macbeth literary terms + english 10 h literary terms

Alliteration

The repetition of similar sounds in a sequence of words to create a memorable phrase

Allusion

In literature, this reference to another work. The purpose is to lend authority to an idea to make an association with something the Reader knows

Connotation

The extra feeling or idea a word gives you, not just its dictionary meaning.

Example: “Home” means a place you live, but its connotation is warmth, family, and comfort.

denotation

A direct and specific meaning often referred to as the dictionary meaning of a word

Detail

Facts observations, and incidents that are used to develop a topic

Flashback

A scene that interrupts the action to show an event that happened earlier

Foil

secondary character who contrast with the major character to enhance the importance of the major character

Foreshadowing

The use of clues that suggests what an action is to come writers use for what to create interest and build up suspension

Hyperbole

An exaggeration of a fact use either for serious or comic affect. The function is to provoke a response.

Imagery

Words used to create or suggest pictures in the readers mind

Irony

when something happens that’s the opposite of what you except

Verbal irony

A writer or speaker says one thing and means something else entirely different

Dramatic irony

A reader or an audience know something that the character in the story or play does not know

Situational irony

when something happens that’s the opposite of what you’d normally expect.

Metaphor

A comparison that is only suggested or implied, with no clear indication of a relation between the two items

Motif

a detail, idea, or image that repeats in a story and shows something important about the theme.

Onomatopoeia

A word in which the sound imitates or suggests its meaning

Oxymoron

when two opposite words are put together to make a new meaning, like “jumbo shrimp” or “bittersweet.”

Parallel structure

when you use the same pattern of words so a sentence sounds smooth and balanced.

Example: I like reading, writing, and drawing. (all verbs in the same form)

Personification

a figure of speech in which something nonhuman is given human qualities

Satire

when someone makes fun of people, ideas, or problems to show what’s wrong with them and make others think or laugh.

Ex. TV shows like The Simpsons or Shrek – they make fun of real-life problems or fairy tale rules.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing to essentially unlike things through the use of the words “like” or “as”

Soliloquy

when a character in a play talks to themselves about their thoughts or feelings, so the audience knows what’s really going on inside their head.

Example: In a play, a character might stand alone on stage and say, “I’m so scared, but I have to be brave.”

Symbol

A symbol is any object, person, place, or action that stands for more than what it really is.

Example: A heart doesn’t just mean the shape of a heart but of what?

Syntax

the way words are arranged in a sentence to make it sound clear or show a certain style.

Example: “I cannot go” vs. “Can’t go, I.” → Same word but different what?

Theme

The authors central message or insight revealed through the literary works

Tone

the author’s attitude or feeling in their writing, shown by the words they choose.

Example: “I can’t wait for the trip!”

“Ugh, another boring trip…”

Anachrony

The lierarary technique of presenting ideas out of chronological order. Three types: flashback;flash forward, and ellipsis (omitting information)

Apostrophe

An address or invocation to something that is inanimate (not alive)

Juxtaposition

The placement of unlike objects, ideas etc, adjacent to one another to highlight the contrast between them

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but contains an element of truth

Flash forward

where the story jumps ahead in time to show something that will happen in the future.

Authors voice

personality shining through their writing

Ellipsis

is a punctuation mark made up of three dots (…) and show omission or a trailing off of thought

Authors style

the way the author writes

Diction

The specific word choice of an author used to convey tone, purpose or effect