Literary Device Dictionary 2

Personification

the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

Anthropomorphism

The attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god animal or object

Allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

Parable

a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels

Free verse

Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter, or a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables

Blank verse

Verse without rhyme, but has a regular meter, usually iambic pentameter (alternating stressed and unstressed syllables)

Irony

The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect

Inversion

A literary device where the normal grammatical order of a sentence is reversed

Chiasmus

A rhetorical device in which two or more causes are balanced against each other by the reversal of their grammatical structure

Antimetabole

A specific type of chiasmus where the exact words from the first clause are repeated in the second clause, but in reverse order

Point of view

The perspective from which a story is told

Symbolism

A poetic or artistic style that uses a setting or images to express emotions, ideas of states of mind

Narrative Structure

The framework that determines the order and arrangement of a story's events and information, creating a cohesive and engaging experience for the audience

Antithesis

Rhetorical device that uses parallel grammatical structures to place two opposite ideas side by side to highlight their differences. This further creates emphasis, rhythm, and memorable phrases

Flashback

A literary device that interrupts the chronological flow of the main narrative to present an earlier event from a character’s past, often in the form of a vivid memory or dream

Flash forward

A literary device that interrupts the chronological flow of the main narrative to present a scene in the future and reveal events that have yet to take place

Deus ex machina

A plot device in which a seemingly unresolvable conflict or situation is suddenly resolved by an unexpected event or higher power

Anecdote

An anecdote is a brief narrative, often personal, that focuses on a particular event or experience related to the topic of discussion

Apostrophe

Used in writing to refer to an absent or deceased person, an inanimate object, or an abstract idea as if it were present and capable of understanding

Sonnet structure

14-line poem with a very strict rhyme scheme; Written in iambic pentameter

Serenade

A song or piece of music performed in the evening, often to express love or admiration

Aubade

A poem or song about lovers parting at dawn. It’s bittersweet because it usually means goodbye

Tone

Author's attitude toward the subject or the audience: shown through word choice and style

Juvenalian satire

Bitter, harsh and serious tone

Horatian satire

Light hearted, witty and amusing tone

Shakespearean sonnet (English)

3 quatrains +closing couplet. Rhyme scheme: abab cdcd efef gg

Petrarchan (Italian)

Starts with 8 lines, then 6 lines to smooth it out

Asyndeton

Against Conjunctions

Polysyndeton

Many conjunctions

Conceit

Two metaphors that between two dissimilar things that create layers of nuance and meaning

Understatement/Litotes

It is an understatement because it presents something as less intense or important than it is, but it uses a negative construction to create emphasis or ironical effect

Versimilitude

The appearance of being true or real