| 8517800880 | alliteration | repetition of a letter or sound | | 0 |
| 8517801039 | allegory | a symbolism device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract, concept is conveyed with the aid of a more corporeal object or idea being used as an example
suggests a meaning via metaphoric examples
Ex. Faith is like a stony uphill climb: a single stumble might send you sprawling but belief and steadfastness will see you to the very top. | | 1 |
| 8517801173 | allusion | a figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing reference
It is up to the reader to make a connection to the subject being mentioned
Ex. It's no wonder everyone refers to Mary as another Mother Teresa in the making; she loves to help and care after people everywhere- from the streets to her own friends. | | 2 |
| 8517801381 | analogy | a literary device that helps to establish a relationship based on similarities between two concepts or ideas.
By using an analogy we can convey a new idea by using the blueprint of an old one as a basis for understanding. With a mental linkage between the two, one can create understanding regarding the new concept in a simple and succinct manner.
Ex. In the same way as one cannot have the rainbow without the rain, one cannot achieve success and riches without hard work. | | 3 |
| 8517801382 | anapest | a metrical foot consisting of two short or unstressed syllables followed by one long or stressed syllable.
U U -
Ex. understand, comprehend | | 4 |
| 8517801453 | anaphora | repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
Ex. I have a dream | | 5 |
| 8517801757 | anecdote | a short verbal accounting of a funny, amusing, interesting event or incident. The story is usually a reminiscence from the teller's life but at best is a related story of fact, as opposed to a contrived work of fiction.
amusing anecdotes many times find their way into wedding receptions, family reunions and any other gathering of people who know each other well
Teachers and educators often tell classrooms of pupils anecdotes about famous people
The anecdotes are not always flattering, but are usually revealing of character and invariably amusing
Ex. Winston Churchill was very fond of his pet dog Rufus. He ate in the dining room with the family on a special cloth and was treated with utmost respect. When enjoying movies, Rufus had the best seat in the house; on Winston Churchill's lap. While watching "Oliver Twist," Churchill put his hands over Rufus' eyes during the scene where Bill Sike's intends to drown his dog. Churchill is believed to have said to Rufus: "don't look now, dear. I'll tell you about it later." | | 6 |
| 8517801758 | antithesis | used when the writer employs two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another
Whether they are words or phrases of the same sentence, an antithesis is used to create a stark contrast using two divergent elements that come together to create one uniform whole
An antithesis plays on the complementary property of opposites to create one vivid picture
the purpose of using an antithesis in literature is to create a balance between opposite qualities and lend a greater insight into the subject.
Ex. When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon it might have been one small step for a man but it was one giant leap for mankind. | | 7 |
| 8517802142 | apostrophe | term used when a speaker directly addresses someone or something that isn't present in the poem. The speaker could be addressing an abstract concept like love, a person (dead or alive), a place, or even a thing, like the sun or the sea. | | 8 |
| 8517802748 | archetype | a very typical example of a certain person or thing.
"the book is a perfect archetype of the genre" | | 9 |
| 8517803631 | assonance | in poetry, the repetition of the sound of a vowel in non-rhyming stressed syllables near enough to each other for the echo to be discernible (e.g., penitence, reticence ). | | 10 |
| 8517803632 | caesura | This literary device involves creating a fracture of sorts within a sentence where the two separate parts are distinguishable from one another yet intrinsically linked to one another. The purpose of using a caesura is to create a dramatic pause, which has a strong impact. The pause helps to add an emotional, often theatrical touch to the sentence and conveys a depth of sentiment in a short phrase.
Example: Mozart- oh how your music makes me soar! | | 11 |
| 8517804145 | cacophony | the use of words and phrases that imply strong, harsh sounds within the phrase. These words have jarring and dissonant sounds that create a disturbing, objectionable atmosphere.
Example: His fingers rapped and pounded the door, and his foot thumped against the yellowing wood. | | 12 |
| 8517804146 | chiasmus | a figure of speech containing two phrases that are parallel but inverted to each other.
Example: You can take the patriot out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the patriot | | 13 |
| 8517804549 | colloquialism | the use of informal words, phrases or even slang in a piece of writing.
Example: to bamboozle - to deceive | | 14 |
| 8517804732 | connotation | the associations people make with words that go beyond the literal or dictionary definition. Many create emotions or feelings in the reader.
Example: And once again, the autumn leaves were falling.
This phrase uses 'autumn' to signify something coming to an end. | | 15 |
| 8517810334 | conceit | -a fanciful expression in writing or speech; an elaborate metaphor.
