Literary Devices

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Tropes

general term for any artful diction

Schemes

general tern for all artful syntax

diction

authors specific choice of words

syntax

arrangement of words in a sentence

Juxtaposition

compare and contrast ideas close together

motif

repeated element throughout the entire novel; discuss the theme

Intercalary chapter

chapter that does not move book further; beyond character development; discuss themes

simple sentance

one independent clause

compound sentance

two or more independent clauses

compound complex sentance

two or more dependent clauses, one o more independent clauses

periodic sentance

starts with dependent clause, ends with independent clause by the period

cumulative sentance

starts with independent clause, ends with dependent clause by the period

personification

give non-human things human-like qualities

simile

indirect comparison using like or as

metaphor

direct comparison of two things

hyperbole

extreme exaggeration to make a point

allusion

reference to something else; reader will understand

paradox

seemingly contradictory statement; when thought about it, it makes sense

trope

patterns in certain types of stories, common plot element

aphorism

short succinct statement of truth

round-character

character with multiple characteristics

flat-character

character with one characteristic

dynamic-character

character that changes throughout the plot

static character

character that does not change

synecdoche

part of whole to represent the whole

metonomy

something closely associated with something to represent it

stanza

paragraph of poetry

quatrain

stanza with four lines

meter

number and types of stresses in a line of poetry

foot

basic meter of poetry

alliteration

repitition of initial constant sounds at the beginning of a sentance

assonance

repetition of vowel sounds

consonance

repetition of constant sounds in last accented syllable; different vowel sounds in front

apostrophe

speech or poem directed to someone who is not there

internal rhyme

rhyming within line

end line

rhyme at the end of a line

near/slant rhyme

no rhyme, but close enough

antithesis

must have parallel structures to contrast ideas; opposite words

chiasmus

use of parallel structure, shifting order of parts; switch presentation or rhythm

anaphora

repetition of initial (phrase/word/clause/etc.) throughout successive things

enjambment

contunue sentance without pause in poetry

clause

subject + verb (does not need complete thought)

phrase

group of words (connecting words); place or time

rhetoric

persueasive language/images/music/etc.

rhetorical triangle

relationship among subject, speaker, audience

ethos

rely on or establish credibility of the speaker

pathos

appeal to emotion/religion/politics

logos

appeal to logic/data/counterarguments

deductive reasoning

given hypothesis, tests go to results by applying general principles to specific cases.

inductive reasoning

prove/disprove an existing hypothesis by observing specific instances to form a general conclusion.

fallacy

an error in reasoning that undermines the logic of an argument; argument could still be true

ad hominem

a fallacy that attacks the person making an argument rather than addressing the argument itself.

argument from authority

a form of argument in which a claim is deemed true based on the authority of the person asserting it, rather than the evidence provided.

red herring

a fallacy that introduces irrelevant information to distract from the main issue being discussed; deflecting arguments

hasty generalization

a fallacy in which a conclusion is drawn from an insufficient or non-representative sample of data; correlation does not equal causation; superstitions

slippery slope

a fallacy that argues that a relatively small first step will inevitably lead to a chain of related events culminating in some significant impact or extreme outcome.

persona

a voice or character that an author/speaker adopts to appeal to the audience

panel

individual frame of a graphic novel/comic strip

gutter

the space between panels in a comic or graphic novel

graphic weight

the use of light and dark elements in a graphic novel or comic to create emphasis and visual interest

splash

a large illustration that spans an entire page, often used to grab the reader's attention.

bleed

the area where an image extends beyond the edge of the page, allowing for a seamless design

emanata

visual effects such as lines or symbols that represent a character's thoughts or emotions

soliloquy

a speech delivered by a character alone on stage, revealing their inner thoughts and emotions.

aside

a remark made by a character in a play that is meant to be heard by the audience but not by other characters, often revealing secrets or thoughts.

monologue

a long speech by a character in a play or film that expresses their thoughts and feelings to others.

dramatic irony

a situation in a play where the audience knows more about the events than the characters, creating tension or humor.

situational irony

a situation in which the outcome is significantly different from what was expected, often leading to a humorous or tragic effect.

verbal irony

a figure of speech in which the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning of the words used, often used for emphasis or humor.

foil characters

characters that contrast with one another, highlighting specific qualities and differences in their traits and behaviors.

plastic theater

a style of theater developed by Tennessee Williams, characterized by its use of non-realistic elements, such as heightened imagery and symbolic props, to express emotional truths.

pun

a form of wordplay that exploits multiple meanings of a term or similar-sounding words for humorous effect.

double entendre

a figure of speech that has two interpretations, one of which is often risqué or ironic.

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression used to replace one that may be considered harsh or blunt.

Blank verse

poetry written in iambic pentameter with no rhyme

Free verse

poetry written with no with no meter or rhyme

idioms

phrases with words that don’t logically make sense

colloquialism

words and phrases that are connected to regions/cultures; slang

syllogism

type of deductive with logical progression to connect things; A=B, B=C, A=C

warrent

underlying belief in an argument that justifies the reasoning used. It provides the logical connection between the claim and the evidence.

exigence

occasion for writing; what causes/inspire writing

allegory

everything has a double meaning (symbolism works together to make a point)

Caesura

pause in the middle of a line of poetry; punctuation

zeugma

one word modifies two or more words in totally different ways

imagery

use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images and sensory experiences for the reader.

visual imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the sense of sight, helping the reader to visualize scenes, objects, or characters.

auditory imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the sense of hearing, allowing the reader to perceive sounds.

olfactory imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the sense of smell, enabling the reader to experience scents.

gustatory imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the sense of taste, allowing the reader to savor flavors.

tactile imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the sense of touch, enabling the reader to feel textures and sensations.

organic imagery

descriptive language that evokes the internal sensations of the body, such as hunger, pain, or fatigue.

kinesthetic imagery

descriptive language that evokes movement or physical action, enabling the reader to sense physical activity and motions.

denotation

the literal or primary meaning of a word

connotation

the associations or feelings that a word invokes beyond its literal meaning

dependent clause

a group of words that contains a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence

independent clause

a group of words that contains a subject and verb and can function as a complete sentence.

rhetoric

the art of effective or persuasive communication, often using figures of speech and other compositional techniques.

iambic pentameter

a metrical foot in poetry consisting of five feet, each containing an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.

theme

the central idea or underlying message in a literary work.

first-person limited

narrative perspective where the narrator is a character in the story, providing insight into their thoughts and experiences, but not those of others.