Literary Devices and Techniques 2

parallelism

the use of corresponding grammatical or syntactical forms

paraphrase

a restatement of a text in a different form or in different words, often for the purpose of clarity

parody

a humorous imitation of a serious work

parenthetical

a comment that interrupts the immediate subject, often to qualify or explain

pastoral

literature that deals with people living off the land, revealing the challenges and blessings of nature

pathos

the quality in a work that prompts the reader to feel pity

pedantic

characterized by an excessive display of learning or scholarship

personification

endowing non-human objects or creatures with human qualities or characteristics

philippic

a strong verbal denunciation

point of view

the vantage point from which a story is told

polysyndeton

the use, for rhetorical effect, of more conjunctions than is necessary or natural

pun

a play on words, often using words with similar sounds but different meanings

resolution

the falling action of a narrative; the events following the climax

rhetoric

the art of presenting ideas in a clear, effective, and persuasive manner

rhetorical question

a question asked merely for rhetorical effect and not requiring an answer

rhetorical devices

literary techniques used to heighten the effectiveness of expression

riddle

a question requiring thought to answer or understand; a puzzle or conundrum

romantic

a term describing a character or literary work that reflects the characteristics of Romanticism, the literary movement beginning in the late century that stressed emotion, imagination, and individualism

round character

a character who demonstrates some complexity and who develops or changes in the course of a work

sarcasm

harsh, cutting language or tone intended to ridicule

satire

the use of humor to emphasize human weaknesses or imperfections in social institutions

scapegoat

a person or group that bears the blame for another

simile

a comparison of two things using "like," "as," or other specifically comparative words

simple sentence

a sentence consisting of one independent clause and no dependent clause

solecism

nonstandard grammatical usage; a violation of grammatical rules

style

the choices a writer makes; the combination of distinctive features of a literary work

surrealism

an artistic movement emphasizing the imagination and characterized by incongruous juxtapositions and lack of conscious control

syllepsis

a construction in which one word is used in two different senses ("After he threw the ball, he threw a fit.")

syllogism

a three-part deductive argument in which a conclusion is based on a major premise and a minor premise ("All men are mortal; Socrates is a man; therefore, Socrates is mortal")

symbol

an object that is used to represent something else

synecdoche

using one part of an object to represent the entire object (for example, referring to a car simply as "wheels")

synesthesia

describing one kind of sensation in terms of another ("a loud color" or "a sweet sound")

syntax

the manner in which words are arranged into sentences

tautology

needless repetition which adds no meaning or understanding ("widow woman," "free gift")

theme

a central idea of a work

thesis

the primary position taken by a writer or speaker

tone

the attitude of a writer, usually implied, toward the subject or audience

topic

the subject treated in a paragraph or work

tragedy

a work in which the protagonist, a person of high degree, is engaged in a significant struggle and which ends in ruin or destruction

trilogy

a work in three parts, each of which is a complete work in itself

trite

overused and hackneyed

turning point

the point in a work in which a very significant change occurs

understatement

the deliberate representation of something as lesser in magnitude than it actually is—a deliberate under-emphasis

usage

the customary way language or its elements are used

vernacular

the everyday speech of a particular country or region, often involving nonstandard usage