List Flashcards
Aphorism
A concise statement designed to make a point or illustrate a commonly held belief. The
writings of Benjamin Franklin contain many aphorisms, such as “Early to bed and early
to rise/Make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Apostrophe
A figure of speech in which a person, thing, or abstract quality is addressed as if present;
for example, the invocation to the muses usually found in epic poetry.
Oxymoron
A figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, as in “jumbo
shrimp” or “deafening silence.”
Allusion
A figure of speech which makes brief, even casual reference to a historical or literary
figure, event, or object to create a resonance in the reader or to apply a symbolic meaning
to the character or object of which the allusion consists. For example, in John Steinbeck’s
Of Mice and Men, the surname of the protagonist, George Milton, is an allusion to John
Milton, author of Paradise Lost, since by the end of the novel, George has lost the dream
of having a little ranch of his own to share with his friend Lennie
Syllogism
A form of deduction. An extremely subtle, sophisticated, or deceptive argument
Satire
A literary style used to make fun of or ridicule an idea or human vice or weakness
Bildungsroman
A novel or story whose theme is the moral or psychological growth of the main character.
Devices
A particular word pattern or combination of words used in a literary work to evoke a
desired effect or arouse a desired reaction in the reader
Foil
A person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast
Epistolary
A piece of literature contained in or carried on by letters
Epitaph
A piece of writing in praise of a deceased person
Parody
A satirical imitation of a work of art for purpose of ridiculing its style or subject.
Delayed sentence
A sentence that withholds its main idea until the end. For example: Just as he bent to tie
his shoe, a car hit him.
Expletive
A single word or short phrase intended to emphasize surrounding words. Commonly,
expletives are set off by commas. Examples: in fact, of course, after all, certainly
Irony
A situation or statement characterized by significant difference between what is expected
or understood and what actually happens or is meant. Irony is frequently humorous, and
can be sarcastic when using words to imply the opposite of what they normally mean
Eulogy
A speech or writing in praise of a person or thing; an oration in honor of a deceased
person
Paradox
A statement that seems contradictory, but is actually true.
Epiphany
A sudden or intuitive insight or perception into the reality or essential meaning of
something usually brought on by a simple or common occurrence or experience
Onomatopoeia
A word capturing or approximating the sound of what it describes, such as buzz or hiss.
Diction
An author’s choice of words to convey a tone or effect
Utopia
An imaginary place of ideal perfection. The opposite of a dystopia. —An imaginary place
where people live dehumanized, often fearful lives.
