Literary Terms Flashcards
(14 cards)
Flashback
the method of returning to an earlier point in time for the purpose of making the present clearer
Foreshadowing
hint of what is to come in a literary work
Hyperbole
extreme exaggeration to add meaning
Imagery
language that appeals to the five senses
Dramatic Irony
when the reader or audience knows something a character does not
Situational Irony
when there is a disparity between what is expected and what actually occurs
Verbal Irony
when the speaker says one thing but means the opposite
Motif
a recurring feature of a literary work that is related to the theme
Simile
a direct comparison of dissimilar objects, usually using like or as: “I wandered lonely as a cloud”
Symbol
one thing (object, person, place) used to represent something else
Theme
the underlying main idea of a literary work. Theme differs from the subject of a literary work in that it involves a statement or opinion about the subject.
Tragic Flaw
a personality trait of a main character that leads to his or her downfall.
Tragic Hero
a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.
Allusion
a reference to something well-known that exists outside the literary work
