AP Springer Literary Devices

allegory

a symbolic fictional narrative that implicitly conveys a meaning through the narrative. Example: Animal Form with George Orwell that use animals and main characters with human qualities. The animals revolt against the human who owns the farm speaks of a lesson surrounding authoritarianism, oppression, and tyranny.

ambiguity

uncertain meaning in the text. Example: “I saw her duck,” which could mean the action of ducking or someone’s pet duck.

apostrophe

referring to a speech or address to someone or something that is not physically there, due to death, inanimate, or absent. Ex.) “Romeo, where art thou?”

connotation

a feeling that is implied and invoked in addition to its meaning. Ex.) “fat”

literary convention

defining characteristics of a given genre, such as tropes, arcs, clichés, or literary devices. Ex.) Shakespeare’s tragedies usually have dramatic irony

denotation

the literal meaning of a word, ignoring any meanings or associations. Ex.) The boy was pushy

didactic

works intended to teach or instruct. An example is "Aesop's Fables," which use animal characters to convey moral lessons.

digression

a temporary departure from the main subject in writing. It often provides additional information or background. Example: In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the character of Polonius frequently digresses in his speeches, offering advice and anecdotes unrelated to the main plot.

epigram

a concise, clever, and witty statement often with a surprising twist.

Example: "Here lies my wife: here let her lie! / Now she's at rest — and so am I." - John Dryden

euphemism

the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant. Ex.) substituting “let go” for “fired” or “bit the dust” for “died”

grotesque

portraying characters or situations in a distorted, exaggerated manner to evoke strong emotions.

Ex) Metamorphosis: where the main character wakes up and realizes he has been transformed into a person-sized insect

hyperbole

extravagant exaggeration. Ex.) I’m so hungry I could eat a horse

jargon

technical terminology that is a characteristic of a specific group and typically used by experts to precisely communicate something. Ex.) “hypotension” instead of “low blood pressure”

literal

free from exaggeration or embellishment. Ex.) saying “it’s raining cats and dogs” and actually meaning cats and dogs are coming down from the sky

lyrical

a technique used in writing to create a musical or poetic effect. It often involves the use of rhythm, rhyme, and imagery to evoke emotions in the reader.

Example: In the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, the repetition of the word "nevermore" creates a haunting and melancholic tone

oxymoron

combination of contradictory or incongruous words. Ex.) cruel kindness, alone together

parable

a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or a religious principle. Ex.) The Sower: Matthew

paradox

a statement that is self-contradictory. Ex.) Less is more

parody

a humorous or satirical imitation of a work, often exaggerating its style for comic effect. Example: One famous example is "Scary Movie," which portrays various horror films in a comedic way.

personification

giving a nonhuman thing a human quality

rhetorical question

a question not intended to be answered but instead is used for effect

soliloquy

a monologue where the character speaks directly to the audience to show their thoughts and reflections

syllogism

3 part argument with major premise, minor premise, and a conclusion. Ex.) All mammals are animals; All elephants are mammals; Therefore, all elephants are animals.

alliteration

when the same consonant at the start is repeated in 2 or more words

assonance

when words with similar sounds/vowels are repeated close together

internal rhyme

rhyme between a word within a line and another at the end of the same line or within another line. Ex.) Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in bleak December

blank verse

an unrhymed iambic pentameter verse. Ex.) Shakespeare

dactyl

a metrical foot of one long and two short syllables (stress and unstressed respectively). Ex.) tenderly

end stopped

marked by a logical or rhetorical pause at the end. Ex.) ending with ; or ,

free verse

lines in a poem that mimic normal speech without specific rhyming or meter.

heroic couplet

2 lines of similar length that rhyme and are usually in iambic pentameter. Ex.) Some have at first for wits, then poets pass’d, / Turn’d critics next, and proved plain fools at last

Hexameter

a line with 6 feet that usually has dactyls (1 stressed then 2 unstressed) and spondees (2 stressed syllables), usually found in Latin and Greek literature, hard to use in English. Can also be an iambic hexameter.

iamb

metrical foot of one short syllable followed by one long syllable

onomatopoeia

vocal imitation of a sound. Ex.) buzz, hiss

pentameter

line of verse containing 5 feet. Ex.) Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

enjambment

the running over of a sentence from one verse or couplet into another so that closely related words fall in different lines. No pause at end of the line. Ex.) I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I / Did, till we loved?

