1 - 45 Flashcards
theme
the author’s message about life or some aspect of it
irony
an unexpected twist or contrast between what happens and what was intended or expected to happen
figurative language
writing that departs from its literal meaning usually for dramatic effect
imagery
describing something using 1 or more senses
hyperbole
an exaggeration or overstatement usually for comic effect
understatement
writing that presents information as less significant than it really is
simile
an indirect comparison using like or as
metaphor
a direct comparison between two dissimilar things
extended metaphor
a direct comparison using more then one phrase or sentence
personification
giving inanimate objects human like qualities or characteristics
symbol
when a noun/idea/thing in a literary work represents something greater than itself
oxymoron
putting two contradictory words together in a sentence
syntax
sentence structure; the ordering of words in a sentence
style
the way something is said as opposed to what is said
tone
the writers attitude towards a subject
purpose
the goal the writer wants to achieve
rhetoric
the art of speaking or writing effectively
logos
logic; the writers use of reason and logic
ethos
credibility; the writers emphasis and creation of speakers credibility
pathos’s
emotions; the writer tapping into tho the audience’s emotions, values, and desires
denotation
the dictionary definition
connotation
the meaning that is implied by a word from the thing it describes explicitly
rhetorical question
a question whose answer is so obvious and thus does not need to be answered
pun
a play on words that often has a comic effect
alliteration
the repetition of initial consonants in words closely to one another
circumlocution
talking around a word/subject
euphemism
a more acceptable and usually more pleasant way of saying something that might be inappropriate or uncomfortable
satire
writing that mock, ridiculous, or criticizes individual’s social conventions or other works of art
repetition
the careful use of the same words or close parallels to clarify meaning and tie sentences together
anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of seccessive clauses or sentences
anecdote
a short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person
juxtaposition
to place two or more things together especially to suggest a link between them
allusion
a brief reference to a real or fictitious person, place, event, or work of art
efficacy
the ability to produce desired result
exigence
a problem that can be resolved or changed by discourse
paradox
a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true
antithesis
the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences
analogy
a comparison between two things that are similar in some way
parallelism
the use of similar grammatical form for ideas of equal importance
periodic sentence
a sentence that leaves the main clause to the end, to produce an effect of suspense
motif
the repetition or variations of an image or idea in a work used to develop a theme
inductive reasoning
the method of reasoning that moves from the particular to the general
deductive reasoning
the method of reasoning that moves from the general to the specific
idiom
a saying, phrase, or fixed expression in a culture that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning
conceit
a kind of metaphor that compares two very unlike things in a surprising and clever way
