Final exam - literary Flashcards
Define alliteration
The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed words
Example: ‘She sells sea shells by the sea shore.’
What is hyperbole?
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally
Example: ‘I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.’
Define personification
Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities or objects
Example: ‘The wind whispered through the trees.’
What does tone refer to in literature?
The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience
Tone can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, etc.
What is an allusion?
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of art
Example: ‘He has the Midas touch.’
Define imagery
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses
Example: ‘The warm, golden sun sank slowly beneath the horizon.’
What is a pun?
A form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term
Example: ‘Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.’
Define apostrophe in literature
A direct address to an absent or imaginary person or thing
Example: ‘O, Death, where is thy sting?’
What is irony?
A contrast between expectation and reality
Types include verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.
Define repetition
The deliberate use of the same word or phrase multiple times for emphasis
Example: ‘And miles to go before I sleep.’
What is assonance?
The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words
Example: ‘The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.’
Define metaphor
A figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things
Example: ‘Time is a thief.’
What is a simile?
A comparison between two unlike things using ‘like’ or ‘as’
Example: ‘Her smile was like sunshine.’
Define allegory
A narrative that serves as an extended metaphor, conveying deeper moral or political meanings
Example: ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell.
What is mood in literature?
The emotional atmosphere created by a piece of writing
Mood can be cheerful, gloomy, suspenseful, etc.
Define sonnet
A 14-line poem typically written in iambic pentameter
Common forms include Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnets.
What is foreshadowing?
Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story
Example: A storm brewing can foreshadow conflict.
Define oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms
Example: ‘Bittersweet.’
What is a theme in literature?
The central idea or underlying message of a literary work
Themes can include love, conflict, identity, etc.
