Studied by 24 people
Alliteration
Repetition of sounds through more than one word or syllable. Example: "The lurid letters of Lucy Lewis are luscious, lucid and libidinous."
Allusion
a reference to a person, event, or work outside the poem or literary piece Example: Taylor Swift's song "Love Story" includes lyrics about Romeo and Juliet
ambiguity
the multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence or passage.
analysis
the writer separates a subject into its elements or parts. When applied to a literary work (such as a poem, short story, or essay), analysis involves a careful examination and evaluation of details in the text.
anaphora
the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses (type of parallel structure) Example: "We shall, ....we shall, ...we shall
antithesis
is a kind of parallelism in which two opposite ideas are put together in parallel structures. Example: "To err is human; to forgive divine. "
connotation
feelings and ideas associated with a word or phrase. Example: The word "home" evokes strong connotations of warmth, family, safety, belonging versus the word "house" that just makes you think of a shelter, without much emotion or other ideas coming from it
couplet
A couplet is a literary device featuring two consecutive lines of poetry that typically rhyme and have the same meter. A couplet can be part of a poem or a poem on its own. A couplet must consist of two lines of verse that follow each other and create a complete thought or idea. Example: "If the track is tough and the hill is rough, / THINKING you can just ain't enough!"
denotation
he dictionary, literal definition of a word. Example: The denotations of both the words "home" and "house" are a shelter where someone lives. This contrasts with connotations because it does not include feelings or ideas associated with it, just the literal meaning.
diction
diction: Also known as word choice, refers to the conscious selection of words to further the author's purpose. A writer searches for the most appropriate, evocative or precise word or phrase to convey his or her intent. Placing the write word in the write place. Examples of words used to describe diction: jargon, precise, plain, emotional, archaic, pretentious, concrete, idiomatic, slang
elision
the omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable to preserve the meter of a line of poetry Example: "Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame"
figurative meaning
associative or connotative meaning; representational Example: The sun often represents or suggests hope or a new beginning
Free verse
poetic lines with no prescribed pattern or structure :
hyperbole
exaggeration for emphasis (the opposite of understatement) Example: "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse.
imagery
word or sequence of words representing a sensory experience (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and gustatory); the use of vivid descriptions or language that appeal to the five senses Example: "I could hear the popping and crackling [auditory/sound] as mom dropped the bacon into the frying pan, and soon the salty, greasy aroma wafted toward me. " [olfactory/smell]
interpretation
an educated inference about the meaning of a text using multiple pieces of evidence from the text to defend it. (This is different from stating an opinion or speculating, which is guessing wildly without evidence to back you up)
Irony (general definition)
the contrast between what is expected & what actually happens (several more specific types - see below) Example: It is ironic that the song titled "Ironic" by Alans Morissette is actually not singing about irony correctly. just unfortunate situations.
Verbal Irony
verbal irony- a person says one thing & means another Example: Saying "Nice haircut" sarcastically (when you actually think it's terrible
Situational Irony
events turn out the opposite of what is expected. Example: You finally come home from safely from a dangerous war & then get hit by a bus in front of your house.
Dramatic Irony
the audience/reader knows information that the characters do not. Example: End of Romeo & Juliet--Romeo doesn't know Juliet is alive, but we do! It drives us crazy!
Juxtaposition
Placing two things side by side (or close together) to point our their differences. Example: Imagine someone walking a well-groomed miniature poodle on a pink leash on one hand and a rough Rottweiler on a spiked collar on the other hand.
Literal meaning
limited to the simplest, ordinary, most obvious meaning Example: Literal language is used to mean exactly what is written. For example: "It was raining a lot, so I rode the bus." In this example of literal language, the writer means to explain exactly what is written: that he or she chose to ride the bus because of the heavy rain.
Metaphor
comparison between essentially unlike things, or the application of a name or description to something to which it is not literally applicable Example: The alligator's teeth are white daggers.
Meter
the pattern of beats in a line of poetry. It is a combination of the number of beats and arrangement of stresses. Example: Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 is a great example of what meter sounds like in poetry. In the line, 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?' the metrical pattern of stresses and beats sounds like baBUM baBUM baBUM.
mood
how the author wants the reader to feel Example: The mood of a piece might be humorous, sad, creepy, nostalgic, curious, cheerful, suspenseful
onomatopoeia
the use of words to imitate the sounds they describe Example: crack, ding dong, pow
oxymoron
a combination of two words that appear to contradict each other Example: bittersweet, jumbo shrimp, same difference
paradox
a situation or phrase that appears to be contradictory but which contains a truth worth considering Example: "In order to preserve peace, we must prepare for war.
prose
everyday speech or writing
parallel structure
using elements in sentences that are grammatically similar or identical in structure, sound, meaning, or meter. This technique adds symmetry, effectiveness and balance to the written piece. Example: "My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors." - Barack Obama
personificaition
the endowment of inanimate objects or abstract concepts with human qualities Example: "The trees waved at me." "The book spoke to me.
Repetition
Repeating words or phrases for emphasis Example: "Noda flat. Not an apartment in back. Not a man's house. Not a daddy's. A house all my own"
Similie
comparison between two essentially unlike things using words such as "like," "as," or "as though" Example: "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun'
Stanza
unit of a poem often repeated in the same form throughout a poem; a unit of poetic lines ("verse paragraph?)
Style
the particular manner of expression of a writer which distinguishes him/her/they from other writers. This umbrella term is used to describe a combination of the writer's diction, syntax, and tone. Examples: journalistic, vivid, formal, poetic, ornate, forceful, comic, detailed, scientific, flower, abstract, minimalistic, dignified, concrete
Symbol
an object or action that stands for something beyond itself Example: white = innocence, purity, hope, blank-slate
Syntax
The grammatical structure of sentences. We are not speaking of grammatical correctness, but rather of the deliberate sentence structure the author chooses to make the desired point. It controls verbal pacing and focus
Theme
The author's message in a work. It may be directly stated or more indirectly conveved. Example: The author may convey that experiencing love can be traumatic if the object of one's affection hurts them or betrays them.
Tone
the attitude of the person speaking/narrating toward what they are talking about (the subject) Example of words to describe tone: hurt, angry, paranoid, joyful, pleading, haughty, mocking, sarcastic, calm, soothing
Verse
poetic lyrics with a meter. (poems and songs)
