Literary Devices Flashcards

Question

Define soliloquy.

Answer 1

Speech made by character alone on the stage ## Footnote Soliloquies reveal a character's inner thoughts and motivations.

Answer 2

Amusing material inserted in serious plays ## Footnote Comic relief alleviates tension and provides a break from serious themes.

Answer 3

Purging of emotions like pity and fear ## Footnote Catharsis allows audiences to experience and release powerful emotions.

Answer 4

Speech by one person ## Footnote Monologues can be crucial for character development and plot progression.

Answer 5

Situation in which the audience knows more than at least one character ## Footnote Dramatic irony creates tension and engagement for the audience.

Answer 6

A pair of rhymed lines, usually showing end of act or scene ## Footnote Rhyming couplets can provide closure or emphasize a point.

Answer 7

Person in a drama with good and bad traits who falls from a high position ## Footnote Tragic heroes often evoke sympathy and provoke thought about human flaws.

Answer 8

Error of judgment or tragic flaw which leads to downfall of a tragic hero ## Footnote Hamartia often serves as a critical turning point in the narrative.

Answer 9

Pride which leads to fall ## Footnote Hubris is a common trait in tragic heroes, often leading to their demise.

Answer 10

Main character in play, novel, or other work ## Footnote The protagonist typically drives the narrative forward.

Answer 11

Type of writing in which the writer explains, informs or persuades ## Footnote Exposition sets the stage for understanding the narrative.

Answer 12

Sequence of plot events ## Footnote The plot outlines the main events and structure of a story.

Answer 13

Question to which the answer is obvious and implied ## Footnote Rhetorical questions are often used to provoke thought or emphasize a point.

Answer 14

Device in topic sentence of paragraph connecting new topic to what has gone on before ## Footnote Paragraph hooks help maintain coherence and flow in writing.

Answer 15

The speaker’s or writer’s attitude to audience, character or material ## Footnote Tone can significantly influence the reader's perception and emotional response.

Answer 16

A literary form such as a play, novel, poem, etc. ## Footnote Genre categorizes works based on their style, structure, and content.

Answer 17

A play on words ## Footnote Puns often create humor by exploiting multiple meanings of words.

Answer 18

A brief, illustrative, usually humorous narrative ## Footnote Anecdotes can engage readers and provide relatable context.

Answer 19

Juxtaposition of two elements to emphasize their differences ## Footnote Contrast can enhance themes and character development.

Answer 20

Critical writing which holds society up to ridicule in order to improve it ## Footnote Satire often employs humor and exaggeration to critique societal issues.

Answer 21

A story in which characters and events have a continuing underlying message ## Footnote Allegories often convey moral or political lessons.

Answer 22

Referring to important people to support ideas ## Footnote Citing authority can lend credibility to arguments and claims.

Answer 23

A feeling the writing creates by words, symbols, setting ## Footnote Atmosphere influences the reader's emotional engagement with the text.

Answer 24

The primary dictionary definition of a word ## Footnote Denotation provides the literal meaning of a term.

Answer 25

The felt meaning of a word, what it suggests ## Footnote Connotations can evoke emotional responses and associations.

Answer 26

A brief reference to something ## Footnote Allusions can deepen understanding by connecting to shared knowledge.

Answer 27

Choice of words for a particular purpose ## Footnote Diction affects the tone and clarity of writing.

Answer 28

Repetition of initial consonants in a sequence of words ## Footnote Alliteration can create rhythm and enhance the musical quality of language.

Answer 29

Sensual mind-pictures created by author’s words ## Footnote Imagery engages the senses and helps readers visualize scenes.

Answer 30

Recognizable pattern in the beats or stresses in poetry ## Footnote Rhythm contributes to the musicality and flow of a poem.

Answer 31

Poet’s freedom to depart from strict rules of grammar, style, fact ## Footnote Poetic license allows for creative expression and innovation.

Answer 32

Two words side by side but opposite in meaning ## Footnote Oxymorons create paradoxical expressions that provoke thought.

Answer 33

Apparently contradictory, but true upon closer inspection ## Footnote Paradoxes challenge conventional thinking and invite deeper analysis.

Answer 34

Meaning of a word is suggested by its sound ## Footnote Onomatopoeia enhances imagery and evokes sensory experiences.

Answer 35

Natural phenomena seem to respond emotionally to human situations ## Footnote Pathetic fallacy imbues nature with human emotions, enhancing thematic elements.

Answer 36

Placing side by side ## Footnote Juxtaposition emphasizes contrasts and comparisons between elements.

