Literary Devices Flashcards
Narrative depicting abstract themes.
In an ALLEGORICAL story, things are more than what they seem.
May be a DIDACTIC kid’s fable.
ALLEGORY
Series of words in quick succession that begin with the same sound.
Peter Piper …
ALLITERATION
Indirect or passing reference to something.
ALLUSION (to ALLUDE to)
Belonging to a time other than as portrayed.
ANACHRONISM (anachronistic)
Using human traits to describe nonhuman things - literally.
CMPR to PERSONIFICATION
ANTHROPOMORPHISM (anthropomorphic)
Universally accepted truth stated in a concise, succinct way.
Could be a adage or proverb.
Eg: “to err is human, to forgive is divine” - Alexander Pope
APHORISM
Use of casual and informal language (could be IDIOMATIC slang)
COLLOQUIALISM (colloquially)
Polite way of describing something too inappropriate or awkward to address directly.
EUPHEMISM (euphemistically)
Flash to previous events to build suspense toward a big reveal or to illuminate past happenings.
FLASHBACK
Hints at events yet to come.
FORESHADOWING
Statement that grossly exaggerates the actual meaning.
HYPERBOLE (hyperbolic-al-ly)
Expressions natural to a particular period, individual, or group.
But WHEREAS:
IDIOM: Expression with a non literary meaning (pulling my leg, getting to the bottom of it).
IDIOMATIC (idiomatically)
Appeals to the senses through descriptive language.
IMAGERY
Creates a contract between how things “should” be, and how the really are.
IRONY (ironic-al-ly)
Places dissimilar concepts side-by-side to profoundly contrast their difference.
Eg. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” - Charles Dickens
JUXTAPOSITION (juxtapose-d)
The signature literary device of the double negative.
LITOTES (pronounced: lie-toe-teez)
Style of speech used by a particular person.
Person’s phraseology or parlance.
Talkative: LOQUACIOUS
Non-talkative: TACITURN
LOCUTION
Misuse of words that sound similar.
Over time, may result in a NEOLOGISM.
MALAPROPISM (malaprop)
Compares two things by positing that one is the other.
CMPR to SIMILE: does not posit two things are the same, only alike (“… is like”)
METAPHOR (metaphorical-ly)
SYMBOL, concept, or image that recurs to develop a theme.
MOTIF
Words that sound like the events to which they refer.
Eg: wiz, buzz, bang, snap
ONOMATOPOEIA (onomatopoeic)
Two contradictory words that describe the same thing.
Eg. “Sweet sorrow”
OXYMORON (oxymoronic-al)
Words spelled the same way backwards and forwards.
Longest: “tattarrattat” - coined by James Joyce in Ulysses (1922) for a knock on the door,
PALINDROME
Illogic or contradictory premises that illuminate truth.
Eg. “War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength” - George Orwell, 1984
PARADOX (paradox-ical-ly)
