Literary Devices Flashcards
Allegory
a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict abstract ideas and themes. Example: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Alliteration
describes a series of words in quick succession that all start with the same letter or sound. Example: peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of a series of clauses or sentences. Example: I have a dream speech by MLK
Aphorism
a universally accepted truth stated in a concise, to-the-point way. Aphorisms are typically witty and memorable, often becoming adages or proverbs as people repeat them over and over. Example: to err is human, to forgive divine
Archetype
a “universal symbol” that brings familiarity and context to a story.
Chiasmus
is when two or more parallel clauses are inverted. Example: don’t pass through the school, let the school pass through you
Colloquialism
is the use of casual and informal language in writing, which can also include slang. Basically the use of informal register in writing
Dramatic Irony
when the reader knows more about something in the book than one of the characters does.
Euphemism
an indirect, “polite” way of describing something too inappropriate or awkward to address directly. Example: kicked the bucket
Exposition
when the narrative provides background information in order to help the reader understand what’s going on
Flashback
Flashbacks to previous events split up present-day scenes in a story, usually to build suspense toward a big reveal. Flashbacks are also an interesting way to present exposition for your story, gradually revealing to the reader what happened in the past.
Foreshadowing
is when the author hints at events yet to come in a story. Similar to flashbacks (and often used in conjunction with them), this technique is also used to create tension or suspense
Hyperbole
Exaggeration. Example: I have not seen you in a billion years
Hypophora
A rhetorical question, but the character answers it themselves.
In media res
a Latin term that means “in the midst of things” and is a way of starting a narrative without exposition or contextual information. It launches straight into a scene or action that is already unfolding. Example: “Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” — The opening line of One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Irony
creates a contrast between how things seem and how they really are.
Isocolon
when two or more phrases or clauses have similar structure, rhythm, and even length — such that, when stacked up on top of each other, they would line up perfectly.
Juxtaposition
places two or more dissimilar characters, themes, concepts, etc. side by side, and the profound contrast highlights their differences.
Litotes
the signature literary device of the double negative. Examples: you won’t be sorry
Malapropism
when similar-sounding words replace their appropriate counterparts, typically to comic effect Example: “She was the very pineapple of politeness:’ substituting “pineapple” for “pinnacle.”
Paradox
it’s a statement that asks people to think outside the box by providing seemingly illogical. Example: In George Orwell’s 1984, the slogan of the totalitarian government is built on paradoxes: “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.”
Polysyndeton
Instead of using a single conjunction in a lengthy statement, polysyndeton uses several in succession for a dramatic effect. Examples: the excessive use of ‘and’.
Soliloquy
Soliloquy involves a character speaking their thoughts aloud, usually at length
Soliloquy
Soliloquy involves a character speaking their thoughts aloud, usually at length
