Literary Techniques Flashcards
Allegory
Story or narrative with two meanings; the literal meaning being clear within the story while the second is usually a hidden meaning.
Alliteration
Repetition of consonants at the beginning of successive words to create a sense of rhythm.
“Peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
Allusion
Reference to an event, person, place or other text with the intent to be noticed by readers.
Ambiguity
When something has been left to the reader’s imagination.
Analogy
Uses two similar concepts or ideas to create a relationship or draw comparisons.
“A sword is to a warrior as a pen is to a writer.”
Antithesis
Using two sentences with contrasting meanings close to one another.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Archetype
A recognisable character, concept or object that makes it easy for audiences to categorise them.
Assonance
Similar to alliteration, however it is vowel sounds that are repeated.
“A long song.”
Atmosphere
Refers to the feeling or mood created by a place, situation or text.
Characterisation
What makes characters feel like real people and is based off their morals, values and personality traits.
Cliche
A common or overused expression.
“He ran like the wind.”
Connotation
Ideas, feelings or concepts associated with specific words, phrases or situations that go beyond their literal meaning.
“Beautiful” and “cute.”
Contrast
Where two opposing things are presented together to highlight their differences.
Context
Time, place and social setting of a text, including the values of the time, world events, major topics of discussion etc.
Dramatic Irony
A situation where the audience knows information that characters do not.
Emotive Language
Words chosen to create a certain emotional response in the reader.
Euphemism
A ‘proper’ expression used to replace one that is harsh or offensive to not offend someone.
“I have to see a man about a dog,” referring to going to the toilet.
Frame Narrative
A ‘story within a story’, where the main narrative is being told by someone in the outside narrative.
Foil
A character that specifically contrasts the main character to emphasise the main character’s attributes and values.
Ex. Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter
Form
The construction and structure of a text based on the text type, context and author’s personal stylistic choices.
Figurative Language
Language, words and/or expressions that have meaning beyond their literal interpretation.
Fractured Sentences
Incomplete or broken off sentences most commonly used in dialogue.
“Wait, what are you-“
Hyperbole
Purposeful over-exaggeration of a statement in order to create a more intense or over-the-top effect.
“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
Icons
An object, image or person that symbolises something larger, usually a complex concept or theme.
Juxtaposition
Placing one character, idea, theme, object, setting etc. parallel to another in order to compare and contrast the two.
Metonymy
Referring to something not by its actual name but by a figurative name or the name of something associated with it.
“Lend me your ears!”
Modality
The strength or force of a word.
“You might want to do this.”
“You must do it.”
Motif
An idea, symbol, object, concept or theme that is always present throughout an entire text and plays a significant role in the narrative.
Omission
What is left out of a text - missing scenes, fades to black etc.
Oxymoron
Two contradictory words or concepts used together to create a strange or complex thing/idea that still makes sense.
“Eyes burning cold.”
Parallels
Involves setting up two things to be parallel to one another, reflecting each other but having different outcomes.
Pathetic Fallacy
Giving non-human objects human feelings or senses.
“The willow leaves brushed forlornly at his face, the old tree trying to comfort him.”
Sibilance
A specific form of alliteration involving the repetition of ‘s’ within a phrase or sentence.
“She sells seashells by the seashore.”
Syntax
The way a sentence is constructed - short, long, fragmented, compound, complex etc.
