Literary Terminology Flashcards
Irony
A contradiction between what is expected and what actually occurs, or it is a contradiction between what is said and what is actually meant. There are three basic types: verbal, situational, and dramatic.
Simile
Figure of speech comparing two dissimilar things using the words like or as, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid. Examples: as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox
Metaphor
Figure of speech that identifies something as being the same as some unrelated thing for rhetorical effect, thus highlighting the similarities between the two. Examples: He is a pig. Thou art sunshine.
Verbal Irony
When words express something contrary to truth or someone says the opposite of what they really feel or mean; it is often sarcastic.
Imagery
An author’s use of vivid and descriptive language to add depth to their work. Appeals to human senses to deepen the reader’s understanding. Example: When the evening is spread out against the sky.
Personification
The attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
Dramatic Irony
When an audience perceives something that a character in the literature does not know.
Foreshadowing
A writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story. It often appears at the beginning of a story, or a chapter, and it helps the reader develop expectations about the upcoming events.
Flashback
An interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story.
Satire
A literary device used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, often with the intent of correcting, or changing, or shaming individuals, corporations, government or society inself, into improvement. Usually meant to be humorous, with a greater purpose of using the wit to draw attention to wider social issues.
Situational Irony
It occurs when incongruity appears between expectations of something to happen, and what actually happens instead. Example: A firehall burning down.
Allusion
A brief reference to a person, event, or place - real or fictitious - or to a work of art.
Poetic Justice
An outcome in which vice is punished and virtue rewarded usually in a manner peculiarly or ironically appropriate. Ex: After the way he treated his staff, it was evident that he lost his job.
Suspense
The intense feeling that an audience goes through while waiting for the outcome of certain events. It basically leaves the reader holding their breath and wanting more information.
Hyperbole
From a Greek word meaning “excess,” is a figure of speech that uses extreme exaggeration to make a point or show emphasis. It is the opposite of understatement.
Symbol
literary device that contains several layers of meaning, often concealed at first sight, and is representative of several other aspects, concepts or traits than those that are visible in the literal translation alone. Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.
Epiphany
that moment in the story where a character achieves realization, awareness, or a feeling of knowledge, after which events are seen through the prism of this new light in the story.
Pathetic Fallacy
The attribution of animate or human characteristics (often emotions) to nature, as especially when rocks, trees, or weather are portrayed as reacting in sympathy to human feelings or events. It’s a type of personification. Ex 1: “The cruel, crawling foam.” - the foam is not cruel, nor does it crawl. Ex 2: A sunny day when a character is happy.
Anthropomorphism
The interpretation of a nonhuman animal, event, or object as embodying human qualities or characteristics.
Euphemism
A less provocative or milder term used in place of a more explicit or unpleasant one.
Juxtaposition
Ideas, people, images, or objects placed next to one another to highlight their differences.
Paradox
An apparent contradiction that, upon further unravelling, may contain truth, used for effect on the reader.
Consonance
The repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds in succession.
Synecdoche
An instance of a part representing a whole or vice versa.
Allegory
A work that symbolizes or represents an idea or event.
Alliteration
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
Extended Metaphor
Variations on the same comparison used throughout a piece of writing
Understatement
Intentionally down-playing a situation
Pun
A deliberate play on different meanings of the same word
Rhetorical Question
Phrasing a question so that the answer is obvious/unnecessary
Antithesis
Juxtaposition through parallel grammatical structure
Diction
An author’s word choice (ie., choosing one word instead of another)
Connotation
The implied meaning of a word beyond its literal definition
Denotation
The literal meaning of a word
Colloquial Language
Informal language
Slang
A unique expression that usually belongs to a group or subculture
Emotive Language
Words chosen to provoke emotions in the reader
Jargon
Specialized words/terms that belong to a particular profession, hobby, etc.
Cliche
An overused expression
Tone
Author’s attitude toward the subject matter/audience of the text
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds
Onomatopoeia
A word that imitates the natural sound of the thing
Sibilance
Repetition of the ’s’ sound
Noun
A person, place, or thing
Adjective
A word that describes a person, place, or thing
Pronoun
A word that replaces a name
Verb
An action word
Adverb
A word that describes a verb
Conjunction
A word that joins two separate sentences
Dialogue
Direct speech between two or more characters
Imperative
A command
Repetition
Repeated words or phrases
Listing
A sequence of names, objects, descriptions
Triple Construction
The use of a pattern of three
