Literary Devices & Terms

Vocabulary study flashcards covering all literary devices and terms from the study guide.

Allegory

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

Alliteration

The repetition of the same initial consonant sounds in a series of closely connected words.

Rhyme

The repetition of similar or identical sounds in two or more words, commonly found at the ends of lines in poetry.

Allusion

An indirect or brief reference to a famous person, place, event, literary work, or historical event.

Eupehmism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered too harsh, blunt, or unpleasant.

Flashback

A literary device where the narrative interrupts the present time to show an event that occurred earlier in the past.

Foreshadowing

The use of hints or clues in a story to suggest events that will happen later in the plot.

Hyperbole

An intentional and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or dramatic effect, not meant to be taken literally.

Dramatic Irony

A situation in a story or play where the audience or reader understands key information that the characters do not.

Situational Irony

An occurrence in which the actual outcome of an event is directly opposite to what was expected to happen.

Verbal Irony

A figure of speech in which a speaker says one thing but means the exact opposite, often expressing sarcasm.

Juxtaposition

The placement of two contrasting ideas, characters, images, or places side-by-side to highlight their differences.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two distinct, unlike things without using the words 'like' or 'as'.

Simile

A figure of speech that directly compares two different things using connection words such as 'like' or 'as'.

Paradox

A statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd on the surface, but reveals a deeper truth upon closer inspection.

Pathetic Fallacy

The attribution of human emotions and feelings to nature or inanimate objects, such as weather reflecting a character's mood.

Puns

Humorous plays on words that exploit multiple meanings of a word or words that sound similar.

Personification

Giving human qualities, characteristics, or actions to non-human objects, animals, or abstract ideas.

Symbolism

The literary device of using symbols (objects, characters, or colors) to represent deeper abstract ideas or meanings.