Literary Devices Flashcards
Alliteration
Repetition of the first letter in a word.
Ex. (Peter piper picked a peck of peppers.)
Allusion
A reference to another piece of literature
Ex. (My farm is like the Garden of Eden.)
Allegory
A comparison of multiple aspects in he story to other ideas, often in the literal sense.
Archetype
A universally recognized symbol.
Ex. (The Hero)
Anecdotes
A short story about a real incident or person.
Anachronism
Somethings in a time period where it doesn’t belong.
Ex. (Smartphones in a movie that takes place in the 18th century)
Colloquial language
Informal or “rural” language.
Ex. (“Wanna”, “Ain’t”, “What’s up?”)
Climax
The highest point of tension or drama in the story
Comic relief
A technique used to provide a humorous moment to break the tension in the story.
Cliche
An over used expression, phrase, idea, or theme.
Ex. (Happily ever after)
Circular return
A series of events that returns to its starting point
Connotation
Refers to the additional meaning that is associated with a word or phrase.
Denotation
Refers to the dictionary definition of a word or phrase without any connotations.
Diction
The style and choices in vocabulary made by the author.
Evocative Language
Language that elicits strong emotions or memories from the reader.
Foreshadowing
Hinting at or suggesting future events or developments in a story.
Foil
A foil is a character who contrasts with another.
Flashback
The current events are interrupted by an earlier event often the memories of a character.
Hamartia
A tragic flaw or error in judgment leading to downfall.
Hubris
Excessive pride, arrogance, or overconfidence, often leading to the downfall of a character.
Hyperbole
An exaggeration used to emphasize something.
Humour
A quality communication posses that elicits laughter and amusement.
Irony
When something is the opposite of what is expected or implied.
Imagery
The use of descriptive language to create a mental picture.