sonnet

fixed verse form of Italian origin of 14 lines that are typically 5 foot iambics. ABAB CDCD EFEF GG

stanza

division of a poem consisting of lines arranged together

terza rima

verse form of tercets usually in iambic pentameter with interlaced rhyme. ABA BCB CDC

tetrameter

line of poetry with four metrical feet. Ex.)  “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house’” - A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. The four stressed syllables are “night,” “Christ,” “all,” and “house.”

antecedent

grammatical term for the person, place, thing, or clause that is represented by a following pronoun. Ex.) The dog’s been barking for hours — he needs to go outside.

clause

group of words containing a subject and verb that relate to each other. Can be dependent or independent. Ex.) independent: the dog barks a lot; dependent: when I grow up,

ellipsis

a punctuation mark of 3 dots used to omit words, represent a pause, or imply that there is something left unsaid. Ex.) Ellipses can be powerful tools for writing…if you know how to use them

imperative

type of sentence that gives directions, commands, or instructs something. Usually no subject because it is implied. Ex.) Go wash the dishes

parallel structure (parallelism)

where parts of the same sentence have grammatical similarities or are built similarly. Ex.) Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me

periodic sentence (suspended syntax)

sentence that the actual main clause is position at the end of the sentence so that suspense is built. Ex.) Despite the muddy conditions outside, the race continued

syntax

the way linguistic elements are placed together to make phrases or clauses

allusion

an implied or indirect reference in literature

attitude or tone

shows how the author feels about their subject and their readers. Shows a part of the author’s personal and parts of their personality that they wish to show

metonymy

figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is attributed or associated with. Ex.) crown in "lands belonging to the crown,” as crown is associated with royalty, or Washington as in “Washington recently released a public statement”

figurative language

figures of speech used to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful

imagery

using figurative and metaphorical language to appeal to reader’s senses

situational irony

when there are 2 contradicting meanings of the same situation, such as expectation and reality. Ex.) The pilot is afraid of heights

dramatic irony

when the audience knows something that the characters do not

synecdoche

when a part can represent a whole or when a whole represents a part. Ex.) Jack got new wheels (car) or let’s do a quick headcount (person)

conceit (extended metaphor)

a metaphor that is extended, can be several lines and can develop ideas, characters, images, or situations. Typically farfetched. Ex.) You're a snake! Everything you hiss out of your mouth is a lie. You frighten children, and you have no spine.

omniscient narrator

narrator that has full knowledge on the characters’ unspoken thoughts and motives

rhetorical techniques

enhance the effectiveness of an argument and conversation through ethos, pathos, and logos

satire

a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn

setting

time, place, and circumstance in which something happens

simile

figure of speech comparing two unlike things with like or as

structure

the way a writer organizes language and information in a text to serve a specific purpose. Ex.) chronological, cause and effect, problem and solution

style

specific manner or way a writer writes, taking into account an individual, period, school, or nation

symbol

anything that hints at something else, usually abstract. An object, a person, a situation, or an action that has a literal meaning but also suggests/represents something else.

pastoral

a genre of poetry that refers to works that idealize country life and the landscape they take place in. Use an idyllic setting where one is usually removed from society.

ode

lyric poem addressed to a subject with irregular rhyme scheme. Is usually solemn. Ex.) “He nothing common did or mean / Upon that memorable scene / But with his keener eye / The axe’s edge did try…”

elegy

poem that expresses sorrow for someone who has died

slant or imperfect rhyme

rhyme where words sound similar but are not exactly the same

rhyme scheme

arrangement of rhymes in a poem or work of literature. Ex.) ABAB CDCD etc.

meter

rhyme or pattern of beats in a line of poetry with stressed and unstressed syllables. Ex.) Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? is da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM

chiasmus

literary device in which words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order. Ex.) All for one and one for all. She has all my love; my heart belongs to her

polysyndeton

repetition of conjunctions with close succession. Ex.) We have ships and men and money

asyndeton

omission of the conjunctions that normally join words or clauses. Ex.) I came, I saw, I conquered