Deck #2 Flashcards
Definition: Foreshadowing
when an author gives hints about what will occur later in a story
Example: Foreshadowing
A dark and stormy night may predict something bad will happen
Impact: Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing adds depth to the story, and and build suspense and emotional weight to engage the reader
Definition: Genre
the major category a literary work fits into
Definition: Gothic
writing characterized by gloom, mystery, fear and/or death.
Example: Gothic
“The candle flickered as a cold breath of air swept through the room. From the corner, the shadow moved—but no one was there.”
Definition: Imagery
a word or words that create a picture in the reader’s mind.
Example: Imagery
“The sun was like a blazing ball of fire, painting the sky orange and pink”
Impact: Imagery
Imagery makes the writing vivid and memorable, and creates a clear picture in the readers head to visualize the story.
Definition: Invective
insulting, strong, abusive language.
Example: Invective
“She’ll never like you, no matter how hard you try; you’re just not good enough for someone like her.”
Impact: Invective
creates a emotional impact that reveals the character’s feelings
Definition: Irony
When the opposite of what you expect to happen does.
Definition: Verbal Irony
when you say something and mean the opposite/something different
Example: Verbal Irony
a character stepping out into a hurricane and saying, “What nice weather we’re having!”
Impact: Verbal Irony
Adds depth to a story by contrasting what is said with what is meant, engaging the audience and often highlighting a character’s wit
Definition: Dramatic Irony
When the audience knows something that the character doesn’t
Example: Dramatic Irony
In Snow White the audience knows the old woman offering the apple is the evil queen in disguise, but Snow White doesn’t .
Impact: Dramatic Irony
adds engagement between the audience and the characters within the story, and creates anticipation to see how the situation will unfold
Definition: Situational Irony
when the opposite of what is expected happens
Example: Situational Irony
A fire station getting caught on fire.
Impact: Situational Irony
highlights the unexpectedness of events, surprising the audience and emphasizing the unpredictability of life, often leading to deeper reflection on themes or characters.
Definition: Juxtaposition
Placing things side by side for the purposes of comparison
Example: Juxtaposition
Night and day, good and evil, poor and rich.
Impact: Juxtaposition
creates contrast by placing two different things next to each other, making their differences stand out and helping the audience notice important details or themes
Definition: Mood
the feeling or atmosphere of a story that an author creates to evoke a specific emotional response in the reader
Definition: Motif
a recurring idea in a piece of literature
Example: Motif
a stepmother in a story will be evil and work against the daughter
Impact: Motif
reinforces themes or ideas by repeating a symbol, phrase, or image, helping to create a deeper understanding and connection throughout the story.
Definition: Oxymoron
a literary device that combines two contradictory words or phrases to create a new idea.
Example: Oxymoron
“old news”, “organized chaos”, “deafening silence”
Impact: Oxymoron
emphasizes contrasts by pairing two contradictory words, making the audience think more deeply about the meaning or situation.
Definition: Pacing
The speed or tempo of an author’s writing
Example: Pacing
fast, sluggish, stabbing, vibrato, staccato, measured
Impact: Pacing
controls the speed of the story, affecting tension and engagement based off which type is used
Definition: Paradox
a seemingly contradictory situation which is actually true
Example: Paradox
“less is more”, “the only rule is there are no rules”
Impact: Paradox
challenges the reader’s thinking by presenting a seemingly impossible statement that reveals a deeper truth
Definition: Parallelism
the repetition of a word or phrase within a sentence or group of sentences
Example: Parallelism
“Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”
Impact: Parallelism
strengthens the message by repeating similar structures, making the text more memorable and emphasizing key ideas or patterns
Definition: Anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of each line of a poem, speech, or sermon
Example: Anaphora
“Every breath you take. Every move you make. Every bond you break. Every step you take. I’ll be watching you”
Impact: Anaphora
creates rhythm and emphasizes a point by repeating the same word or phrase at the beginning of consecutive sentences making the message more powerful and memorable.
Definition: Chiasmus
When the same words are used twice in sentence, but the second time, the order of the words is reversed
Example: Chiasmus
“All for one, and one for all”
Impact: Chiasmus
reinforces ideas by reversing the structure of phrases, making the statement more impactful and memorable
Definition: Antithesis
Two opposite or contrasting words, phrases, or clauses, or even ideas, with parallel structure.
Example: Antithesis
“Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.”
Impact: Antithesis
emphasizes contrast by placing opposing ideas side by side, highlighting differences and making the overall message clearer
Definition: Zuegma
a literary device that joins two or more parts of a sentence with a single word or phrase
Example: Zuegma
“She broke his car and his heart”
Impact: Zuegma
adds surprise and humor by linking unrelated elements in a single phrase, creating a unique effect that draws attention to both ideas
Definition: Parenthetical Idea
a phrase that is not essential to the rest of the sentence
Example: Parenthetical Idea
“My father, after looking at my report card, banned me from talking with my friends.”
Impact: Parenthetical Idea
adds extra details or explains something, helping the reader understand more without distracting from the main point.
Definition: Parody
An exaggerated imitation of a serious work for humorous purposes
Example: Parody
“Saturday Night LIve”- put on a exaggeration of a current event to be funny.
Definition: Persona
The fictional mask or narrator that tells a story
