Literary Devices Flashcards
Allegory
story used to represent a more general message about real life
Alliteration
series of words or phrases that all start with the same sound (typically contain ants)
Allusion
indirect reference to a figure, place, event, or idea originating from outside the text
Anachronism
error in the chronology or timeline of a text
Anaphora
word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of multiple sentences (we shall fight, listing numerous places)
Anthropomorphism
when something nonhuman (animal, place, inanimate object) behaves in a human like way (mickey mouse)
Antithesis
juxtaposition of structurally parallel words for contrast (fight or flight)
Apostrophe
form of personification, dead or absent are spoken to directly
Asyndeton
no conjunctions (by the people, for the people)
Colloquialism
language and slang, sense of realism
Epigraph
author inserts a famous quotation and beginning of larger text, typically written by a different writer
Epistrophe
similar to anaphora, but at the END of successive statement (no negro problem, no southern problem, no northern problem)
Euphemism
when a more mild or indirect word or expression is used in place (i’m so sorry, but he didn’t make it)
Irony
statement is used to express an opposite meaning than the one literally expressed by it (verbal is when someone says something but means the opposite, situational irony is when something happens that’s the opposite of what was expected, dramatic irony is when the audience is aware of true intentions or outcomes
Juxtaposition
comparing the contrasting or two or more different ideas (usually used to help create a clearer picture of the characteristics of one object or idea by comparing it with those another) (it was the best of times, it was the worst best of time)
Malapropism
incorrect word used in place of a word that has a similar sound (dance the flamingo /flamenco)
Metonym
related word or phrase used substituted for actual thing referred (poetic or rhetorical effect, pen is mightier than the sword)
Paradox
statement that appears illogical or self-contradictory, might be true ,oxymoron but phrase)
POV
perspective (first person=i, second person=you, third=he/she/they, omniscient=narrator knows everything, including thoughts)
Pun
play on words that have same sound but diverse meanings
Rhyme
end rhyme=end of line, slant rhyme=close, internal rhyme=within the line, rhyme scheme=how we label/identify end patterns rhyme in poems ABAB
Sarcasm
opposite what you mean, verbal irony, but put down
Satire
genre of writing that criticizes something
Soliloquy
monologue, speak aloud to themselves, show inner conflict/feelings
