LitTerms

Catharsis: Noun: the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

Example: When Oedipus finds out that he has killed his father and married his own mother, he gouges out his eyes with his dead mother's adornments. …He’s relieving himself from his mistakes.

Catharsis is used for emotions to be reduced to a healthy and balanced proportion from unwanted feelings like terror or pity.


Connotation: Noun: an idea or feeling that a word invokes person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.

Example: The difference between thin and scrawny. Thin has the more positive connotation because it sounds more attractive and positive. Scrawny, on the other hand, sounds more malnourished and gaunt.

It’s important to know some of the feeling that specific words can invoke. Proper words are important when trying to describe something, especially if you’re trying to use a positive word but using one with a more negative connotation.