Literary Device Flashcards
What is Alliteration?
The repetition of initial sounds in consecutive or close words.
ex. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could…
What is Allusion?
A reference to a person, place, event or object of historical, cultural or literary significance.
ex. Chocolate was her Achilles heel.
What is Foreshadow?
Hinting or wording of a future event.
ex. Her early interest in airplanes foreshadowed her career as a pilot
What is Hyperbole?
Exaggerated statements that should not be taken seriously.
ex. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
What is Idiom?
A group of words that are understood in society to have a meaning that is not represented by the words.
ex. The tiger was blood thirsty.
What is Imagery?
The use of vivid words to represent objects, actions, characters, settings and ideas in a way that appeals to the senses.
ex. The morning covered the marigolds as I went on my morning run.
What is dramatic Irony?
When the reader knows about something in the story that the character(s) does not.
ex. A character in a horror film hides in a closet where we already know the killer / monster hiding.
What is situational Irony?
When something happens that is very different to what was expected.
ex. As the caterpillars cocoon opened, it exploded.
What is verbal Irony?
A statement made that has a different meaning than its literal wording.
ex. What nice weather we’re having (as the hurricane grows stronger).
What is Juxtaposition?
Two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
ex. In time of war you will do great violence for the cause of good.
What is Metaphor?
The direct comparison of two unrelated things in order to suggest a resemblance.
ex. Her heart is gold.
What is Motif?
A recurring element, idea or concept that has a symbolic value.
ex. Red balloons in IT → shows us he is near and also represents despair
What is Onomatopoeia?
When words imitate the sounds they represent.
ex. POW! BOOM! BARK! BAM! MOO!
What is Oxymoron?
A self-contradicting phrase.
ex. Back to the Future
What is Personification?
Describing a nonhuman animal, force or object with human qualities or traits.
ex. The sun was staring down at me.
