LITERARY DEVICES AND TECHNIQUES

LITERARY DEVICES AND TECHNIQUES
Definitions for Review Table

plot exposition rising action climax falling action denouement simile metaphor analogy personification onomatopoeia dead metaphor implied metaphor mixed metaphor extended metaphor

PLOT - Series of events that make up a story.

EXPOSITION - Background information to a story; introduces characters and setting

EXPOSITION - Background information to a story; introduces characters and setting RISING ACTION - The events of a plot that lead up to the climax; builds suspense

EXPOSITION - Background information to a story; introduces characters and setting RISING ACTION - The events of a plot that lead up to the climax; builds suspense CLIMAX - The highest, most intense point of conflict in a story

EXPOSITION - Background information to a story; introduces characters and setting RISING ACTION - The events of a plot that lead up to the climax; builds suspense CLIMAX - The highest, most intense point of conflict in a story FALLING ACTION - The events of a dramatic or narrative plot following the conflict

EXPOSITION - Background information to a story; introduces characters and setting RISING ACTION - The events of a plot that lead up to the climax; builds suspense CLIMAX - The highest, most intense point of conflict in a story FALLING ACTION - The events of a dramatic or narrative plot following the conflict DENOUEMENT - Resolution of the plot

SIMILE - Comparing two unlike things using “like” or “as”

METAPHOR - Comparing two unlike things

METAPHOR - Comparing two unlike things ANALOGY - Resembling relations; comparing groups to show relationships

METAPHOR - Comparing two unlike things ANALOGY - Resembling relations; comparing groups to show relationships PERSONIFICATION - Giving human qualities or characteristics to nonliving things

METAPHOR - Comparing two unlike things ANALOGY - Resembling relations; comparing groups to show relationships PERSONIFICATION - Giving human qualities or characteristics to nonliving things ONOMOTOPOEIA - Use of a word whose sound often imitates its meaning

DEAD METAPHOR - An overused metaphor that has gained a new meaning

IMPLIED METAPHOR - A more subtle use of a metaphor

IMPLIED METAPHOR - A more subtle use of a metaphor MIXED METAPHOR - Two or more metaphors used together that appear illogical

IMPLIED METAPHOR - A more subtle use of a metaphor MIXED METAPHOR - Two or more metaphors used together that appear illogical EXTENDED METAPHOR - Metaphor that continues throughout the entire text

anachronism allusion protagonist antagonist foil flat character round character static character dynamic character symbolism imagery flashback foreshadow theme tone mood

ANACHRONISM - Something that is not in its correct historical time period

ALLUSION - An implied or direct reference to another text, person, thing, or event

ALLUSION - An implied or direct reference to another text, person, thing, or event PROTAGONIST - Main character of a story

ALLUSION - An implied or direct reference to another text, person, thing, or event PROTAGONIST - Main character of a story ANTAGONIST - The character who opposes the main character

ALLUSION - An implied or direct reference to another text, person, thing, or event PROTAGONIST - Main character of a story ANTAGONIST - The character who opposes the main character FOIL - Character who contrasts protagonist to enhance qualities

FLAT CHARACTER - A one-dimensional character

ROUND CHARACTER - A fully developed character

ROUND CHARACTER - A fully developed character STATIC CHARACTER - A character that stays the same throughout the story

ROUND CHARACTER - A fully developed character STATIC CHARACTER - A character who stays the same throughout the story DYNAMIC CHARACTER – Character who changes permanently throughout the story

SYMBOLISM - Representations of things to others by means of symbols

IMAGERY - Descriptive text; creating mental images for the reader

IMAGERY - Descriptive text; creating mental images for the reader FLASHBACK - When the text refers back to previous events

IMAGERY - Descriptive text; creating mental images for the reader FLASHBACK - When the text refers back to previous events FORESHADOW - To give a hint to what will happen later in the text

THEME - Author’s message to the reader; underlying meaning of a story

TONE - Attitude of the writer toward a subject

TONE - Attitude of the writer toward a subject MOOD - Feeling the reader gets from a story

allegory internal conflict external conflict denotation connotation parallelism alliteration parody satire irony situational irony dramatic irony verbal irony hyperbole understatement

ALLEGORY - Symbolic representations of abstract or spiritual ideas

INTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict within a character; man vs. self

INTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict within a character; man vs. self EXTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict outside of a character; man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature, etc.

INTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict within a character; man vs. self EXTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict outside of a character; man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature, etc. DENOTATION - Basic dictionary definition of a word

INTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict within a character; man vs. self EXTERNAL CONFLICT - Conflict outside of a character; man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature, etc. DENOTATION - Basic dictionary definition of a word CONNOTATION - The implied meaning or attributes given to a word

PARALLELISM - The use of identical phrases, clauses, and structures within a sentence

ALLITERATION - Repetition of same sounds at the beginning of words

ALLITERATION - Repetition of same sounds at the beginning of words PARODY - Humorous imitations of a piece of text

ALLITERATION - Repetition of same sounds at the beginning of words PARODY - Humorous imitations of a piece of text SATIRE - A text that mocks social conventions; ridicules serious situations

IRONY - Contrast between expectations and reality

SITUATIONAL IRONY - Expecting one thing to happen but something entirely different taking place

SITUATIONAL IRONY - Expecting one thing to happen but something entirely different taking place DRAMATIC IRONY - Contrast between what the character knows and what the reader knows

SITUATIONAL IRONY - Expecting one thing to happen but something entirely different taking place DRAMATIC IRONY - Contrast between what the character knows and what the reader knows VERBAL IRONY - When someone says something but means another (often called “sarcasm”)

HYPERBOLE - Extreme exaggeration

UNDERSTATEMENT - Statement less strong or striking than facts would show

paradox oxymoron pun idiom assonance dissonance dialect jargon slang iambic pentameter soliloquy monologue propaganda stereotype

PARADOX - A seemingly contradictory or absurd statement that may suggest truth

OXYMORON - Two seemingly contradictory words used together for effect

OXYMORON - Two seemingly contradictory words used together for effect PUN - Humorous use of words; a play on words

OXYMORON - Two seemingly contradictory words used together for effect PUN - Humorous use of words; a play on words IDIOM - Expressions; meaning of expression is not true to words

ASSONANCE - Resemblance of sounds; vowel rhyme

DISSONANCE - Harsh, disagreeable sounds; discord

DISSONANCE - Harsh, disagreeable sounds; discord DIALECT - A provincial, rural, or socially distinct variety of language

DISSONANCE - Harsh, disagreeable sounds; discord DIALECT - A provincial, rural, or socially distinct variety of language JARGON - “jibberish”; words associated with a specific subject or profession

DISSONANCE - Harsh, disagreeable sounds; discord DIALECT - A provincial, rural, or socially distinct variety of language JARGON - “jibberish”; words associated with a specific subject or profession SLANG - Informal language

IAMBIC PENTAMETER - Verse consisting of 5 meters alternating stressed and unstressed syllables

SOLILOQUY - Speaking to oneself oblivious to people hearing; reveals inner thoughts

SOLILOQUY - Speaking to oneself oblivious to people hearing; reveals inner thoughts MONOLOGUE - An extended period of time in which one character speaks

PROPAGANDA - The persuasion of others to buy a product, believe something, etc.

STEREOTYPE - Simple and often inaccurate categorizing of a group of people

STEREOTYPE - Simple and often inaccurate categorizing of a group of people BIAS – having a pre-existing preference for something (one-sided)

ALL DEFINITIONS 15 SLIDES