Literary Devices (EXAM) Flashcards
Imagery
An appeal to the readers 5 senses (tactile, olfactory, gustatory, visual, auditory)
Simile
An (unusual) comparison using like or as
Metaphor
An (unusual) comparison in which the first object takes on an aspect of the second
Synesthesia
The production of a sense impression relating to one sense or part of the body by stimulation of another sense or part of the body
Allusion
A reference to something historical, religious, from pop culture, mythological or political
Personification
The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form
Symbol
A person, place or thing that stands for something else
Theme
The theme is what the author wants us to know about the general truth of the story/play/work
Tone
The emotional feeling or attitude of the speaker within the text
Mood
The feelings a reader experiences from a text or pert of a text. These emotions can change throughout the piece
Synecdoche
A figure of speech whereby something is identified only by mention of a smaller part of itself
Metonymy
A figure of speech with which an author refers to something indirectly, metonymy references the name of something else with which it is associated; it differs from a regular symbol in its reliance on a name, not an object, as the associative link
Paradox
Two statements put side by side that seem to contradict each other yet give a deeper understanding
Oxymoron
Two words that contradict each other but being placed together create meaning
Verbal Irony
Using a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite
Dramatic Irony
When the reader or audience sees a characters mistakes or misunderstandings, but the character does not
Situational Irony
When the audience is expecting something and something else results
Hyperbole
An exaggeration that is not realistic
Motif
A distinctive feature or dominant idea in a literary composition
Soliloquy
A soliloquy is a long speech wherein a person speaks to no one but himself, thinks privately but aloud
Aside
Brief speeches wherein an actor on stage speaks only to him or herself or the audience, inaudible to any other character
Alliteration
The repeated first letter in multiple words or in a poetic line
Pathetic Fallacy
A change in atmosphere that affects the mood and tone of the scene
Rhyme
Correspondance of sound between words and endings of words
Onomatopoeia
The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named
Foil characters
Characters that are opposites in one or more characteristic ways; foils need not be total opposites
Direct characterization
When the author tells you a personality trait that the character has
Indirect characterization
When the author shows you character traits through the character’s actions, looks, dialogue, and interactions with other characters
