1. Terms to know
Literary Devices

2. Allusion
A reference to another well-known work found in literature. Generally allusions are references to Greek mythology or the Bible.
Example:
In act two, Elizabeth states, "Abigail brings the other girls into the court, and where she walks the crowds will part like the sea for Israel." This is referring to Moses, who parted the seas of Israel for the Israelites to escape from the Pharoah's armies. So, it indicates that Abby holds some sort of god-like power of redemption for the town.

3. Diction
Diction is a style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words.
Example: Within Patrick Henry's speech, and by looking at his diction and word choice, one could derive he is talking to an upper class group of men.
Example: “And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing” “The School” by Donald Barthelme
“The School” by Donald Barthelme:

4. Parallelism
In "Speech to the Virginia Convention," Patrick Henry uses parallel structure when he questions the House about when the country will be stronger and able to endure any attacks by Britain:
Example:
"Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?"

5. Rhetorical Question
Question for which the answer is obvious and/or needs to answer specifically:
Example:
"Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?"

6. Logos (logical appeal)
In the middle of the speech, Henry moves into more logical appeals through his use of rhetorical questions that ask the House to consider the logical implications of not acting against Great Britain:
*rhetorical questions are considered logos usually
"Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other."

7. Pathos (emotional appeal)
“Chains of slavery” - fear
“Give me liberty or give me death!”
"Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun!" - See more at:

8. Ethos (ethical appeal)
Trust in the speaker and/or the message. Biblical versus. The law Other documents or people who are trusted in a society

9. Metaphor
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience

10. Simile Compares two things using “like” or “as”:
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?

11. Imagery
Evokes the senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste.

12. Symbol
Somethings which stands for or evokes the memory of - something else. For instance, the flag of the U.S. is a symbol of freedom and democracy.

13. Repetition
"We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated... Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded..." (Henry p4)
-Repetition of "We have" & "Our... have" provides the audience with a sense of unity in the actions that they have done, but have all ignored by the British.
-unite against the British

14. Tone Author’s attitude toward subject
affectionate
aggravated
aloof
amused
angry
apathetic
appreciative
approving
arrogant
bitter
calm
celebratory
condescending
contemplative
critical
cynical
dark
dejected
depressed
desperate
despondent
didactic
disappointed
disapproving
happy
haughty
hurt
informal
intense
ironic
joyful
lackadaisical
languid
light-hearted
melancholy
melodramatic
Nervous…
disgusted
disinterested
distant
droll
earnest
ecstatic
emphatic
encouraging
enthusiastic
excited
facetious
formal

15. Mood: Situation’s atmosphere
Calm
Cheerful
Chilling
Comical
Dark
Depressing
Dismal
Eerie
Fanciful
Foreboding
Gloomy
Melancholic
Morbid
Mournful
Mysterious
Ominous
Optimistic
Pessimistic
Powerful
Romantic
Sad
Sinister
Soothing
Grim
Grotesque
Heart-breaking
Heartrending
Holy
Hopeful
Horrific
Intense
Joyful
Light
Lighthearted
Sorrowful
Spiritual
Spooky
Terrifying
Threatening
Tranquila

16. Works Cited
Henry, Patrick. “Speech to the Virginia Convention”. Elements of Literature: Chapter 1 Beginnings to Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Fifth Course. Austin, Print.
Greenlee, Diana. “Terms to Know”. Unit 2: The Enlightenment, CFA # October Web.