1. Alliteration The repetition of the first sound of several words in a piece of literature. ~ Aunt Alicia accumulated a lot of antique attire when she acquired her Aunt Abigail’s estate.

2. Allusion A reference present in one piece of literature that is found in another literary work. Levi’s parents were astounded by his Copperfield-like tactics for sneaking out of the house.

3. Assonance The repetition of vowel sounds in a piece of literature. Upon the utterance of his instructions from Coach Underwood, a robust Gunther took his place on the line.

4. Consonance The repetition of consonant sounds near one another in a piece of literature. The raging river ran into Rolling Rock Reservoir.

5. Foreshadowing A method of creating suspense by hinting about events that will occur later on in a piece of literature. “He didn’t know when. He didn’t know where, but he knew that something was amiss. His fate was yet to be determined.”

6. Metaphor A statement that makes a direct comparison between unlike objects, ideas or concepts. Life is a puzzle. (Life is compared to a puzzle.) Extended Metaphor: Life is a puzzle; you may have all the pieces, but the “big picture” isn’t complete until the last piece is snapped into place.

7. Simile A statement that makes a comparison between unlike objects, ideas or concepts using the words “like” or “as”. In a flash like lightening, he was gone. Your situation can change as quickly as a blink of an eye.

8. Onomatopoeia A word that is spelled like the sound it makes.

9. Personification A statement that gives a nonhuman object human characteristics. “The chair moaned in agony when I sat down on it.”

10. Flashback A device that allows the writer to present events that happened before the current events in the fiction. Flashback techniques include memories, dreams, or stories of the past told by characters. The author might simply say, "But back in Tom's youth...." Flashback is useful for exposition, to fill in the reader about a character or place, or about the background to a conflict.

11. Imagery The use of sensory words pertaining to sight, touch, smell, taste and sound to create pictures or images in the reader’s mind.

12. Irony *You wreck your mom’s brand new car. Someone says to you, “Your mother is going to be thrilled when she sees this!” There are three types: Dramatic – the audience knows something the character doesn’t Situational – an action is the opposite of what is expected Verbal* – a statement has the opposite meaning of what is said.

13. A statement that is contradictory within itself. Oxymoron

14. Paradox A statement that sounds contradictory, but can be true. “Deep down, he is very shallow.”

15. Rhyme A pattern of repeated sounds in a piece of literature, usually poetry. When at first I glance, I see the moonlight dance on my window pane. I know that there’s a chance it may put me in a trance, so I look away and fall asleep again.

16. Rhythm Recurrences of stressed and unstressed syllables that give a piece of literature a musical quality. The Purple Cow Gelett Burgess I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one; But I can tell you, anyhow I'd rather see than be one.

17. Satire A literary work or passage that mocks the subject it is writing about. In America--as elsewhere--free speech is confined to the dead. - Notebook, 1904 Compliments of Mark Twain Such is the human race. Often it does seem such a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat. - Christian Science

18. Stream of Consciousness A literary form in which every thought that comes to the writer’s mind is written down.

19. Symbol A word or object that stands for something other than what it literally is.

20. Understatement A statement that plays down the significance of what is actually meant. “Just a little fender- bender.” (The man driving this vehicle walked away with only minor injuries.)

21. Repetition The reiteration of a word, phrase or idea in a piece of literature for emphasis.

22. Pun A literary device that allows for a word or phrase to have two meanings at the same time for a humorous effect. I used to be a ballet dancer, but I found it to be too, too (tutu) difficult.

23. . Character Any person or object represented by a person (spirit, animal, object) in a literary work.

24. Plot The structure of a story.

25. Setting The location a where a story takes place.

26. Theme The main idea or overlying meaning of a piece of literature. The theme can often be found by looking at symbols, details and character actions.

27. . StyleStyle The approach in which a writer composes a literary work through the use of word choice, tone and sentence structure.

28. Point of View First Person – I was exhausted from the hike. Third Person – She fell to her knees from exhaustion. Third Person Omniscient* – She was not only exhausted from the long hike, but from the memories of her lost love. *The speaker of the piece is “all-knowing” meaning that he/she knows what is going through the mind of the character. The “angle” at which a story is told.

29. Tone The author’s attitude displayed in a piece of literature.

30. Aside An actor’s spoken thoughts that are meant for only the audience to hear, not the other characters on stage. Asides provide the audience with additional information as to the intent of the characters actions.

31. Diction An author’s choice of words.

32. Hyperbole An overstatement or exaggeration. These books weigh a TON!

33. Idiom An expression that has a different meaning than what is literally translated. “Kick the bucket” = to die