-"the idea of the wind's singing is a prime romantic conceit" | | 16 |
| 8517810438 | consonance | repetition of sounds in quick succession produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase. The repetitive sound is often found at the end of a word. Consonance is the opposite of assonance, which implies repetitive usage of vowel sounds.
"He struck a streak of bad luck." | | 17 |
| 8517810551 | couplet | heroic/rhyming
- two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit.
- "Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble." | | 18 |
| 8517810933 | dactyl | metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables or (in Greek and Latin) one long syllable followed by two short syllables.
- "typical" and "elephant" both demonstrate the dactylic stress pattern | | 19 |
| 8517811083 | denouement | -the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.
-final outcome of the story, generally occurring after the climax of the plot | | 20 |
| 8517812366 | denotation | the use of the dictionary definition or literal meaning of a word.
-They built a house.
In the above sentence, house is meant literally as in a building where a family lives. If the word "home" was used instead in the above sentence in place of "house", the meaning would not be so literal as there are many emotions associated with the word "home" beyond simply the structure where people live. | | 21 |
| 8517812651 | diction | the distinctive tone or tenor of an author's writings. Diction is not just a writer's choice of words it can include the mood, attitude, dialect and style of writing. Diction is usually judged with reference to the prevailing standards of proper writing and speech and is seen as the mark of quality of the writing. It is also understood as the selection of certain words or phrases that become peculiar to a writer
-Certain writers in the modern day and age use archaic terms such as 'thy', 'thee' and 'wherefore' to imbue a Shakespearean mood to their work. | | 22 |
| 8517812652 | doppelganger | The term is derived from the German language and literally translates into 'double walker'. It refers to a character in the story that is actually a counterfeit or a copy of a genuine character. Doppelgangers of the main characters usually bear the ability to impersonate the original but have vastly different spirits and intentions. The doppelganger usually has a different appearance but an earthly soul and supernatural hoodwinking abilities that allow it to fool other unsuspecting characters.
-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde | | 23 |
| 8517812989 | enjambment | -In poetry it means moving over from one line to another without a terminating punctuation mark. It can be defined as a thought or sense, phrase or clause, in a line of poetry that does not come to an end at the line break, but moves over to the next line. In simple words, it is the running on of a sense from one couplet or line to the next without a major pause or syntactical break.
-"The holy time is quiet as a Nun
Breathless with adoration; the broad sun
Is sinking down in its tranquility;" Wordsworth, "Beauteous Evening" | | 24 |
| 8517814432 | ellipsis | a literary device that is used in narratives to omit some parts of a sentence or event, which gives the reader a chance to fill the gaps while acting or reading it out. It is usually written between the sentences as "...".
-If only he had tried . . . well, it doesn't matter now. | | 25 |
| 8517815171 | epigram | a short satirical and witty poem usually written as a couplet or quatrain but can also just be a one lined phrase. It is a brief and forceful remark with a funny ending. The term epigram derives from the Greek word 'epi-gramma'meaning inscription or to inscribe.
-"Both robb'd of air, we both lie in one ground
Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drown'd." | | 26 |
| 8517818100 | euphony | the use of phrases and words that are noted for possessing an extensive degree of notable loveliness or melody in the sound they create. The use of euphony is predominant in literary prose and poetry, where poetic devices such as alliterations, rhymes and assonace are used to create pleasant sounds. Euphony is the opposite of cacophony, which refers to the creation of unpleasant and harsh sounds by using certain words and phrases together. This literary devices is based on the use and manipulation of phonetics in literature.
-It has been said that the phrase "cellar door" is reportedly the most pleasant sounding phrase in the English language. The phrase is said to depict the highest degree of euphony, and is said to be especially notable when spoken in the British accent. | | 27 |
| 8517818831 | euphemism | the literary practice of using a comparatively milder or less abrasive form of a negative description instead of its original, unsympathetic form. This device is used when writing about matters such as sex, violence, death, crimes and things "embarrassing".
The purpose is to substitute unpleasant and severe words with more genteel ones in order to mask the harshness.. sometimes manipulated to lend a touch of exaggeration or irony in satirical writing.
-Using "to put out to pasture" when one implies retiring a person because they are too old to be effective. | | 28 |
| 8517837507 | figurative language | -language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply stating the facts as they are. Figurative language, in comparison, uses exaggerations or alterations to make a particular linguistic point.
