literary devices Flashcards
allegory
taking something abstract, for example a concept or an idea, and give it form, convey it with things that are easier to present, to represent something complex in a simpler way
alliteration
when words are used in quick succession and begin with sounds belonging to the same sound group
allusion
the poet uses a reference, refers to something, illusion presupposes that the reader is going to know what the poet is talking about
analogy
a comparison showing how two seemingly different entities are alike
anastrophe
an alteration of the logical order of words, specifically with the order of adjective and noun, they change places
anthropomorphism
completely humanized animals
archetype
the ultimate edition/ optimate version of something, most recognizable of its kind
assonance
repetition of vowel sounds
asyndeton
poet leaves out some conjunctions that would normally be there, maintaining the grammatical accuracy
authorial intrusion
author stepping away from the text and speaking out/ addressing the reader
cacophony
usually, a lot of consonants close together, subjective, to make it sound more harsh, cacophonous
caesura
a dramatic pause, an unexpected pause, for emphasis, to separate two parts, the poet wants us to stop and think or prepare
connotation
associations that we feel, have for words, that go beyond the literal meaning
consonance
repetition of consonant sounds
denotation
the literal meaning of something
enjambment
when a line runs into the next line, and they don’t function on their own
enveloping structure
type of repetition where the beginning and the end are the same, of a line, stanza, poem
epithet
describing a place, thing, person in such a way to make its characteristics more prominent
euphemism
using a more mild, less aggressive expression than the original one
euphony
usually, a lot of vowels close together, pleasant sounding, subjective
flashback
interruption of the chronological sequence, events from the past
foreshadowing
using certain words/ hints to predict something that is going to happen
hyperbaton
any kind of alteration of the logical order of the words
hyperbole
an exaggeration, using words to overemphasize the basic statement
imagery
words, phrases, that help the reader visualize things internally, achieved through vivid descriptions
internal rhyme
rhyme that occurs within a single line of verse, or between internal phrases across multiple lines
inversion
alteration of the logical order of words, dealing specifically with the order of the subject, verb and objects
irony
the implied meaning is different from the literary meaning
juxtaposition
putting things parallel to one another to highlight the contrast between them and to compare them (Satan – God, Voldemort – Harry)
litotes
understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary
metaphor
ascribing meaning or identity to one subject by way of another
metonymy
not using the actual/ literal word for something, but instead using a word that is closely linked to it
mood
As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story
motif
can be anything (images, phrases, structural devices…) that is a distinctive repeating feature or idea in a literary work
negative capability
the ability to perceive and recognise truths beyond the reach of consecutive reasoning
onomatopoeia
mimicking sounds, can be direct mimicking or with words that sound like what we are describing (howl, whisper, grunt)
oxymoron
to take and put two contradictions together to create a new expression
paradox
closely related to oxymoron, but grander, it has a deeper level of meaning that isn’t always revealed at first glance
parallelism
Parallelism is the repetition of grammatical elements in a piece of writing to create a harmonious effect
personification
human traits/characteristics ascribed to inanimate objects, phenomena, animals (the raging wind)
point of view
determines the angle from which the reader approaches the story, it influences him
polysyndeton
using more conjunctions than needed
portmanteau
taking 2 or more words and joining them together in order to create an entirely new word
pun
a play upon words; using a word in a manner that suggests two or more possible meanings
rhyme scheme
the pattern of sounds that repeats at the end of a line or stanza.
setting
the time, place and mood of the events of the story
simile
comparison of two entities using comparative conjunctions
stanza
a group of lines within a poem, usually set off from others by a blank line
symbol
a relatively simple image stands for a more complex concept, the relation between the symbol and the meaning has to be permanent
synecdoche
a specific type of metonymy, has two subtypes
pars pro toto - using a part of something to represent the whole
totum pro parte - the whole representing the part of it
synaesthesia
used to perform conflation of the senses
theme
the main subject, the base summary of the story
understatement
to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is
willing suspension of disbelief
an intermediate state where one puts on hold the belief that the situation is not real
