Literary Terms Flashcards
What is Author’s Purpose?
The reason the Author writes the story
EX: Is a reflection of the way the Author writes about a topic
What are Rhetorical Devices?
Figurative language such as repetition or parallelism to effect an audience
EX: Repeated sounds or words
pattern of words or sentences.
What is a Symbol?
Object, person or place that stands for something else
EX: a flag stands for freedom
What is a theme?
underlined message the author wants the reader to understand
EX: most common themes are “love”, “forgiveness”, “dedication”
what is an inference?
Prediction in the story; Logical assumption
EX: you predict what will happen next with text clues
What is Parallelism?
Pattern of words or sentence structure
EX: if you mouse a cookie…
What is Repetition?
Repeated sounds or words for emphasis
EX: let it snow let it snow
What is Text structure?
Arrangement of the story is it a Novel poem, essay?
EX: Sequence, Process description, Time order proposition, Compare Contrast, Problem Solution.
What is a Simile?
Using like or as to compare two unlike things using like or as
EX: He is as busy as a bee
What is Supporting Textual Evidence?
Material to prove a claim
EX: citations
What is a Metaphor?
Comparing two unlike things without using like or as
EX: he is a busy bee
What is Claim/Point of view?
Refers to the method of Narration used in a short story novel. EX: First person, Second person, Third person, Third person limited/Omniscient
What is Mood?
Is the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader. EX: *Tone, Descriptive words, Imaginary/Figurative
What is Foreshadowing?
A writer’s use of hints or clues to suggest events that will occur later in a story. EX: Suspense, Surprises. *Juan doesn’t go out and about so he doesn’t lose his sharp censor skills.
What is Extended Metaphor?
Figure of speech that compares two essentially unlike thing at some length and in several.
What is Pace?
Speed of the story. EX: slow, medium, fast. *Juans promotions started happening sooner and sooner.
What is Author’s Tone?
Author’s attitude toward his or her subject. Sharp tone.
Irony: Verbal/situational/Dramatic
Irony is a special kind of contrast between appearance and reality. Situational irony, Dramatic irony, Verbal irony. *The censors building had a festival air
What is Figurative Language?
Figurative language creates comparisons by linking the senses and the concrete to abstract ideas. Words or phrases are used in a non-literal way for particular effect, for example simile, metaphor, personification.
EX: metaphor, hyperbole, personification, idiom, ect.
What is Fortune’s fool?
Romeo calls himself Fortune’s fool. Romeo is discreetly referencing the prologue, where the audience learns that Romeo and Juliet are fated for misfortune. … His words bring the idea of fate and destiny back into the audience’s mind.
What is Tragic hero?
a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat:
EX:In Star Wars, Anakin Skywalker’s fear of losing his loved ones drives him to join the Dark Side, embracing evil powers in a twisted attempt to save them.
What is foil?
a character who is presented as a contrast to a second character so as to point to or show to advantage some aspect of the second character. …
EX:Watson is a perfect foil for Holmes because his relative obtuseness makes Holmes’s deductions seem more brilliant.
What is pun?
A pun is a literary device that is also known as a “play on words.” Puns involve words with similar or identical sounds but with different meanings. Their play on words also relies on a word or phrase having more than one meaning. Puns are generally intended to be humorous, but they often have a serious purpose as well in literary works.
EX:For example, the if you were to attend a lecture about managing finances entitled “Common Cents,” this features a pun. The play on words is between “cents,” as in coins, and “sense,” as in awareness.
