Literary Elements Study Guide

A set of vocabulary study cards based on the Literary Elements Study Guide covering key literary terms, devices, and elements.

Simile

Compares two things using like or as

Metaphor

Compares two things NOT using like or as

Personification

Giving humanlike characteristics to non-human things

Symbolism

The idea that something has a meaning greater than itself

Imagery

Using very descriptive language

Diction

The choice or use of specific words in writing

Point of View

The perspective from which a story is told

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration

Onomatopoeia

A word that represents a sound

Idiom

A phrase that has a meaning other than the literal meaning, like raining cats and dogs

Characterization

The way an author shows what a character is like

Direct characterization

When the author tells you exactly what a character is like

Indirect characterization

When the author shows you what a character is like through their actions, thoughts, words, and how others react to them

Motif

An important idea that repeats or occurs frequently in a piece of writing

Theme

The central message or lesson conveyed through a story