Week 14 Flashcards
Tenth grade literary terms.
Noun: (grammar) words that appear before nouns to indicate whether the noun is specific or general. Definite ~~~s (the) are used to identify a specific noun or group of nouns, while indefinite ~~~s (a, an) are used to identify a general noun or a noun whose identity is unknown. For example, “I want the apple” has a different meaning than “I want an apple.”
article
An unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly make reference to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas, and they do so in order to layer associations and meanings from these sources onto their own work. ~~~ can also occur in media other than literature, such as film, visual arts, or even casual conversation. If you’ve ever responded to betrayal with a dramatic cry of “Et tu, Brute?” (“You too, Brutus?”), then you’ve made an ~~~—to a famous line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
allusion
A phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, saying that something is “beyond the pale” is a way of saying that it is improper or “over the line,” but you would only know that if someone had explained it to you, or if you had been able to infer its meaning based on context.
Some additional key details:
• ~~~s are usually specific to a particular region, culture, language, or dialect, and they are often difficult to translate from one language or culture to another. • Although many ~~~s are widely understood by people within the region, culture, or language where they are used, some are less commonly used than others, and therefore would not make sense to someone who hadn't heard the ~~~ used frequently, or who hadn't has the meaning explained to them. • ~~~s become popularized through everyday spoken language, but they are widely used in writing and literature, too. Writers often use ~~~s in dialogue in order to create realistic voices for their characters, and using ~~~s can also more generally make writing seem down-to-earth and accessible.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
idiom
A type of figurative language that describes something by comparing it to something else with the words “like” or “as.” Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re gonna get.” (Note: different from “metaphor” as metaphor ordinarily doesn’t use “like” or “as.”)
simile
A figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.
Here are the basics:
It states that one thing is another thing
It equates those two things not because they actually are the same, but for the sake of comparison or symbolism
If you take it literally, it will probably sound very strange (are there actually any sheep, black or otherwise, in your family?)
Often used in poetry, literature, and anytime someone wants to add some color to their language
Examples:
She got cold feet.
Love is a battlefield.
Silas is a couch potato.
You are my shining star.
Note: Differs from “simile” in that similes do not directly state that something is something else; instead, similes use “like” or “as” to compare two things, i.e., “I’m as busy as a bee.”
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from grammarly.com)
metaphor
A figure of speech that combines contradictory words with opposing meanings, like “old news,” “deafening silence,” or “organized chaos,” often used poetically as a way of bringing out a fresh meaning in a word or phrase. The term itself is an ancient Greek word, which translates most closely to something like “sharply dull” or “cleverly stupid.”
Some examples: alone together, bittersweet, jumbo shrimp, original copy, same difference, small crowd, virtual reality
These literary devices present an ideal opportunity to be clever or funny. The inherent setup of contradictory words works great for jokes and other witty statements. Consider these examples:
“I am a deeply superficial person.” —Andy Warhol
“I distinctly remember forgetting that.” —Clara Barton
“A damned saint, an honorable villain!” —William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from grammarly.com)
oxymoron
A type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, “The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent to their plans.” Describing the rain as “indifferent” is an example of ~~~, because rain can’t be “indifferent,” nor can it feel any other human emotion. However, saying that the rain feels indifferent poetically emphasizes the cruel timing of the rain. ~~~ can help writers to create more vivid descriptions, to make readers see the world in new ways, and to more powerfully capture the human experience of the world (since people really do often interpret the non-human entities of the world as having human traits).
Some additional key details about ~~~:
• ~~~ isn't exclusive to the use of human attributes to describe non-human things. If a writer describes a non-human thing as performing a human action, the writer using ~~~. The sentence, "The rain mocked the wedding guests' plans," qualifies as ~~~ just as much as the sentence, "The rain was indifferent," does. • The word "~~~" has another, separate meaning from its function as a literary device. The word can also be used to indicate that someone embodies a certain quality or concept. For instance, some people think that the Queen of England is the ~~~—or the embodiment—of civility. However, that represents a different use of the word from the literary use.
More examples:
The waves winked in the sunlight.
