Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

English > Literary devices > Flashcards

Literary devices Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Alliteration

A

The repetition of the beginning consonant in a sentence. Words in a sentence start with the same consonant. The sound of a letter counts as a consonant as well.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Consonant

A

Medeklinker

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Assonance

A

The repetition of identical or similar (vowel) sounds in a sentence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Hyperbole

A

An outrageous exaggeration to emphasise a point. Extreme exaggeration.

Are used to express strong emotions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Simile

A

A figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared, usually using “like” or “as”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Metaphor

A

Comparing two unlike objects by using “is” or “was”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Onomatopoeia

A

A word that imitates the sounds it represents, it sounds the same as their meaning when said out loud.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Oxymoron

A

A figure of speech in which two words are combined that contradict each other in their literal meaning. It combines contradictory words with opposing meanings.

Examples:
A deafening silence, organized chaos, awfully good, almost exactly, old news.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Pun

A

(woordspeling)
Writers twist words and combine them in interesting ways in order to make puns. Puns depend on similar or identical sounds with different meanings or a double meaning. It’s critical that the words used in puns have different meanings in order to get the writer’s point across in an interesting way.

Examples: The population of Ireland is always Dublin and Denial is a river in Egypt.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Imagery

A

Words or phrases that use the senses or a combination of senses to create a set of mental images. Specifically using vivid or figurative speech to represent ideas, objects or actions.

Example: The air smelt salty.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Personification

A

A figure of speech which endows animals, ideas or inanimate objects with human traits or abilities. An object takes on human characteristics or actions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Repetition

A

A literary technique that writers use by repeating the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer or to add more power to a story.

The repeating of words, phrases, lines or stanzas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Enjambment

A

The running-over of a sentence or phrase from one poetic line to the next without terminal punctuation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Stanzas

A

In poetry; a series of lines grouped together in order to divide a poem (alinea)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Alternate rhyme

A

The first and third lines rhyme at the end and the second and the fourth lines thyme at the end.
(ABAB is the structure of the stanza)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Coupled rhyme

A

Two-line stanza that rhymes following the rhyme scheme AA BB CC.

It is a dual rhyme scheme.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Limerick

A

A five-line poem with the rhyme scheme AA BB A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Quatrain

A

Rhyme scheme A B AB AB CB AB BA, consisting of four lines.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

External rhymes

A

Rhyming of words at the end of lines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Internal rhymes

A

Rhyming of words withing the lines.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Iamb

A

Is a feet in which the first syllable is unstressed and the second is stressed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Trochee

A

A feet in which the first syllable is stressed and the second is unstressed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Anapest

A

A three-syllable feet in which the first two syllables are unstressed and the final syllable of the foot is stressed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Dactyl

A

A three-syllable feet in which the first syllable is stressed and the other two syllables are unstressed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Foot

A

Refers to a stressed or unstressed syllable (a pattern) the number of feet in a line is a meter.

Examples of feet: Iamb, trochee, anapest and dactyl.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Rhythm

A

Creates the pattern of language in poetry lines, marked by stressed and unstressed words. The rhythm in poetry can be described as the beat or the flow of the poem and it refers to the features of sounds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Meter

A

Describes the rhythm (or pattern of beats/ of stressed and unstressed syllables)

28
Q

Protagonist

A

Character that is clearly central to the story. All major events have some connection to this character. (hoofdpersoon)

29
Q

Antagonist

A

The character in opposition to the main character.

30
Q

Round character

A

Many sided and complex personalities (you see different sides of them).

31
Q

Flat character

A

Stereotypical characters, they only have one or two characteristics that won’t change throughout the story and those characteristics are usually over-emphasized.

32
Q

Developing character

A

Many sided personalities that change by the end of the story.

33
Q

Characterization

A

The information the author gives about the characters so that they seem like real people. The construction of a fictional character/ the creation of the image of fictional characters.

34
Q

Direct characterization

A

The author gives the descriptions himself.

35
Q

Indirect characterization

A

Character traits are revealed by action, speech and interactions. This is a subtler way of introducing characteristics.

36
Q

Theme

A

The main idea of the story. The subject of a piece of writing. The moral of a story. The underlying message the writer would like to get across.

37
Q

How to uncover / extract the theme in a story?

A
  • Look at characters and their actions, the setting and plot and conflicts.
  • Check out the titel
  • Identify repeating patterns and symbols
  • Look at hints and suggestions throughout the story
    -Details and particulars and what meaning they might have.
38
Q

Motif

A

A recurring object, concept or structure in a work of literature. A motif may also be two contrasting elements in a work, such as love and hate. It helps to strengthen the main theme. An author uses motifs to highlight the theme.

39
Q

Plot

A

The why for the things to happen in the story, it helps the reader to understand the choices the characters make. It is a series of causes and effects which shape the story as a whole.