-Examples: Metaphor, similes, hyperboles, symbolism, and personification | | 29 |
| 8517837783 | foreshadowing | the use of indicative word or phrases and hints that set the stage for a story to unfold and give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense.
used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story.
example: Sixo burned to a crisp" | | 30 |
| 8517837964 | foil | a character who contrasts with another character —usually the protagonist— to highlight particular qualities of the other character
Example: Harry Potter and Voldemort | | 31 |
| 8517838077 | hexameter | Metrical line of verses consisting of six feet. A foot can be a spondee or a dactyl. The first four lines can be spondees or dactyls but the fifth line is usually a dactyl and the last one must be a spondee.
The Iliad and The Odyssey | | 32 |
| 8517838191 | hubris | Arrogance and over-confidence - typically used as a "tragic flaw" for the protagonist | | 33 |
| 8517838192 | hyperbole | a literary device wherein the author uses specific words and phrases that exaggerate and overemphasize the basic crux of the statement in order to produce a grander, more noticeable effect. The purpose of hyperbole is to create a larger-than-life effect and overly stress a specific point. Such sentences usually convey an action or sentiment that is generally not practically/ realistically possible or plausible but helps emphasize an emotion.
"I could eat a horse" | | 34 |
| 8517839783 | iambic foot | an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Iambic pentameter is five iambic feet in a row.
E.g: the human heartbeat | | 35 |
| 8517840218 | imagery | the author uses words and phrases to create "mental images" for the reader. Imagery helps the reader to visualize more realistically the author's writings. The usage of metaphors, allusions, descriptive words and similes amongst other literary forms in order to "tickle" and awaken the readers' sensory perceptions is referred to as imagery. Imagery is not limited to only visual sensations, but also refers to igniting kinesthetic, olfactory, tactile, gustatory, thermal and auditory sensations as well.
E.g: The gushing brook stole its way down the lush green mountains, dotted with tiny floers in a riot of colors and trees coming alive with gaily chirping birds. | | 36 |
| 8517840696 | in media res | Narrative work that begins in the middle of action and the exposition/background information is bypassed and filled in gradually (through dialogue, flashbacks, or descriptions of past events) | | 37 |
| 8517895299 | intertextuality | the interrelationship between texts, especially works of literature; the way that similar or related texts influence, reflect, or differ from each other.
Borrowing phrases and concepts from other works | | 38 |
| 8517895793 | comic irony | the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite for humorous or emphatic effect. | | 39 |
| 8517896055 | dramatic irony | irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play. | | 40 |
| 8517896056 | tragic irony | the audience is aware of some impending catastrophe or important fact of which the characters are either totally ignorant or not fully aware ex→ the plotline of Romeo and Juliet | | 41 |
| 8517896172 | verbal irony | when words express something contrary to truth or someone says the opposite of what they really feel or mean. often sarcastic. | | 42 |
| 8517896664 | juxtaposition | the author places a person, concept, place, idea or theme parallel to another. The purpose of juxtaposing two directly or indirectly related entities close together in literature is to highlight the contrast between the two and compare them.
Gives detailed descriptions of characters by basically comparing two characters | | 43 |
| 8517896665 | malapropism | refers to the practice of misusing words by substituting words with similar sounding words that have different, often unconnected meanings, and thus creating a situation of confusion, misunderstanding and amusement. used to convey that the speaker or character is flustered, bothered, unaware or confused and as a result cannot employ proper diction.
Two words must sound similar, but have different meanings
Ex: comprehend vs apprehend | | 44 |
| 8517896769 | litotes | Figures of rhetoric speech that use an understated statement of an affirmative by using a negative description. Discreet way of saying something unpleasant without directly using negativity.
Ex. "He's definitely not a rocket scientist" | | 45 |
| 8517897212 | metafiction | It is a novel or short story (or film or play) in which the author knowingly draws attention to the fact that it is being made up.
A narrative technique and a genre of fiction, wherein a fictional work (novel, film, play, etc.) is self-conscious or openly draws attention to the fact that it is imaginary.
poses philosophic and critical questions about the relation between fiction and reality, usually by applying irony and self-reflection. | | 46 |
| 8517897213 | extended metaphor | when an author exploits a single metaphor or analogy at length through multiple linked tenors, vehicles, and grounds throughout a poem or story. | | 47 |
| 8517905620 | explicit metaphor | fully and clearly express something, leaving nothing implied.
