English Literature key terms

A relationship in which both partners have equal worth and a voice in decisions, rather than one controlling the other.

A state of balance. In Lola’s poem, it becomes a metaphor for the relationship between a new life beginning and an older life approaching its end.

Language that allows different interpretations and can therefore mislead without being straightforwardly false.

A hermit: someone who lives apart from other people, often for religious reasons.

A sense of loyalty, belonging and shared pride within a group, particularly a military unit.

A secure domestic and financial position, often gained through marriage. This is the meaning of the word in Charlotte Lucas’s desire for an establishment.

Respect for someone based on a considered judgement of their character and qualities. Austen presents esteem as an important foundation for lasting marital affection.

Separation or loss of closeness between people who previously had a family or personal relationship.

The idea that life or events recur. Ouspensky’s thinking encouraged Priestley to explore whether people could learn from repeated experiences and change.

The study of right and wrong, including questions about how people ought to treat others.

An appeal to a speaker’s character, reputation or credibility to gain an audience’s trust.

The conventions governing polite social behaviour, such as table manners.

The belief that a population can be improved by controlling who reproduces. The artilleryman’s proposed selection of strong men and women echoes such ideas.

A mild or reassuring expression used instead of a harsher description.

A pleasing combination of sounds in language.

Centred on European cultures or experiences, often at the expense of other perspectives.

A perspective that places Europe and European experiences at the centre, potentially marginalising other peoples’ histories.

A reasoned judgement that weighs evidence and interpretations before reaching a conclusion.

A Protestant Christian movement emphasising the authority of the Bible, personal faith in Christ and the importance of conversion. Its emphasis on moral duty and spreading Christianity helps explain the religious language of Lowood and St John’s missionary ambitions.

A Christian tradition emphasising the authority of the Bible, personal faith and conversion. Its expression could range from compassionate service to strict moral discipline.

An ordinary person used to represent people more generally, allowing an individual experience to carry a wider meaning.

Change in living organisms across generations. In The War of the Worlds, Wells imagines how different environments and dependence on technology might produce radically different forms of life.

An organism’s relative ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment, rather than simply its strength or intelligence.

An event at Hailsham where students use tokens to obtain artwork and crafts made by other students.

Being forced to live away from one's own country.

A large-scale departure of people from a place, such as the population fleeing London during the Martian invasion.

Hopes about the future; in Great Expectations, the word also refers to Pip’s anticipated receipt of property from a benefactor.