Literary Techniques Flashcards
What is a simile?
A simile compares two things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Example: ‘Her smile was as bright as the sun.’
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor directly compares two things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’.
Example: ‘The classroom was a zoo.’
What is personification?
Personification gives human qualities to non-human things or ideas.
Example: ‘The wind whispered through the trees.’
What is alliteration?
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words in a sentence or phrase.
Example: ‘Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.’
What is onomatopoeia?
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate sounds.
Example: ‘The clock ticked loudly.’
What is hyperbole?
Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
Example: ‘I have a million things to do today!’
What is irony?
Irony occurs when something is the opposite of what you expect.
Example: ‘A fire station burns down.’
What is an allusion?
An allusion is a reference to another work of literature, person, or event.
Example: ‘He’s a real Romeo with the ladies.’ (Allusion to Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’)
What is foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing gives hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.
Example: ‘The dark clouds hinted at the storm coming.’
What is mood in literature?
Mood is the feeling or atmosphere the author creates in the story.
Example: ‘The spooky house made everyone feel nervous.’
What is a euphemism?
A euphemism is a mild or indirect word or expression used to replace a harsher or more direct one.
Example: ‘He passed away’ instead of ‘He died.’
What is anthropomorphism?
Anthropomorphism gives human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities, often used for animals or objects.
Example: ‘The talking animals in cartoons are often examples of anthropomorphism.’
What is an understatement?
An understatement is a figure of speech where something is presented as being smaller, worse, or less important than it really is.
Example: ‘It’s just a scratch’ (when referring to a large dent on a car).
What is anaphora?
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.
Example: ‘I have a dream that one day… I have a dream that one day…’ (from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech).
What is an allegory?
An allegory is a story or narrative in which characters and events symbolize larger themes, such as moral or political ideas.
Example: ‘George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ is an allegory of the Russian Revolution.’
What is juxtaposition?
Juxtaposition is the placement of two things side by side for comparison, often to highlight their differences.
Example: ‘In the novel, the rich and the poor characters were juxtaposed to show the disparity between their lives.’
What is an oxymoron?
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two contradictory or opposite words to create a paradoxical effect.
Example: ‘Bittersweet’ or ‘jumbo shrimp.’
What is a paradox?
A paradox is a statement that appears to contradict itself but may contain a truth.
Example: ‘Less is more.’
What is a pun?
A pun is a play on words that have multiple meanings or sound similar but have different meanings, often used for humor.
Example: ‘Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.’
What is synecdoche?
A synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or the whole represents a part.
Example: ‘All hands on deck’ (where ‘hands’ refers to people).
What is metonymy?
Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one thing is replaced with the name of something closely related.
Example: ‘The White House issued a statement’ (where ‘The White House’ represents the President or administration).
What is chiasmus?
Chiasmus is a rhetorical device in which two or more clauses are balanced against each other by reversing their structures.
Example: ‘Never let a Fool Kiss You or a Kiss Fool You.’
What is an apostrophe in literature?
Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses someone or something that isn’t present or is unable to respond.
Example: ‘O Death, where is thy sting?’
What is an anachronism?
An anachronism is something that is placed in the wrong time period.
Example: ‘A character in a Shakespearean play using a cell phone.’
