Litterary Devices Flashcards
(19 cards)
Allusion
An expression designed to call Something to mind without mentioning it
It’s an indirect passage reference
Allegory
A story poem or a pictureThat can be interpreted to reveal hidden meeting typically a moral or political one
Alliteration
The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of an adjacent. Or closely connected words
Used to give more stress
Anachronism
Occurs when there is an error in the chronology or timeline of a text. This could be a character who appears in a different time period than when he actually lived, or a technology that appears before it was invented. Anachronisms are often used for comedic effect.
Colloquialism
Colloquialism is the use of informal language and slang. It’s often used by authors to lend a sense of realism to their characters and dialogue. Forms of colloquialism include words, phrases, and contractions that aren’t real words (such as “gonna” and “ain’t”).
Euphemism
euphemism is when a more mild or indirect word or expression is used in place of another word or phrase that is considered harsh, blunt, vulgar, or unpleasant.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is when an author indirectly hints at—through things such as dialogue, description, or characters’ actions—what’s to come later on in the story. This device is often used to introduce tension to a narrative.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that’s not meant to be taken literally by the reader. It is often used for comedic effect and/or emphasis.
Imagery
Imagery is when an author describes a scene, thing, or idea so that it appeals to our senses (taste, smell, sight, touch, or hearing). This device is often used to help the reader clearly visualize parts of the story by creating a strong mental picture.
Irony
Irony is when a statement is used to express an opposite meaning than the one literally expressed by it. There are three types of irony in literature:
Verbal irony: When someone says something but means the opposite (similar to sarcasm).
Situational irony: When something happens that’s the opposite of what was expected or intended to happen.
Dramatic irony: When the audience is aware of the true intentions or outcomes, while the characters are not. As a result, certain actions and/or events take on different meanings for the audience than they do for the chara
Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is the comparing and contrasting of two or more different (usually opposite) ideas, characters, objects, etc. This literary device is often used to help create a clearer picture of the characteristics of one object or idea by comparing it with those of another.
Metaphor and simile
Metaphors are when ideas, actions, or objects are described in non-literal terms. In short, it’s when an author compares one thing to another. The two things being described usually share something in common but are unalike in all other respects.
A simile is a type of metaphor in which an object, idea, character, action, etc., is compared to another thing using the words “as” or “like.”
Both metaphors and similes are often used in writing for clarity or emphasis.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a word (or group of words) that represents a sound and actually resembles or imitates the sound it stands for. It is often used for dramatic, realistic, or poetic effect.
Oxymoron
oxymoron is a combination of two words that, together, express a contradictory meaning. This device is often used for emphasis, for humor, to create tension, or to illustrate a paradox (see next entry for more information on paradoxes).
Paradox
Paradox
A paradox is a statement that appears illogical or self-contradictory but, upon investigation, might actually be true or plausible.
Note that a paradox is different from an oxymoron: a paradox is an entire phrase or sentence, whereas an oxymoron is a combination of just two words.
Personification
Personification is when a nonhuman figure or other abstract concept or element is given human-like qualities or characteristics. It is used to help the reader create a clearer mental picture of the scene or object being described.
Repetition
Repetition is when a word or phrase is written multiple times, usually for the purpose of emphasis. It is often used in poetry (for purposes of rhythm as well).
Soliloquy
type of monologue that’s often used in dramas, a soliloquy is when a character speaks aloud to himself (and to the audience), thereby revealing his inner thoughts and feelings.
Symbolism
Symbolism refers to the use of an object, figure, event, situation, or other idea in a written work to represent something else—typically a broader message or deeper meaning that differs from its literal meaning.
The things used for symbolism are called “symbols,” and they’ll often appear multiple times throughout a text, sometimes changing in meaning as the plot progresses.
