Lit Terms Flashcards
(57 cards)
What is an allegory?
An allegory is a story that represents a more general message about real-life issues and/or events. It is typically an entire book, novel, or play.
Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory for the events preceding the Russian Revolution.
What is alliteration?
Alliteration is a series of words or phrases that start with the same sound, typically consonants, to give more stress to that syllable.
Example: “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
What is an allusion?
An allusion is an indirect reference to a figure, place, event, or idea originating from outside the text.
Example: “Stop acting so smart—it’s not like you’re Einstein or something.”
What is an anachronism?
An anachronism occurs when there is an intentional error in the chronology of a text, such as a character appearing in a different time period.
Example: A Renaissance king saying, “That’s dope, dude!”
What is anaphora?
Anaphora is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple sentences to emphasize the repeated phrase.
Example: Winston Churchill’s speech with the repeated phrase “we shall fight.”
What is anthropomorphism?
Anthropomorphism is when something nonhuman behaves in a human-like way.
Example: Mickey and Minnie Mouse can speak and act like humans.
What is antithesis?
Antithesis is a direct juxtaposition of structurally parallel words, phrases, or clauses for contrast.
Example: Sink or Swim; Do or Die.
What is an apostrophe in literature?
A form of personification in which the dead or absent are spoken to directly, as if present and alive.
Example: “Shakespeare! This play is so bad it would make you roll over in your grave.”
What is asyndeton?
Asyndeton is when conjunctions are omitted in a series of words or phrases to emphasize meaning.
Example: Lincoln’s phrase “…and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the Earth.”
What is colloquialism?
Colloquialism is the use of informal language and slang to lend realism to characters and dialogue.
Example: “Hey, what’s up, man?”
What is diction?
Diction refers to the author’s word choice, which can be qualified as formal, informal, pretentious, or humorous.
What is an epigraph?
An epigraph is a famous quotation or short passage inserted at the beginning of a larger text to introduce themes.
Example: The epigraph in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.
What is epistrophe?
Epistrophe is the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive statements to evoke an emotional response.
Example: Martin Luther King Jr.’s repetition of “together” in his speech.
What is a euphemism?
A euphemism is a milder or indirect expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one.
Example: “He didn’t make it” instead of saying someone has died.
What is a flashback?
A flashback is an interruption in a narrative that depicts events that have already occurred, providing background information.
Example: Most of Wuthering Heights is a flashback narrated by Nelly Dean.
What is foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing is when an author hints at what is to come later in the story through dialogue or description.
Example: A friend warning Amelia Earhart to be safe before her flight.
What is hyperbole?
Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, often used for comedic effect.
Example: “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a non-literal phrase understood by a particular group, often not making sense when translated literally.
Example: “The bees’ knees” meaning good.
What is imagery?
Imagery is when an author describes a scene to appeal to the senses, helping the reader visualize the story.
Example: Wordsworth’s description of daffodils in his poem.
What is irony?
Irony is when a statement expresses an opposite meaning than what is literally expressed, including verbal, situational, and dramatic irony.
Example: In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows Juliet is not dead, but Romeo does not.
What is juxtaposition?
Juxtaposition is the comparing and contrasting of different ideas or characters to create a clearer picture.
Example: The opening passage from A Tale of Two Cities.
What is malapropism?
Malapropism is the misuse of a word that sounds similar to the correct one, often resulting in a humorous statement.
Example: “I just can’t wait to dance the flamingo!”
What is a metaphor?
A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes one thing in terms of another, highlighting similarities without using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
Example: “What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”
What is a simile?
A simile is a type of metaphor that compares two things using ‘like’ or ‘as.’
Example: “She is as vicious as a lion.”
