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English > Literary Devices > Flashcards

Literary Devices Flashcards

1
Q

Acronym definition and effect on audience

A

Word formed from initial letters of other words

  • Demonstrate target audience (would know these terms), tend to be specific to topic
  • Increase perceived importance of ideas
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2
Q

Allegory definition and effect on audience

A

Narrative that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning. Personification of abstract concepts

  • Teaches moral concepts through simple narratives to help understand complex concepts
  • Author shares their own perspective through this
  • Disguise controversial topics
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3
Q

Alliteration definition and effect on audience

A
  • Repetition of same consonant sound at the beginning of words close together
  • Adds personality to the text, and draws attention, memorable
  • Sounds pleasing
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4
Q

Allusion definition and effect on audience

A

References to pop culture, hinting at something else

  • Help the reader to make comparisons
  • Can be used as foreshadowing
  • Writers let readers fill the blank (assume they understand these references regarding the theme they are trying to convey)
  • Helps readers to create an association and deepen understanding
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5
Q

Ambiguity definition and effect on audience

A

When a text has more than one interpretation or where meaning is obscure

  • Allows the reader to connect with the text and make their own meaning
  • Allows author to leave something open ended
  • Allows for doubt and complexity
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6
Q

Anachronism definition and effect on audience

A

Including a person, place, or thing which is against the time it is supposed to exist

  • Helps audience in present day understand a past text better
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7
Q

Analogy definition and effect on audience

A

Reasoning by comparison, similarities between two seemingly unrelated things

  • Helps make concept easier to grasp
  • Provides support and persuasion for comparisons, rather than stating them as simple truths
  • Abstract ideas more concrete, helps readers understand what author is trying to convey
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8
Q

Anecedotes definition and effect on audience

A

Usually in non-fiction texts, short stories significant to topic at hand about personal knowledge or experience. Show parts of character that are not part of the main narrative

  • Allows audience to connect to author
  • Make ideas more memorable
  • Bring credibility to an argument, showing what led author to form their opinion
  • Introduce pathos, used in persuasive
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9
Q

Antithesis definition and effect on audience

A

Type of juxtaposition, opposite ideas parallel to each other

  • Highlights differences
  • Memorable because extreme differences, draws emphasis
  • Makes choosing the correct idea simpler
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10
Q

Appeal definition

A

Qualities of arguments that make it persuasive by connecting to reader and their emotions like justice, freedom, money (like ethos, logos, pathos

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11
Q

Kairos

A

Refers to the timeliness of an argument, decision, or action

  • Persuade audience that argument is relevant
  • Convince reader to take immediate action
  • Appeals to emotion
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12
Q

Assumption definition and effect on audience

A

An idea unsupported by evidence

  • Suggest subjectivity and can be used for persuasive
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13
Q

Bias definition and effect on audience

A

Where an opinion affects narrative to portray certain side of an argument

  • Influence reader’s understanding and interpretation of the story
  • Purpose is to force reader to have certain opinion
  • Author has emotional attachment, can make text more personal or intriguing
  • Can help enforce the ethos, pathos, and logos
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14
Q

Dark humour definition and effect on audience

A

Makes light of topic that is normally taken very seriously

  • For humour, lighten the tone or the mood
  • Uses comedy to diffuse the pain of the difficult topic
  • A way to talk about taboo topics, make audience uncomfortable or force them to thikn about serious topic
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15
Q

Caricature definition and effect on audience

A

Exaggerates someone’s personality or physical features as a point of ridicule or satire (criticize people’s stupidity)

  • Highlights character flaws, make a commentary about a person or even a group of people/society
  • Used for humour
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16
Q

Characterization definition and effect on audience

A

Techniques used to portray a character, either directly through statements or indirectly through actions

  • Makes characters seem believable to the audience
  • Helps to understand a character better, drive the plot
  • Introduces ethos, connection or disconnection to the reader
  • Direct characterization leaves no room for ambiguity
  • Indirect characterization leaves room for the readers imagination, generate an opinion
17
Q

Imagery definition and effect on audience

A

Vivid description that appeals to reader’s senses to create a picture in their head

  • Portrays emotional experience within the text
  • Help reader connect to the text, personal experiences or memories of the reader
  • Make the story easier to imagine, set the scene
18
Q

Indirect speech definition and effect on audience

A

Reporting what someone said which was meant rather than repeating the exact words

  • May indicate some bias, it is not clear the individual actually said these exact words
  • Distances reader from information, “James told me that he hated him”, james doesn’t seem so bad as if he actually said this
19
Q

Distance of subject to camera

A

If from afar, they have less connection to the characters and objectivity

20
Q

Dramatic irony definition and effect on audience

A

The audience is aware of facts the characters are not

  • It can cause feelings of helplessness in the reader as they watch the inevitable and tragic conclusion of characters
  • Can make the reader feel wiser
  • Creates tension and suspense
  • Engages the reader, potentially evokes pathos
21
Q

Ellipisis definition and effect on audience

A

Intentional omission of words indicated by three dots

  • Allow reader to fill it with their imagination
  • Emotional effects
  • Can be used to show hestitation, a pause, or trailing off
22
Q

Euphemism definition and effect on audience

A

An expression used to disguise the real or more offsenive or unpleasant meaning, more mild

  • Softens the tone, of the reality it describes (passed away vs died)
  • Soften uncomfortable topics
  • It can mask the truth though
  • To talk about topics that sound bad or taboo or sensitive (ADH)
  • Avoid censorship, make text more accessible to more audiences because meaning can be understood by target audience without offending everyone
  • Can aid with characterization
23
Q

Hyperbole definition and effect on audience

A

Use of exaggeration and overstatement

  • Catches readers attention and emphasizes certain aspect, makes it seem important
  • Evokes an emotional response for the reader and helps understand character’s emotions
  • Create vivid emotions
  • Not meant to be taken literally
24
Q

Camera angle definition and effect on audience

A

THe position of the camera in relation to the eye level of the subject

  • Eye level is a natural angle
  • High angle makes subject seem smaller and more vulnerable
  • Low angle makes subject seem larger and more powerful (taller and stronger which makes them feel more dominent)
  • overhead “god’s eye view”
25
Q

Characterization (in photo) definition

A

Techniques used to portray a character like acting (body language, facial expression, movement), casting (choice of actor, charisma), costume, hair, makeup

26
Q

Color effect on audience

A
  • Can be used to evoke specific emotional repsonses in audiences
  • Play on well known meaning (associations) of various colours (blue is sad)
27
Q

Focus definition and effect on audience

A

Clairty in visual images. Relates with depth of field which is how much of the shot is in focus

(narrow depth of field means only immediate object is in clear focus)

  • Suggets importance based on what objects are in focus and those details of that object stand out
28
Q

Lighting definition and effect on audience

A

Illumination of a scene
Direct lighting; light shines directly on the subject (suggets drama and creates shadows)
Available lighting: use of sunlight, natural light

  • Controls atmosphere and mood
  • Focuses the attention
29
Q

Setting definition and effect on audience

A

The time, place and circumstances in which something occurs

  • Can be symbolic
  • Makes characters actions eaiser to understand
  • Helps to visualize the story

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