Literary Devices, Elements, and Figurative Language Terms

Question 1

What is Literature

Answer 1

writings in prose or verse; especially, writings having excellence of form or expression and presenting ideas of permanent or universal interest

Question 2

What is an Antagonist

Answer 2

The character who opposes the central character, causing conflict

Question 3

What is Characterization

Answer 3

Characterization uses direct and indirect methods to describe qualities and features of a person within a literary work

Question 4

What is a Climax

Answer 4

The climax marks the place in a literary work that is the most significant to the main character and/or the plot

Question 5

What is Conflict

Answer 5

Conflict is the struggle between two or more forces, internal and/or external, that drives the plot

Question 6

What is a Connotation

Answer 6

The emotional, cultural, or suggested meaning thought of when hearing a word or phrase

Ex. Your sister and I are having a talk

Question 7

What is Dialogue

Answer 7

The representation of a conversation within a literary work

Question 8

What is Figurative Language

Answer 8

The use of words to affect a meaning other than the usual or literal meaning of those words; characterized by figures of speech

Question 9

What is a Flashback

Answer 9

A scene that takes place earlier than the story’s current time

Question 10

What is Foreshadowing

Answer 10

An occurrence, feeling, or object that forewarns of an event and which is only fully understood in hindsight

Question 11

What is a Genre

Answer 11

Describes the various classifications of literary works (Ex. comedy, sci-fi, fantasy, etc.)

Question 12

What is a Plot

Answer 12

The order in which the author has chosen to convey the events of a literary work

Question 13

What is a Point of View

Answer 13

The position or positions from which a literary work is told to the reader

Question 14

What is a Protagonist

Answer 14

The main character around which a literary work usually revolves

Question 15

What is a Resolution(or Denouncement)

Answer 15

The event(s) in a story that occurs after the climax, but before the story’s actual end

Question 16

What is Setting

Answer 16

The location and the time period in which the plot takes place

Question 17

What is Style

Answer 17

How the author’s specific use of words makes his or her writing distinctive

Question 18

What is a Symbol

Answer 18

A person, place, or thing that is presented as a representation of a larger meaning

Question 19

What is Theme

Answer 19

An abstract idea (Ex. ambition, duty, fear, freedom, jealousy, love, or truth) that dominates a literary work

Question 20

What is a Figure of speech

Answer 20

A word or expression that is not meant to be interpreted in a literal sense

Question 21

What is an Alliteration

Answer 21

The repetition of a beginning consonant sound within a phrase or sentence

Ex. Sally sells seashells by the seashore

Question 22

What is an Allusion

Answer 22

A direct or indirect reference to a significant person, event, time, or work of literature

Question 23

What is an Analogy

Answer 23

An analogy compares similar concepts, characters, or works of literature so the reader better understands a difficult idea

Question 24

What is an Assonance

Answer 24

The repetition of identical or similar vowel sounds found within or at the end of words and phrases

Ex. His tender heir might bear his memory (eh sound)

Question 25

What is a Cliché

Answer 25

An expression that has been used so often that its meaning and impact are no longer effective

Ex. There are plenty more fish in the sea

Question 26

What is a Consonance

Answer 26

The repetition of * consonant sounds within or at the end of words* in a phrase or sentence

Ex. Now it is Rome indeed,
and room enough…

Question 27

What is a Euphemism

Answer 27

A polite word or phrase used in place of an offensive word or phrase

Ex. The birds and the bees

Question 28

What is a Hyperbole

Answer 28

A hyperbole uses exaggeration to provoke strong emotion, to create humor, or to make a point

Ex. I’m dying of laughter

Question 29

What is an Idiom

Answer 29

An expression that (is clear only to those who are familiar with the language of its origin and)can’t be understood based on its literal meaning

Ex. Break a leg!

Question 30

What is Imagery

Answer 30

The use of figurative language to paint a sensory picture for the reader

Ex. The sun was a giant orange orb in the sky

Question 31

What is Irony

Answer 31

What results when the actual outcome differs from what is expected

Ex. Quiet, soft-spoken little Johnny, who wouldn’t hurt a living thing on purpose, had taken a human life

Question 32

What is a Metaphor

Answer 32

A comparison of similar things or ideas without using “like” or “as”

Question 33

What is an Onomatopoeia

Answer 33

A word or words that sound like the action or thing they describe or represent

Ex. boom

Question 34

What is an Oxymoron

Answer 34

Combines two words of contrasting (differing) meanings to convey a single idea or though

Question 35

What is a Paradox

Answer 35

A statement that initially seems to contradict itself but, in fact, includes a fundamental truth

Ex. The beginning of the end

Question 36

What is Personification

Answer 36

Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects, natural forces, animals, or ideas

Question 37

What is a Pun

Answer 37

Uses similar or identical sounding words to create an alternate meaning to the sentence in which it’s used

Ex. You’re a-maze-ing

Question 38

What is a Simile

Answer 38

Compares different things or ideas by using the words “like” or “as”

Question 39

What is Dramatic Irony

Answer 39

When the reader sees the character’s mistakes or misunderstandings, but the character doesn’t

Question 40

What is Verbal Irony

Answer 40

when the writer says one thing but means another to create humor or sarcasm

Question 41

What is Irony of Situation

Answer 41

When the result is the opposite of what is expected