Literary Devices Flashcards
Analogy
A comparison of two different things, used in order to explain one thing through its similarities to a more familiar thing.
Alliteration
Repetition of similar sounds at the beginning of words.
Antithesis
Parallelism that uses two opposite ideas to create contrast.
Imagery
Vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the five senses.
Hyperbole
An over-exaggeration, used for emphasis or effect.
Metaphor
A direct comparison of two different things.
Paradox
A statement that seems contradictory (literally) but yet makes sense (figuratively).
Personification
Giving human like qualities to a non human thing.
Simile
A comparison of two different things that uses “like” or “as”
Symbolism
The use of an object to represent a more complex idea.
Allusion
An expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly.
Onomatopoeia
A formative word from a sound assosiated with what it is named.
Symbol
A mark or characteristic used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process.
Irony
The expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or empathetic affect.
Flashback
An interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story.
