Lit Terms/Devices

alliteration

the repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together

allusion

a reference to a statement, a person, a place, or an event from literature, the arts, history, religion, mythology, politics, sports, or science

repitition

repeating a word, phrase, or sentence, to add emphasis, unity, and/or power (vowel sounds -assonance)

couplet

two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme

epic

a long, narrative poem written about the stories and deeds of a heroic character

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

free verse

poetry without regular meter or rhyme scheme

iambic pentameter

a line of poetry that contains five beats consisting of an unstressed syllable and a stressed syllable

idiom

an expression that means something different from the literal definition of the words

imagery

language that appeals to the five senses

inversion

reversal of the normal order of a sentence

irony

Verbal (use words to mean something different than what they appear), situational (difference between expected & actual), dramatic (audience knows more than a character)

literary devices

the devices a writer uses to develop style and convey meaning

metaphor

an imaginative comparison between two unlike things in which one thing is said to BE another thing

meter/ rhythm

a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that creates a musical quality

mood

the overall emotion created by a work of literature

onomatopoeia

the use of words whose sounds echo their sense

personification

giving human characteristics to something nonhuman

poetry

a rhythmic, compressed language that uses figures of speech and imagery designed to appeal to emotion and imagination

pun

a play on the multiple meanings of a word or on two words that sound alike but have different meanings

rhyme scheme

a pattern of repetition of sounds at the end or inside a poem

simile

a comparison of two unlike things using words such as "like", "as", and "than"

stanza

a group of consecutive lines that forms a single unit in a poem

symbol

something that has its own meaning and stands for something beyond itself

theme

the truth or message about life revealed in a work of literature

tone

the attitude a writer takes toward the audience, a subject, or a character

haiku

a Japanese, three-line poem about nature, 5-7-5

oxymoron

word or phrase that contradicts itself (military intelligence)

allegory

characters, images, and/or events act as symbols.

Diamante

Diamond-shaped poem that compares two different subjects, OR same subject with synonyms at the beginning & antonyms at end

foreshadowing

a warning of future events