additional context for the readers.
• I always skip the afternote in books, I just want to get to the story.
• I never bother with the afternote, it's usually just extra stuff I don't care about.
• The afternote of the meeting was a heated argument between the two colleagues.