Literary Devices AP Lit Flashcards
pun
a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings
allusion
a reference to another work of literature, person, or event
analogy
a comparison of two different things that are similar in some way
imagery
description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
symbolism
a device in literature where an object represents an idea
flashback
a method of narration in which present action is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events
foreshadow
be a warning or indication of (a future event)
dialect
a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group
suspense
a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen
irony
the expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect
verbal irony
a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant; sarcasm
situational irony
an outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected
dramatic irony
when a reader is aware of something that a character isn’t
motif
a recurring theme, subject or idea
aphoria
without mood, mental feeling