Something is explicit when it is cleared stated and spelled out and there is no room for confusion, as in the writing of a contract or statute | | 48 |
| 8517905842 | implicit metaphor | implied or understood though not plainly or directly expressed. Something is, therefore, implicit when it is not directly stated but is either suggested in the wording or necessary to effectuate the purpose | | 49 |
| 8517905940 | foot | a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables | | 50 |
| 8517906098 | dimeter | a line of verse consisting of two metrical feet | | 51 |
| 8517906099 | trimeter | a metre of three metrical feet per line. Examples: When here // the spring // we see, Fresh green // upon // the tree. | | 52 |
| 8517906405 | tetrameter | a verse of four measures | | 53 |
| 8517907352 | pentameter | a line of verse consisting of five metrical feet, or (in Greek and Latin verse) of two halves each of two feet and a long syllable | | 54 |
| 8517907901 | metonymy | -the practice of not using the formal word for an object or subject and instead referring to it by using another word that is intricately linked to the formal name or word.
-ex: Washington D.C can be used as a metonymy for the government of U.S. since many of the significant political institutions are located in Washington D.C.. | | 55 |
| 8517908014 | mood | -the mental and emotional disposition of the author towards the subject, which in turn lends a particular character or atmosphere to the work. The final tone achieved thus is instrumental in evoking specific, appropriate responses from the reader. | | 56 |
| 8517908235 | motif | -any element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present through the entire body of literature
-ex: the motif of milk and motherhood in Beloved | | 57 |
| 8517908360 | narrator | -1st person narrator writes from his/her point of view or perspective
-2nd person narrator tells the story to another character using the word 'you'
-3rd person narrator is a detached person who tells the story from outside
-an omniscient narrator is a 3rd person narrator who knows the feelings and thoughts of every character in the story
-an unreliable narrator is a character whose telling of the story is not completely accurate or credible due to problems with the character's mental state or maturity | | 58 |
| 8517908468 | onomatopoeia | words whose very sound is very close to the sound they are meant to depict.
-ex: grunt, huff, buzz, snap | | 59 |
| 8517908693 | oxymoron | allows the author to use contradictory, contrasting concepts placed together in a manner that actually ends up making sense in a strange, and slightly complex manner
-ex: Sometimes we cherish things of little value. He possessed a cold fire in his eyes. | | 60 |
| 8517909225 | paradox | the use of concepts or ideas that are contradictory to one another, yet, when placed together hold significant value on several levels
-High walls make not a palace; full coffers make not a king.
-Everyone is unique like everyone else. | | 61 |
| 8517909544 | parallelism | -literary device in which parts of the sentence are grammatically the same, or are similar in construction. It can be a word, a phrase, or an entire sentence repeated
-Martin Luther King Jr's 'I have a dream' repetition | | 62 |
| 8517924042 | pathetic fallacy | A literary device that attributes human qualities and emotions to inanimate objects of nature.
Often get confused with personifications.
a kind of personification that gives human emotions to inanimate objects of nature for example referring to weather features reflecting a mood. | | 63 |
| 8517924150 | pathos | A quality of an experience in life or a work of art that stirs up emotions of pity, sympathy and sorrow.
Example: "Our knowledge of his tragic end adds an element of pathos to the story of his early success." | | 64 |
| 8517924409 | personification | the attribution of human nature or character to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract notions, especially as a rhetorical figure.
the act of personifying; the attributing of human qualities to an animal, object, or abstraction:
Example: "The author's personification of the farm animals made for an enchanting children's book." | | 65 |
| 8517924570 | pun | the humorous use of a word or phrase so as to emphasize or suggest its different meanings or applications
The use of words that are alike or nearly alike in sound but different in meaning; a play on words. | | 66 |
| 8517924933 | quatrain | - a stanza of four lines, especially one having alternate rhymes.
- usually use some form of rhyme scheme, especially the following forms: AAAA, AABB, ABAB, and ABBA. | | 67 |
| 8517925021 | rhetoric | the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.
language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content. | | 68 |
| 8517925022 | rhyme | correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words, especially when these are used at the ends of lines of poetry
(of a word, syllable, or line) have or end with a sound that corresponds to another.
"balloon rhymes with moon" | | 69 |
| 8517925229 | romanticism | a movement in the arts and literature that originated in the late 18th century, emphasizing inspiration, subjectivity, and the primacy of the individual.
the state or quality of being romantic.
