Literary Devices and Stylistic Features | Quizlet

Hyperbole

Uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humour

Paralipsis

Drawing attention to something by claiming not to mention it

Aporia

Expression of doubt (often feigned) by which a speaker appears uncertain as to what e should think, say, or do only to then answer the question

Parallelism

Phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other

Anaphora

When the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive lines, clauses, or sentences

Rhetorical question

A question asked merely for effect and not requiring an answer

Anecdote

A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

Ellipsis

Omitting words that can be understood without being stated in order to avoid repetition

Irony

A contrast or discrepancy between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what is expected to happen and what actually does happen.

Synecdoche

When a part is used to refer to the whole

Ethos

Appeals to credibility/believability/likability

Polysyndeton

Deliberate use of many conjunctions in successive phrases or clauses

Metonymy

When something is referred to by using the name of something that is closely associated with it

Antithesis

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, often in parallel structure

Emotive language / loaded language

Language designed to target an emotion and to make the audience respond on an emotional level to the idea or issue being presented

Understatement

The presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

Aposiopesis

Suddenly stopping in the middle of a speech for emphasis

Euphemism

An indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant, impolite, or socially offensive

Pattern of three

The grouping of three words or phrases used to create rhythm or emphasis

Diction

A writer's or speakers' choice of words

Apostrophe

When one directly addresses a person who is not present or to a personified object

Distinction

When the speaker/author elaborates on any words and/or ambiguous ideas to make sure there is no misunderstanding

Asyndeton

The omission or absence of a conjunction between parts of a sentence

Condulplication

When key words or phrases are repeated throughout successive sentences, clauses or phrases

Consonance

Repetition of a consonant sound within two or more words in close proximity

Assonance

Repetition of a vowel sound within two or more words in close proximity

Tone

The writer's attitude and feelings regarding the subject matter

Mood

The atmosphere that is created in a text by authorial choices to the effect of the audience

Sentence structure

The order of words in a sentence

Punctuation

The use of punctuation to guide the flow of the text and put emphasis on different words

Personal pronouns

The pronouns that a person uses to refer to themselves or other people with. It gives humanity to a thing or person.

Verbal irony

What is said is the opposite of what is meant

Dramatic irony

When the audience knows more than the characters

Situational irony

The irony of something happening that is different to what is expected

Register

The way the speaker uses language in different circumstances

Satire

Technique that uses humour or sarcasm or irony to posit a critique of a societal structure

Pathos

Persuasion of the reader/audience by appealing to their emotions

Pastiche

Reimagining of a previous work

Dramatic visualization

Representing an object or character with abundant or descriptive detail

Distancing effect

Techniques to distance the audience emotionally form the story

Amplification

Make it bigger / add more information or embellishing the sentence

Alliteration

Repetition of consonants/sounds. Emphasis or create musicality or set the mood

Metaphor

Comparison between two unrelated things to highlight a shared quality

Personification

When you give objects or animals human characteristics - metaphorically

Imagery

Appealing to the senses to create a picture in words

Visual imagery

Focuses on the visual

Tactile imagery

Focuses on the touch

Auditory imagery

Focuses on sounds

Gustatory imagery

Focuses on taste

Olfactory imagery

Focuses on smell

Symbol

Element in the story that represents something deeper (an object or idea

Motif

Comes up repeatedly in a story and represents a theme

Theme

A central idea of a story

Allegory

Representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters and events

Anthropomorphism

When you give objects or animals human characteristics - literally

Paradox

Two things together that are contradictory to emphasise. It is context related.

Euphuism

Very sophisticated language

Oxymoron

Pure contradiction - deafening silence

Juxtaposition

Placing things side by side to highlight their differences

Parody

Making fun of something by exaggerating it

Synesthesia

Putting two or more senses together

Extended metaphor

When a whole paragraph, chapter or work is a metaphor

Pathetic fallacy

Human emotions to inanimate, natural things - weather. Sets the mood and establishes the setting

Simile

Comparison using like or as

Ambiguity

Allows for more than one interpretation

Conceit

Comparison that is convoluted, unconventional or improbable

Catharsis

Releasing emotion

Foil

Designed to illustrate or reveal information, traits, values, or motivations of one character through the comparison and contrast of another character

Connotation

Implied meaning of a word which is separate from the dictionary definition

Innuendo

Subtle or indirect suggestion or hint, typically with a suggestive or negative connotation

Maxim

A succinct formulation of a fundamental principle, general truth, or rule of conduct

Pun

Play on words that exploits multiple meaning or similar sounds

Hamartia

Tragic flaw

Tragic hero

The protagonist of a tragedy

Tautology

Needless repetition of the same sense in different words; redundancy

Man vs. Man

Conflict between one character and another character or group of characters

Man vs. Himself

Conflict that occurs within a characters own mind

Man vs. Fate/God

Conflict between a character and their destiny

Man vs. Society

conflict between a character or group of characters and the norms, values, or rules of society, often highlighting social injustices or clashes.

Man vs. Nature

Conflict where a character fights to survive in a natural environment

Man vs. Supernatural

Conflict where a character fights against a supernatural force

Man vs. Technology

Character faces technology and must prevail against it

Audience Surrogate

Character that the audience can relate to/is meant to see themselves as

Author surrogate

Character that is based on the author - represents the author's beliefs

Breaking the fourth wall

When a character directly addresses the audience in a work of fiction

Defamiliarization

Familiar objects presented in a way that make them seem unfamiliar

First person narration

Story told from a first person perspective - I form

Magical realism

Describing events in a real world setting but with magic added in

Multiperspectivity

Told from multiple perspectives

Second person narration

Story told in second person - you form

Stream-of-consciousness

Written as the character thinks - inner monologue

Third-person limited narration

Story told from a third person, but only see one or selected peoples thoughts

Third-person omniscient narration

Story told from a third person, see all peoples thoughts

Unreliable narrator

Biased narrator who might not be telling the truth

Pedantic

An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general ton etha tis overly scholarly, academic, or bookish.

Epiphora

Word repetition at the end of sentences

Climax

Arranging text in such a manner that tension gradually ascends

Anticlimax

Tension descends

Dysphemism

Replacing a neutral word with a harsher word

Euphemism

Replacing offensive or combination of words with lighter equivalents