Literary Devices Flashcards
A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
ALLEGORY
Repeating the beginning consonant sound over and over for musical effect.
ALLITERATION
A reference to something or someone famous from literature, religion, history or popular culture.
ALLUSION
A person or thing seen as comparable or similar to another in design, origin, use etc.
ANALOGUE
A short account of a particular incident or event, especially of an interesting or amusing nature.
ANECDOTE
A short phrase that expresses a true or wise idea.
APHORISM
In conversation or drama, a short passage spoken in an undertone or addressed to an audience.
ASIDE
Repetition of the same vowel sound
ASSONANCE
used step by step in literature to highlight and explain the details about a character in a story
CHARACTERIZATION
The highest or most intense point in the development or resolution of a work of literature
CLIMAX
Literature of light and humorous style with a happy or cheerful ending; a dramatic work in which the central motif is the triumph over adverse circumstance, resulting in a successful or happy conclusion.
COMEDY
A literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces, usually a protagonist and an antagonist.
CONFLICT
The use of opposing elements or ideas.
CONTRAST
the very end of the story
DENOUMENT
The words that are said between characters in a novel, play, story etc.
DIALOGUE
A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
EUPHEMISM
A warning or clue that indicates an unfortunate future event.
FORESHADOWING
An obvious exaggeration of the facts to create a stronger effect.
HYPERBOLE
A group of words that help paint a picture in the reader’s mind and/or appeals to the 5 senses.
IMAGERY
Reaching a conclusion based on known facts or evidence in a work of literature.
INFERENCE
When the opposite happens from what is expected.
SITUATIONAL IRONY
Saying one thing, but meaning the opposite.
VERBAL IRONY
A direct comparison between one thing and another.
METAPHOR
A figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing or concept.
METONYMY
The atmosphere created by an author/artist/director etc.
MOOD
A just punishment for a crime committed. Getting what you deserve.
NEMESIS
A short phrase, usually two words, that brings together contradictory terms.
OXYMORON
A word whose sound echoes or suggests its meanings
ONOMATOPEIA
When parts of nature reflect human emotions.
PATHETIC FALLACY
A confusing-sounding statement which actually makes sense.
PARADOX
Giving human characteristics to objects or animals.
PERSONIFICATION
A play on words. A joke created by the sound or double-meaning of a word.
PUN
literary device which demonstrates the long and short patterns through stressed and unstressed syllables particularly in verse form.
RHYTHM
Describing the rhythms of poetry by dividing the lines into feet, marking the locations of stressed and unstressed syllables, and counting the syllables.
SCANSION (Poetry)
A comparison between two things, using “like” or “as.”
SIMILE
Tension caused by not knowing what’s going to happen, or by anticipating what’s going to happen.
SUSPENCE
A concrete object that also represents an abstract idea.
SYMBOLISM
The moral of the story. A universal lesson an author tries to teach the audience.
THEME
Attitude that a writer or speaker has towards the audience or topic.
TONE
