Literary Devices Flashcards
alliteration
several words in the same line which all begin with the same letter or sound.
allusion
literary device that makes passing references to a book, play movie, song and myths
antagonist
a person who opposes or is hostile especially to main character.
assonance
a repetition of vowel sounds in any part of a word.
caesura
a long pause or break between words
consonance
repetition of consonant sounds
context
background information of what’s happening
couplet
2 consecutive rhyming lines
foreshadowing
Dropping hints about something thats going to happen in a story before it actually occurs
free verse
the name given to poetry that doesnt use a meter or rhyme scheme
genre
type/category of book or film
haiku
a Japanese type of poem that consists of three lines with 5 syllables in the first line and 7 in the second and 5 in the third.
hubris
excessive ego and pride and arrogance leading to downfall
hyperbole
extreme exaggeration used to emphasize a point
irony
occurs when events or words that are opposite of what expected. (situational, dramatic,verbal)
metaphor
a comparison without using like or as
meter
a beat or rhythm within a line of poetry
motif
repeated pattern that reoccurs in a story
onomatopoeia
words that are spelled as they sound
(boom, buzz, doom)
paradox/oxymoron
two opposites that go together (bitter/sweet)
personification
figure of speech giving human characteristics to a non-human object
protagonist
the leading character/hero in a story
pseudonym
a name that writers use instead of there real own name.
satire/parody
a humorous or mocking imitation of something or someone
simile
a comparison using like or as
monologue
a long speech made by a character in a film,play or book
sonnet
a fixed form of poetry containing 14 lines
stanza
A series of lines grouped together in order to divide a poem
symbol
something used to represent something important
theme
the main message or lesson of the story
