literary elements Flashcards
ela test 8/28
diction
word choice
connotation
the emotions or meanings suggested by a word, phrase, or thing
denotation
a word’s literal or “dictionary” definition
metaphor
a direct comparison of two unlike things or ideas without the use of “like” or “as;” the author says one thing IS another
simile
a comparison of two unlike things or ideas through the use of the words “like” or “as”
allusion
a reference to something well-known from mythology, literature, history, the Bible. sports, or popular culture
imagery
words and phrases used by a writer to represent people, objects, actions, feelings, and ideas thatcreate images appealing to the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch
visual imagery
words and phrases that create a picture in the reader’s mind
auditory imagery
words and phrases that make the reader experience sounds when reading
olfactory imagery
words and phrases used to make readers experience smell while reading; a comparison of certain scents to common smells
gustatory imagery
words and phrases that enable readers to imagine a sense of taste when reading
tactile imagery
words and phrases that allow a reader to experience touch through description of texture and temperature
theme
the entral message of literary work. not the same as a subject, which can be expressed in a word or two. it is the idea the author wishes to convey about that subject. works can have more than one theme and they are usually a life lesson
tone
writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience, and is conveyed primarly through the author’s choice of literary elements.
rhyme
the repetition of sounds in two or more words or phrases that appear close to each other in a poem
