Literary Terms Flashcards
What is Author’s Purpose?
The reasoning behind why the author wrote the piece.
Ex. Persuade, Inform, Explain, Entertain
What is Rhetorical Devices?
Use of language that is intended to have an effect on its audience.
Ex. Repetition and figurative language.
What are Symbols?
A person, a place, an object, or an activity that stands for something beyond itself.
Ex. Battlefield=Grave
What is Theme?
The central idea or underlying message that the writer wants the reader to understand.
Ex. The Theme of Gettysburg is reunification.
What is Inference?
A logical assumption or conclusion that is based on observation facts and one’s own knowledge and experience.
Ex. In Night Calls I can infer that the girl’s dad is an alcoholic because she says he smells like brandy.
What is Parallelism?
When the same patterns of words or structures are used to show that two or more ideas have the same level of importance.
Ex. Gettysburg several sentences in a row with “we cannot”
What is Repetition?
A literary technique in which a sound, word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis.
Ex. The Gettysburg speech repeats “nation” several times.
What is Text Structure?
How an author arranges parts of a story.
Ex. Speech, Short Story, Letter, ect.
What is Simile?
Comparing two things by using like or as.
Ex. Cute as a kitten.
What is Supporting Textual Evidence?
Material that serves to prove a claim.
Ex. Specific page/line #s from the text.
What is Metaphor?
Comparing two things by stating one is another.
Ex. Her tears were a river.
What is Claim/Point of View?
Examine the claims made by that author.
Ex. “the author focused on the bullying.”
What is Mood?
A temporary state of mind or feelings.
Ex. Cheerful, Breathtaking.
What is Foreshadowing?
Be a warning or indication of (a future advent)
Ex. “The leaves fell early that year”
What is Extended Metaphor?
A version of Metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs or stanzas of phrase to poetry.
Ex.”Hope is the thing with feathers.”
