Poetry - Literary Devices Flashcards
Similie
a strong comparison using a connecting word such as like or as.
- a sound like the pitter-patter of raindrops:
- a girl as pretty as a picture
Metaphor
Identification of one thing as, or in terms of, a very different thing without the use of like or as.
- He felt as though his home had become a prison;
- She was the apple of her mother’s eye
Alliteration
Repetition of initial sounds of stressed syllables near enough to each other to make it noticeable.
- Sounds of silence;
- wild winds whipped her hair
assonance
The repetition of vowel sounds in syllables near enough to each other to make it noticeable.
- time can’t hide the lies;
- Feel the need for sleep
personification
Attribution of human qualities to non-human objects or two abstractions.
- the wind whispers;
- the stream murmurs; justice cries out
imagery
vivid descriptive language that appeals to any of the senses.
- cold stare; sweet honey;
- dizzying heights
end rhyme
repetition of terminal sounds of words at the ends of two or more lines.
- you’ve come a long way/ just to see a new day
symbolism
an object, condition or action that represents something else within a certain context.
- shabby clothes may represent poverty;
- a dove may represent hope;
- the colour green may represent new life
onomatopoeia
words that sound like the items or actions they name or refer to.
- whisper; crackle; flutter
paradox
a statement or concept that contains conflicting ideas.
- cruel to be kind;
- he must go to war to make peace;
- this is the beginning of the end
abstract noun
refers to an idea, state, quality or emotion
accent (in annotation)
a mark on a letter or syllable in a word to indicate pitch, stress or vowel quality
aesthetic value
the impact a literary text has on its audience, how it stimulates the senses, emotions and memory
analyse
to examine in detail in order to discover meaning and essential features
audience
the intended group of readers, listeners or viewers that the writer, designer, filmmaker or speaker is addressing
bade
greeted
ballad
a narrative poem that tells a story and often has a musical quality
chorus
a part of a song that recurs at intervals, usually following the verse or bridge
clime
climate
cohesion
grammatical or lexical relationships that bind different parts of a text together and give it unity.
colonial
relating to a period in Australian history before federation
context
the environment in which a text is responded to or created. Context can include the general social, historical and cultural conditions in which a text is responded to and created.
determiners
point to a specific person or thing: this one, that one, her one etc.
direct speech
what someone has said or written using exact quotes
erratic
an irregular pattern; unpredictable
evaluative language
positive or negative language that judges the worth of something. It includes language to express feelings and opinions, to make judgments about aspects of people, such as their behaviour, and to assess the quality of objects.
figurative language
word groups/phrases used in a way that differ from the expected or everyday usage.
foeman
enemy
foetid
having a stale, nauseating smell
idiom
a form of expression peculiar to a language.
imagery
vivid descriptive language that appeals to your senses. It helps you to paint pictures in your mind.
line length
the length of a line of poetry
lyrical
having the form and musical quality of a song
marauder
one who raids or invades
narrative
a story of events or experiences, real or imagined
pallid
pale; lacking in vitality
plot
elements the elements of a narrative text, for example, orientation, complication, climax and resolution
plunder
steal
rhyme
the repetition of the final sound of a word
pattern
identified by using corresponding letters of the alphabet to represent rhyming patterns
rhythm
the pattern of irregular or regular stressed or unstressed syllables in words
scorn
reject or refuse
social value
refers to whether the text is worthwhile and significant to society, and reflects the views, attitudes and beliefs of the historical or cultural context in which it is produced
squatter
farmer of sheep or cattle
stanzas
verses in a poem
symbolism
a word or image signifying something other than what it literally is
torrent
a rushing stream of water
tricolon
a series of three parallel words, phrases or clauses. It is used when there are two or more clearly defined parts of a sentence, usually clauses that
are increasing in power and importance, for example, ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.
troopers
mounted police officers
verbatim
in exactly the same words; quoted word for word