Exposition ->(incident) -? rising action -> climax -> falling action -> resolution

40
Q

Exposition

A

Introduction, the information needed to understand the story (who’s doing what, where and why)

41
Q

Rising action

A

More things happen, the central character desires to take action. The catalyst begins the major conflict.

42
Q

Incident

A

Something happens and creates tension or unrest

43
Q

Climax

A

Turning point, the most intense moment of the story.

44
Q

Falling action

A

A few more actions after the climax, the way towards the ending of the story.

45
Q

Resolution

A

Brings the story to a close, the conclusion. All problems are solved.

46
Q

Points of view (third, first, omniscient and limited omniscient)

A

Types of points of view are:
- Third person: narrator doesn’t participate in the story as a character, but does let us know exactly how the characters feel. Usually tells us the story through one person.
Written in he/she

  • First person: narrator does participate. Can be subjective and untrustworthy (unreliable narrator)
    Written in I and me.
  • Third person omniscient: narrator knows everything about all the characters (all knowing). He tells the story through different perspectives. Thus he is a reliable narrator.
    Written in he and she
  • Third person limited omniscient: narrator whose knowledge is limited to just a number of characters.
47
Q

Setting and how to fully describe it

A

The setting is the location, time/ period of time and climate of the story. It describes the society in which the characters live and how they are influenced by cultural differences. It plays a role in how characters behave.

How to describe it:
- Geographical location
- Historical time
- Social conditions (society and its rules)
- Atmosphere (the mood or feeling developed through descriptions of senses)

48
Q

Types of conflict

A
  1. Man vs man
  2. Man vs nature
  3. Man vs supernatural
  4. Man vs society
  5. Man vs technology
  6. Man vs self
49
Q

Irony

A
  1. The difference between what someone would reasonably expect to happen and what actually does happen. You expect one thing and then a completely different thing happens.
    = Situational irony
  2. A figure of speech in which words are used that their intended meaning is different from their actual meaning (sarcasm)
    = Verbal irony
50
Q

Dramatic irony

A

The audience or the readers know something that the characters do not know about.

51
Q

Eulogy

A

A speech or piece of writing that praises someone or something highly. Written tributes to people / to honor someone who has recently deceased or did something special.

52
Q

Elegy

A

A song or a poem with a lamenting tone (mournful, sad, melancholic) that expresses loss of a family member or loved one.

53
Q

Foreshadowing

A

The author uses clues to alert the reader about events that may occur later. Used to build suspense. It often occurs at the beginning of a story or a chapter. A title can refer to upcoming events as well and thus counts as foreshadowing.

54
Q

Suspense

A

The gut feeling that something bad is going to happen.

55
Q

Euphemism

A

The use of a word or a phrase to avoid saying another word or a phrase that may be unpleasant or offensive, so to make something sound less harsh or mean. To express something in a soothing way.

56
Q

Wit

A

A natural way of using words and ideas in a quick and inventive way to create humor.

57
Q

Uncanny

A

Takes us back to our own thinking, something is new but reminds you of the past. Thinks look real but aren’t. A frightening feeling that feels oddly familiar, so it gives you the idea you have seen or experienced it before.

58
Q

Sublime

A

Overwhelming environment (nature), for example a thunderstorm. Is terrifying. The word “sublime” is used in literature to describe writing that excites the reader beyond one’s normal experience

59
Q

Frame story

A

A story in a story

60
Q

Bildungsroman

A

Is about the protagonist’s journey from childhood innocence to experience and education.

61
Q

Differences between biography and autobiography.

A

In a biography the writer writes about someone else’s life, whereas in an autobiography the author writes about his own life.
Nonfiction -> unless if author uses his own imagination to tell the story with a bit of truth in it / actual events => autobiographical fiction

62
Q

Steam of consciousness

A

A narrative style that tries to capture a character’s thought process in a realistic way. The author writes down in detail all thought processes and fantasies of their main character. It is an interior monologue.

63
Q

Pleonasm

A

Consists of an adjective and a noun of which the meaning of the adjective is already contained in the noun. So the author is using more words than necessary. Is often used to emphasize things.

Example: white snow, burning fire, a free gift and I saw it with my own eyes.

64
Q

Tautology

A

A combination of words that express the same thing. The same thing is said in different words.

Example: that house is massive, it is enormous.

65
Q

Understatement

A

To express something modestly, which often makes it look stronger. Often contains ridicule. To make it seem less important.

Example: It is nothings, it is just a small tumor on my brain. Or to say “it rained a bit more than usual when the city flooded”.

66
Q

Litotes

A

In the litotes a statement is made by negating its opposite. There is always a negation present in the sentence.

Example: you’re not wrong, you can’t say I didn’t warn you, it’s not bad, it’s not rocket science.

English (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions