R/J Literary Devices Flashcards
Reference to something outside of the work, usually mythical or historical
Allusion
A recurring and familiar pattern in literature, like a journey or a wise old man
Archetype
When a character in a play speaks to the audience and not the other characters
Aside
Repetition of an internal vowel sound
Assonance
A word or phrase that. Is overused, like “busy as aa bee” or “I slept like a log”
Cliché
Repetition of the beginning consonant sound
Alliteration
The use of clues that suggest events yet to come
Foreshadowing
Words that describe sights, sounds, movements, and recreate sensory experience
Imagery
A speech or performance given entirely by one person or one character
Monologue
Two words used together that contradict each other as. In icy fire or sweet sorrow
Oxymoron
A statement that seems to be contradictory but that actually presents the truth
Paradox
Repetition of phrases that have similar grammatical patterns
Parallelism
The assumed or false name of an author
Pseudonym
Speech delivered by a character when he is alone on stage
Soliloquy
Short summary of a funny event
Anecdote
A word or phrase used in a place of a person’s name to help characterize the person
Epithet
When a character ‘gets what he deserves’
Poetic Justice
The ordinary form of written language, not poetry, drama or song
Prose
A play on words when a word has more than one meaning
Pun
A narrative technique, or point of view, that presents thoughts as if they were coming straight from a character’s mind, with story events and character feelings combined
Stream of Consciousness
