Literary Devices Flashcards
Antimetabole
the repetition of words in reverse order for emphasis
E.g. When the going gets tough, the tough get going
Chiasmus
Repetition of grammatical structures without the repetition of same words
E.g. It’s hard to make time, but to waste it is easy
Epanalepsis
The same word or words both begin(s) and end(s) a phrase, clause, or sentence
E.g. “Nothing is worse than doing nothing.”
Epiphora/Epistrophe
repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses
E.g. As Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry. On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry.
Anaphora
repeating a sequence of words at the beginnings of neighboring clauses
E.g. Be bold. Be brief. Be gone.
Epizeuxis
successive repetition without any words in between
E.g. Never give in — never, never, never, never!
Diacope
Repetition of words, separated by a small number of intervening words
E.g. To be or not to be
Anadiplosis
Repetition is separated by a line break rather than words; repetition of last word of first clause and first word of second clause
E.g. While driving, whenever you see a big red hexagon, the big red hexagon means you should stop the car.
epistolary
A literary work in the form of letters
dichotomy
A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.
Absurdism
Tension, searching for meaning in hopelessness, Ironical search and faith.
The universe is irrational and meaningless; writing style that explores the absurdity of life: how humans try to find meaning, yet the universe refuses to provide any.
Aphorism
a clever, short statement revealing a dichotomous truth
“To err is human; to forgive is divine”
Aesthetics
Beauty of a text
Style of writing of Victorian writers where the beauty of a text is more important than it’s novelty and originality.
Ambiguity
carpe diem
common motif in life: one must “seizing” as much wisdom as he can before the night (death) falls, make use of one’s life
catharsis
emotional relief
round character
realistic character: complex
stock character
stereotypical character
litote
like euphemism: not un… double negative
metonymy
substitution of an idea
“The sky pours down its sorrow” <= also personification
sorrow = rain
synecdoche
part represents whole
“We have given our hearts away”
heart = compassion
“out, out brief candle”
candle = life
neoclassicism
revival of classical standards of order, balanc,e and harmony
parable
allegory with moral lesson
objective vs ominescent vs limited ominescent
objective: third person with nobody as focus
ominescent: third person with everybody as focus
limited ominescent: third person with one person as focus
blank vs free verse
blank: in iambic pentameter
free: no pattern
refrain
repetition of last line in each stanza
verisimilitude
quality that makes the work believable
aposiopesis
a speaker’s deliberate failure to complete a sentence
speakless rage or esacerbation
Rhyme scheme
pattern of rhymes
AABB
couplet
ABAB
alternate rhyme
ABBA
enclosed rhyme
AAA
triplet
end-stop definition
- A line where the idea ends with that end of the line
- marked with punctuation (period, comma)
- popular with older poems (rigid conventional)
end-stop function
- whole feeling
- completeness
- comforting
Rhythm definition
- MOVEMENT, FLOW, PACING
- use action, verb words to describe
- meter and rhyme create rhythm
- rhythm ties into tone, voice
Rhythm function
- makes you feel comfortable
- propulsion: carries you forward
Rhythm examples
- not fixed, but steady
- slow
- strolling
meter definition
- pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables
Mood definition
- tone usually feeds into mood
- how the text makes you feel
enjambment definition
- idea does not end when line ends
- no punctuation at end of first line
- enjambment creates meter
enjambment function
- feels jarring, incomplete, unsteady, uncertain
- PUSH AND PULL
- rejet: stresses next word in the line
- creates drag force: falls into the next word
- discomfort
- stress, heaviness
- halting, dragging
- not wanting to move
caesura definition
- pause in line created by punctuation
caesura function
- lift and land
- “To be, or not to be—that is the question”
- conclusiveness, finality, heavy, confirmation, resignation
Em-dash definition
- like a comma
- connection to next idea
em-dash function
- continuous
- echo
Unreliable narrator definition
- usually from first person narration
- storyteller whose credibility is compromised
First person function
- relatable, empathy, intimate, closeness, personal
- internalization
Third person definition
- external narrator
Suspension of disbelief definition
- put aside logic and knowledge to fall into constructed reality within the text
- audience needs to accept fourth wall in order to fall into the ‘movie’
fourth wall definition
- glass wall between audience and characters
fourth wall function
- safety, distance
- experience text without fearing
breaking fourth wall function
- intensity, engaged, uncomfortable
second person definition
- you are responsible, you are liable
- reader is forced to be complicit
- address reader as character
