Literary Terms Flashcards
Flashback
the method of returning to an earlier point in time for the purpose of making the present clearer
Foreshadowing
hint of what is to come in a literary work
Hyperbole
extreme exaggeration to add meaning
Imagery
language that appeals to the five senses
Dramatic Irony
when the reader or audience knows something a character does not
Situational Irony
when there is a disparity between what is expected and what actually occurs
Verbal Irony
when the speaker says one thing but means the opposite
Motif
a recurring feature of a literary work that is related to the theme
Simile
a direct comparison of dissimilar objects, usually using like or as: “I wandered lonely as a cloud”
Symbol
one thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else
Theme
the underlying main idea of a literary work. Theme differs from the subject of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the subject.
Tragic Flaw
a personality trait of a main character that leads to his or her downfall.
Tragic Hero
a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.
Allusion
a reference to something well-known that exists outside the literary work
