English - Figurative Language

ykw i thought my entire account would be stem. i am pleasantly surprised.

Alliteration

• Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.

• “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”

Anaphora

• Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses.

  • Ex. “I have a dream…” repeated throughout MLK’s speech.

Caesura

• A deliberate pause or break within a line of poetry.

• “To be, or not to be — that is the question.”

Iambic Pentameter

• A line of poetry with 10 syllables in an unstressed–stressed (iambic) pattern.

  • Ex. “Shall I compARE thee to a summer’s dAY?”

Ballad Stanza

• Quatrain (4-line stanza) with alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter (abcb).

• Found in traditional folk ballads.

Haiku

• A 3-line poem with a 5–7–5 syllable pattern, focusing on nature.

• Often has seasonal or nature imagery.

Shakespearean Sonnet

• A 14-line poem in iambic pentameter with ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme.

  • Ex. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18.

Exposition

• The introduction of background info: characters, setting, situation.

  • Ex. the opening chapters explaining the world of Harry Potter.

Rising Action

• Events that intensify conflict and build tension.

• Every challenge faced before the climax in The Hunger Games.

Falling Action

• Events following the climax that lead toward resolution.

  • Ex. After Voldemort’s defeat, characters picking up the pieces.

Conflict

• A struggle between opposing forces (internal or external).

  • Ex. character vs. character.

Antagonist

• The character or force opposing the protagonist.

• Voldemort in Harry Potter.

Anti-hero

• A central character lacking traditional heroic qualities.

  • Ex. Walter White from Breaking Bad.

Flat Character

• A simple, one-dimensional character with limited development.

• Miss Maudie from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Focal Character

• The character the audience’s attention is centered on (not always the narrator).

  • Ex. Nick focuses on Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.

Foil

• A character whose contrast highlights traits of another.

  • Ex. Draco Malfoy and Harry.

Character

• A figure (person, animal, entity) in a literary work.

  • Ex. Hamlet in Hamlet.

Characterization

• The methods an author uses to develop a character.

• Showing a character’s personality through actions or dialogue.

Coming-of-Age Story

• A narrative showing a young character’s transition into adulthood.

  • Ex. The Catcher in the Rye (book sucks btw).

Bildungsroman

• A novel focused on psychological/moral growth from youth to adulthood.

  • Ex. Jane Eyre.

Narrator

• The voice telling the story.

  • Ex. Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Unreliable Narrator

• A narrator whose credibility is questionable.

  • Ex. The narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart.

Omniscient Narrator

• A narrator who knows all characters’ thoughts and events.

• The narrator in Pride and Prejudice.

Persona

• The voice or mask an author adopts in a poem or text.

Stream of Consciousness

• A narrative style that mimics the continuous flow of thoughts.

• Hole in the Wall by Virginia Woolf.

Figure of Speech

• A non-literal expression used for effect.

  • Ex. “time is a thief.”

Metaphor

• A direct comparison without “like” or “as.”

  • Ex. “The world is a stage.”

Simile

• A comparison using “like” or “as.”

  • Ex. “Her smile was like sunshine.”

Personification

• Giving human qualities to non-human things.

• “The wind whispered through the trees.”

Hyperbole

• Extreme exaggeration for effect.

• “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

Imagery

• Descriptive language appealing to the senses.

• Ex. A passage describing the smell of rain.

Symbol

• An object that represents a deeper idea.

  • Ex. white elephants in Hills like White Elephants.

Verbal Irony

• Saying one thing but meaning another.

  • Ex. Saying “Great weather!” during a storm.

Dramatic Irony

• When the audience knows something the characters don’t.

  • Ex. the audience knows Juliet isn’t dead, but Romeo doesn’t.

Situational Irony

• An unexpected contrast between what happens and what’s expected.

  • Ex. a fire station burning down.

Magic Realism

• Realistic narrative with subtle, matter-of-fact magical elements.

• One Hundred Years of Solitude.

Parody

• A humorous imitation of a style or work.

  • Ex. Scary Movie imitating horror films.

Defamiliarization

• Presenting common things in a strange way to make readers see them anew.

• Describing everyday objects as if they’re alien or unfamiliar.

Allusion

• A reference to a well-known work, event, or figure.

  • Ex. “He was a real Romeo.”

Connotation

• The emotional/implied meaning of a word.

  • Ex. “Home” implying warmth and comfort.

Denotation

• The literal dictionary meaning of a word.

• “Home” meaning a place where one lives.

Motive

• A character’s reason for acting.

  • Ex. revenge.