The wind played hide-and-go-seek among the trees.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
personification
A figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the “b” sound in: “Bob brought the box of bricks to the basement.” The repeating sound must occur either in the first letter of each word, or in the stressed syllables of those words.
Some additional key details:
This form of figurative language involves the repetition of sounds, not just letters.
The words don’t have to be right next to each other. Other words can appear between them.
This type of writing is often found in poetry and prose, as well as in commercial writing like brand names and marketing taglines.
Example from the Prologue to Romeo and Juliet:
This example from lines 5-6 of the Prologue of Romeo and Juliet has two sets of this figure of speech — one with “f” sounds and one with “l” sounds.
“From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life;”
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
alliteration
A figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. The “boom” of a firework exploding, the “tick tock” of a clock, and the “ding dong” of a doorbell are all examples.
Some additional key details:
• This technique can involve the use of real words, made-up words, or just letters used to represent raw sounds (as “Zzzzzz” represents someone sleeping or snoring). • Advertising, branding, and slogans often use this device: “Snap, crackle, pop.” • Its use can differ across cultures and languages, even when referring to the same sound. A dog’s “woof” in English is a dog’s “bau” in Italian.
Everyday plain language can be pretty dull. Consider this example:
“The car drove fast down the street and turned quickly at the corner.”
There’s nothing wrong with this sentence and it conveys meaning in a clear way. But, now consider this revision of the same sentence:
“We heard the vroom of the car’s engine as it whizzed by and screeched around the corner.”
The use of ~~~ makes the sentence a lot more vivid and descriptive.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
onomatopoeia
noun/adjective: sadness/causing or showing sadness; “the bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for ~~~.”
melancholy
article
Noun: (grammar) words that appear before nouns to indicate whether the noun is specific or general. Definite ~~~s (the) are used to identify a specific noun or group of nouns, while indefinite ~~~s (a, an) are used to identify a general noun or a noun whose identity is unknown. For example, “I want the apple” has a different meaning than “I want an apple.”
allusion
An unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Writers commonly make reference to other literary works, famous individuals, historical events, or philosophical ideas, and they do so in order to layer associations and meanings from these sources onto their own work. ~~~ can also occur in media other than literature, such as film, visual arts, or even casual conversation. If you’ve ever responded to betrayal with a dramatic cry of “Et tu, Brute?” (“You too, Brutus?”), then you’ve made an ~~~—to a famous line from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
idiom
A phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, saying that something is “beyond the pale” is a way of saying that it is improper or “over the line,” but you would only know that if someone had explained it to you, or if you had been able to infer its meaning based on context.
Some additional key details:
• ~~~s are usually specific to a particular region, culture, language, or dialect, and they are often difficult to translate from one language or culture to another. • Although many ~~~s are widely understood by people within the region, culture, or language where they are used, some are less commonly used than others, and therefore would not make sense to someone who hadn't heard the ~~~ used frequently, or who hadn't has the meaning explained to them. • ~~~s become popularized through everyday spoken language, but they are widely used in writing and literature, too. Writers often use ~~~s in dialogue in order to create realistic voices for their characters, and using ~~~s can also more generally make writing seem down-to-earth and accessible.
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from litcharts.com)
simile
A type of figurative language that describes something by comparing it to something else with the words “like” or “as.” Example: “Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you’re gonna get.” (Note: different from “metaphor” as metaphor ordinarily doesn’t use “like” or “as.”)
metaphor
A figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.
Here are the basics:
It states that one thing is another thing
It equates those two things not because they actually are the same, but for the sake of comparison or symbolism
If you take it literally, it will probably sound very strange (are there actually any sheep, black or otherwise, in your family?)
Often used in poetry, literature, and anytime someone wants to add some color to their language
Examples:
She got cold feet.
Love is a battlefield.
Silas is a couch potato.
You are my shining star.
Note: Differs from “simile” in that similes do not directly state that something is something else; instead, similes use “like” or “as” to compare two things, i.e., “I’m as busy as a bee.”
(Definition retrieved and lightly modified from grammarly.com)
