Literary Devices (EXAM)

Question 1

Imagery

Answer 1

An appeal to the readers 5 senses (tactile, olfactory, gustatory, visual, auditory)

Question 2

Simile

Answer 2

An (unusual) comparison using like or as

Question 3

Metaphor

Answer 3

An (unusual) comparison in which the first object takes on an aspect of the second

Question 4

Synesthesia

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Allusion

Answer 5

A reference to something historical, religious, from pop culture, mythological or political

Question 6

Personification

Answer 6

The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something non human, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

Question 7

Symbol

Answer 7

A person, place or thing that stands for something else

Question 8

Theme

Answer 8

The theme is what the author wants us to know about the general truth of the story/play/work

Question 9

Tone

Answer 9

The emotional feeling or attitude of the speaker within the text

Question 10

Mood

Answer 10

The feelings a reader experiences from a text or pert of a text. These emotions can change throughout the piece

Question 11

Synecdoche

Answer 11

A figure of speech whereby something is identified only by mention of a smaller part of itself

Question 12

Metonymy

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Paradox

Answer 13

Two statements put side by side that seem to contradict each other yet give a deeper understanding

Question 14

Oxymoron

Answer 14

Two words that contradict each other but being placed together create meaning

Question 15

Verbal Irony

Answer 15

Using a word or phrase to mean the exact opposite

Question 16

Dramatic Irony

Answer 16

When the reader or audience sees a characters mistakes or misunderstandings, but the character does not

Question 17

Situational Irony

Answer 17

When the audience is expecting something and something else results

Question 18

Hyperbole

Answer 18

An exaggeration that is not realistic

Question 19

Motif

Answer 19

A distinctive feature or dominant idea in a literary composition

Question 20

Soliloquy

Answer 20

A soliloquy is a long speech wherein a person speaks to no one but himself, thinks privately but aloud

Question 21

Aside

Answer 21

Brief speeches wherein an actor on stage speaks only to him or herself or the audience, inaudible to any other character

Question 22

Alliteration

Answer 22

The repeated first letter in multiple words or in a poetic line

Question 23

Pathetic Fallacy

Answer 23

A change in atmosphere that affects the mood and tone of the scene

Question 24

Rhyme

Answer 24

Correspondance of sound between words and endings of words

Question 25

Onomatopoeia

Answer 25

The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named

Question 26

Foil characters

Answer 26

Characters that are opposites in one or more characteristic ways; foils need not be total opposites

Question 27

Direct characterization

Answer 27

When the author tells you a personality trait that the character has

Question 28

Indirect characterization

Answer 28

When the author shows you character traits through the character’s actions, looks, dialogue, and interactions with other characters