Answer 37

Regular occurrence of similar sounds, usually at the ends of lines ## Footnote Rhyme contributes to the musical quality of poetry.

Answer 38

Use of sweet sounds to create a pleasant effect ## Footnote Euphony enhances the aesthetic quality of language.

Answer 39

Use of harsh sounds to create an unpleasant effect ## Footnote Cacophony can evoke tension or discomfort in the reader.

Answer 40

Pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables repeated 5 times in a line of poetry ## Footnote Iambic pentameter is a common meter in English poetry.

Answer 41

Usually short, non-narrative poem showing single speaker ## Footnote Lyric poems often express personal thoughts and emotions.

Answer 42

Song-like narrative ## Footnote Ballads often tell a story through verse and are meant to be sung.

Answer 43

14 line poem with a problem and a solution ## Footnote Sonnets traditionally explore themes of love and beauty.

Answer 44

Grouping of lines into a verse paragraph ## Footnote Stanzas organize ideas and create structure in poetry.

Answer 45

Let-down of expectations at the end of a build-up ## Footnote Anti-climaxes can create humor or provoke thought.

Answer 46

Story containing deep, moral truth ## Footnote Parables often convey ethical lessons through simple narratives.

Answer 47

Strategy(ies) used by writers and speakers to achieve particular effects ## Footnote Rhetorical devices enhance writing style and effectiveness.

Answer 48

An extended metaphor (comparison of two things) ## Footnote Analogies help clarify concepts by showing relationships.

Answer 49

A figure of speech characterized by strongly contrasting words, clauses, sentences or ideas ## Footnote Antithesis emphasizes differences and can create dramatic effect.

Answer 50

An expression used in informal conversation but not accepted universally in formal speech or writing ## Footnote Colloquialisms reflect regional or cultural speech patterns.

Answer 51

Language with emotional implications, either private, group or general in nature ## Footnote Connotative language enriches communication by adding layers of meaning.

Answer 52

Directing comments to the reader ## Footnote Direct address engages the audience and creates a personal connection.

Answer 53

A figure of speech in which indirectness replaces directness of statement ## Footnote Euphemisms soften the impact of difficult or sensitive topics.

Answer 54

To make something seem greater than it actually is; to overstate ## Footnote Exaggeration can add humor or emphasize a point.

Answer 55

Language that uses figures of speech to convey meaning ## Footnote Figurative language enhances descriptions and engages readers' imaginations.

Answer 56

The placing of a sentence element out of its normal position to gain emphasis or give poetic effect ## Footnote Inversions can create rhythm and highlight important ideas.

Answer 57

The recognition of a reality different than appearance ## Footnote Irony often highlights contrasts between expectations and outcomes.

Answer 58

A sentence grammatically complete at some point before the end ## Footnote Loose sentences can create a more conversational style.

Answer 59

The arrangement of parts of a sentence, sentences, paragraphs and larger units of composition such that one element of equal importance with another is similarly developed and phrased ## Footnote Parallelism creates rhythm and balance in writing.

Answer 60

A sentence not grammatically complete before its end ## Footnote Periodic sentences build suspense by delaying the main idea.

Answer 61

A play on words; a word with two meanings, one of which is humorous ## Footnote Puns often rely on linguistic ambiguity for comedic effect.

Answer 62

The repeating of a key word or phrase to give emphasis and rhythm ## Footnote Repetition can reinforce key concepts and enhance memorability.

Answer 63

A question used for its rhetorical effect and not requiring a reply ## Footnote Rhetorical questions can provoke thought and reinforce arguments.

Answer 64

A form of verbal irony which, disguised as praise, is a bitter expression of strong personal disapproval ## Footnote Sarcasm often critiques or mocks the subject.

Answer 65

Using loose and periodic sentences; using abnormal word order; a variation of the subject-verb-object sentence pattern ## Footnote Sentence structure affects clarity and emphasis in writing.

Answer 66

Length - using short and long sentences; kind - using simple, compound, complex, compound-complex sentences to gain variety in prose ## Footnote Sentence variety keeps writing engaging and dynamic.

Answer 67

Quantitative data, pertaining to a subject or group, especially when systematically gathered and collated ## Footnote Statistics can provide concrete support for arguments and claims.

Answer 68

The style and appearance of printed matter ## Footnote Typography influences readability and visual appeal.

Answer 69

A figure of speech in which the literal sense of what is said falls detectably short of (or 'under') the magnitude of what is talked about ## Footnote Understatement can create irony or humor by minimizing the situation.

Literary Devices Flashcards

(93 cards)