Literary Terms #1 Flashcards
Metaphor
A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or Acton to which is not literally applicable or describing something y comparing it to something else, without saying “like” or “as”.
ex. He’s a couch potato
Hyperbole
A figure of speech in which exaggeration or overstatement is used for emphasis or effect.
ex. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse”
Simile
A way of describing something or a figure of speech that compares two things using the words “like” or “as” to make the comparison clear.
ex. “Cold as ice”
Oxymoron
A phrase where two words with opposite meanings are placed ne to each other, creating a seemingly contradictory statement/a statement that doesn’t make sense
ex. “deafening silence”
personification
A type of figurative language that gives human characteristics to nonhuman thigs or inanimate object.
ex. “The wind howled”
Onomatopoeia
A word that sounds like the noises it describes
ex. “buzz”
Alliteration
A literary device that is the repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of multiple words in a sentence or phrases.
ex. “whispering winds”
conflict
A serious disagreement or argument, typically about something important
The struggle that the protagonist goes through in a story
ex. “character vs self”
“character vs character”
Antagonist
A character or force that opposes or is hostile to the protagonist, an adversary
Climax
The climax is when the story is at the point of the highest tension or the turning point where the main conflict is resolved.
ex. when the hero saves the princess
Allusion
a passing reference to something well-known, like a famous person, place, event, or work of art, without explicitly mentioning it.
foreshadowing
An indication or hint by the author of a event that will happen later in a story
Irony
When events or words are the opposite of what is expected, creating a sense of surprise, humor, or deeper meaning.
ex. “The Titanic was touted as an “unsinkable” ship, yet it sank on its first voyage”
allegory
A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.
Pathos
A quality that evokes pity or sadness in the audience
Logos
The appeal to logic and reason, using facts, evidence, and clear reasoning to persuade the audience
Aside
A short comment or speech that a character delivers directly to the audience, seemingly unheard by other characters on stage or in the scene, often used to reveal though or secrets.
symbolism
Using objects, characters, settings, or events to represent abstract ideas or concepts, adding depth and layers of meaning to a text.
A figure of speech in which a person, situation, word, or object is used to represent another thing.
Anacoluthon
An unexpected discontinuity in the expression of ideas within a sentence, leading to a form of words in which there is a logical or grammatical incoherence of thought.
ex. “while in the garden, the door banged shut.”
Anecdote (needs fixing)
A brief, often amusing or interesting, narrative or story used to illustrate one particular theme, lesson, or aspect of a person’s character.
Neologism
A new word or phrase that has come into common use or a new meaning that has been given to establish word.
ex. “meme,” “sigma,”
Narrative
A spoken or written poem that tells a story, often using the both a narrator and characters. It’s told through a sequence of events, often with a beginning, middle, and end.
Plot
The sequence of interconnect events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary.
Satire
A way of writing about a flaw or failure in society by inflating it to absurdity.
The art of making someone or something look ridiculous, raising laughter in order to embarrass, humble, or discredit its targets.
Soliloquy
An act of speaking one’s thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in play.
A monologue delivered by a character while alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts and feelings directly to the audience, allowing them to understand a character’s state of mind.
Anachronism
A literary device that places someone or something associated with a particular historical time in the wrong time period
Motif
A recurring symbol, image, object, or idea that reinforces a theme or contributes to the overall meaning of a story.
Malapropism
The humorous misuse of a word that sounds similar to a correct word but is used incorrectly, creating a comical effect.
Assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together in a sentence or verse
ex.” His tender heir might bear his memory”
Character
any person, animal, or figure represented in a story, play, or other narrative work
the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
Anadiplosis
A device in which the word or phrases at the end of one clause or sentence is repeated at or near the beginning of the next
Anaphora
Anaphora in literature is a rhetorical device where a word or phrase is intentionally repeated at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences to create emphasis, rhythm, and a memorable effect
