Literary devices Flashcards
Antagonist
In drama or fiction, the antagonist opposes the hero or protagonist
anti-hero
The anti-hero is one who is incompetent, unlucky, tactless, clumbsy
Prose
Written language in its usual form, as written in articles short stories etc. as opposed to poetry
stream of consciousness
a way of showing the contionius flow of a character’s thoughts and feelings without using the usual methods of descriptions or conversations
style
how a particular writer expresses himself, including the writers choice of words, his figures of speech, the lengh of the sentences
theme
the main idea or subject of a writing. what the writing is about.
allegory
a story with a double meaning, where events and characters represents ideas or teach a moral lesson
euphemism
using a mild or less negative word or phrase for a more direct one, usually used to not upset people. to pass away, instead of die
personification
sometimes a poet writes of an object as if it is a person
simile
an expression that describes something by comparing it with something else, e.g. using as or like. as. white as snow
alliteration
words with the same sound or the same letter are placed together. we lurk straight, we plant straight, we are plants
assonace
is the effect created when two syllables in words that are close together have the same vowel but different consonants, or the same consents but different vowels. “The lotus bloom below the barren peak. the lotus blows by every winding creek.
hyperbole
a way of describing something by saying it is much bigger, smaller or worse than it actually is. The chair weights a ton!
onomatopoeia
the use of words that sound like the thing that is described. cuckoo, boom, pop, fizz, hiss, splash, whizz, whoop, hush.
oxymoron
putting together words that seem to contradict each other: bittersweet.
paradox
a statement that is contradictory or absurd to the surface, but which forces the reader to look for a deeper meaning. freedom is slavery, war is peace.