"a quality of _ about women that leads to the creation of a pipe-dream fantasy" | | 70 |
| 8517925544 | setting | used to identify and establish the time, place and mood of the events of the story; helps in establishing where and when and under what circumstances the story is taking place | | 71 |
| 8517925545 | simile | marked by the use of the words 'as' or 'such as' or 'like'; referring to the practice of drawing parallels or comparisons between two unrelated and dissimilar things, people, beings, places and concepts; adds a greater degree of meaning and understanding to an otherwise simple sentence and the reader is able to better understand the sentiment the author wishes to convey | | 72 |
| 8517925658 | sonnet | a 14-line poem written in iambic pentameter
Petrarchan: features lines of alternating stressed and unstressed syllables; has two parts, the first part being an octave and the second being a sestet
Shakespearean sonnet: consists of three quatrains and a concluding couplet | | 73 |
| 8517926275 | spondee | a unit of meter comprised of two stressed syllables; is an irregular metrical foot, unlike the trochee or iamb, and is not used to compose full lines of poetry
Commands often are examples of spondees because they are short, staccato, and forceful: Stop that! Come back!
ex. Bookmark, Sunset, Toothache | | 74 |
| 8517926519 | stream of consciousness | an uninterrupted and unhindered collection and occurrence of thoughts and ideas in the conscious mind; usually used in order to provide a narrative in the form of the character's thoughts instead of using dialogue or description | | 75 |
| 8517926520 | strophe | in poetry, a group of verses that form a distinct unit within a poem; the term is sometimes used as a synonym for stanza; one section of a lyric poem or choral ode in classical Greek drama | | 76 |
| 8517926615 | synecdoche | a literary devices that uses a part of something to refer to the whole or vice versa; somewhat rhetorical in nature, where the entire object is represented by way of a fraction of it or a fraction of the object is symbolized by the whole
Ex: "Weary feet in the walk of life" → does not refer to the feet actually being tired or painful; it is symbolic of a long, hard struggle through the journey of life and feeling low, tired, unoptimistic and 'the walk of life' does not represent an actual path or distance covered, instead refers to the entire sequence of life events that has made the person tired | | 77 |
| 8517926828 | synesthesia | refers to the depiction of a strong connection, link or bond between the different senses | | 78 |
| 8517927741 | syntax | Refers to the actual way in which words and sentences are placed together in the writing
Usually should follow a pattern of subject-verb-object agreement but sometimes authors play around with this to achieve a lyrical, rhythmic, rhetoric or questioning effect.
Ex: The sentence "The man drives the car" would follow normal syntax in the English language. By changing the syntax to "The car drives the man", the sentence becomes awkward. | | 79 |
| 8517927851 | symbol | Contains several layers of meaning, often concealed at first sight, and is representative of several other aspects, concepts or traits than those that are visible in the literal translation alone
Using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.
Ex: The phrase "a new dawn" does not talk only about the actual beginning of a new day but also signifies a new start, a fresh chance to begin and the end of a previous tiring time. | | 80 |
| 8517927980 | tone | The perspective or attitude that the author adopts with regards to a specific character, place or development.
Helps the reader ascertain the writer's feelings towards a particular topic and this in turn influences the reader's understanding of the story
Ex: In her Harry Potter series, author J.K. Rowling has taken an extremely positive, inspiring and uplifting tone towards the idea of love and devotion. | | 81 |
| 8517928217 | tragic flaw | A trait in a character leading to his downfall, and the character is often the hero of the literary piece
Ex: In Hamlet, the _ determines his downfall in the play. And his _ is his indecisiveness, which is due to grave thinking on the topic of whether vengeance is wrong or right, and whether to kill his father's murderer or not. | | 82 |
| 8517928454 | trochee | A two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable.
Ex: "garden" and "highway." | | 83 |
| 8517929278 | trope | A metaphorical or figurative use of words in which writers shift from the literal meanings of words to their non-literal meanings
Some of its types include, irony, hyperbole, metaphor, allegory, litotes, pun, personification, simile, metonymy, and synecdoche
Ex: I'll die from embarrassment. → uses exaggeration to get its point across | | 84 |
| 8517929424 | understatement | The practice of drawing attention to a fact that is already obvious and noticeable.
Usually done by way of sarcasm, irony, wryness or any other form of dry humor. It is akin to exaggerating its obviousness as a means of humor.
Ex: The phrase, "Oh! I wonder if he could get any later; I am free all day long". Said in a sarcastic tone it indicates that the speaker obviously means the opposite of the literal meaning. | | 85 |
| 8517929553 | zeugma | A figure of speech in which a word, usually a verb or an adjective, applies to more than one noun, blending together grammatically and logically different ideas.
Ex: "John lost his coat and his temper" → the verb "lost" applies to both noun "coat" and "temper". Losing a coat and losing temper are logically and grammatically different ideas that are brought together in the above-mentioned sentence. | | 86 |
