10th Grade Literary Devices

To review for the literary device test on Tuesday/Wednesday, please use the flashcards below to study.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere a text creates for the reader.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience.

Antagonist

The character or force opposing the protagonist.

Protagonist

The main character who drives the story.

Denouement

The resolution or conclusion of a story after the climax.

Verse

Writing arranged with rhythm, often in poetry.

Prose

Ordinary written or spoken language without structured meter.

Alliteration

Repetition of INITIAL sounds in words.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within words.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.

Anaphora

Repetition of words at the beginning of successive lines or clauses.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds.

 Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what is meant (a.k.a. sarcasm).

Situational Irony

When events turn out opposite of what’s expected.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows something the characters don’t.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting elements side by side to draw attention to each element.

Parallelism

Using similar grammatical structures for balance. (E.g. “easy come, easy go” or “like father, like son”)

Antithesis

Direct contrast of ideas in parallel structure. (E.g. “Give me liberty or give me death” or “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times”)

Metaphor

A comparison without “like” or “as.”

Simile

A comparison using “like” or “as.”

Analogy

A comparison between two things that are alike in some way, typically used to explain a concept or idea.

Symbol

An object that represents something beyond itself.

Motif

A recurring symbol, element, or idea in a work.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, or work.

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to the senses.

Personification

Giving human qualities to non-human things.

Stanza

A grouped set of lines in a poem.

3rd Person Omniscient

Narrator knows all characters’ thoughts. (Use of he/she/they/it pronouns)

3rd Person Limited

Narrator follows one character’s perspective. (Use of he/she/they/it pronouns)

1st Person

Narrator is a character using “I.”

2nd Person

Narrator addresses the reader as “you.”

Conflict

Struggle between opposing forces.

STEAL

Method of character analysis (Speech, Thoughts, Effects on others, Actions, Looks).

Dynamic Character

A character who changes significantly.

Static Character

A character who remains unchanged.

Diction

The author’s word choice.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and sentences.

Connotation

The emotional or cultural meaning of a word.

Denotation

The literal dictionary definition of a word.

Chorus

A repeated section in a poem or song, which usually conveys the main theme.

Bridge

A section in a song that contrasts with the rest of the song and provides a transition between later verses and the chorus.

Pre-Chorus

A section of a song that builds anticipation for the main chorus.