Literary Devices & Terms for Unit One Lit Exam

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in neighboring words.

Allusion

An indirect reference to a person, event, or work of art.

Apostrophe

Addressing an absent person, abstract idea, or non-human entity directly.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Characterization

The methods an author uses to develop a character's traits and personality.

Chiasmus

A poetic structure where words or concepts are repeated in reverse order.

Contrast

The juxtaposition of differing elements to highlight their differences.

Diction

The author's specific choice and use of words in speech or writing.

Enjambment

The continuation of a sentence across a line break without terminal punctuation.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered harsh or blunt.

Exclamation

A sudden forceful cry or remark expressing strong emotion.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues given by an author about upcoming plot events.

Hyperbole

An intentional and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

Imagery

Descriptive language appealing to one or more of the physical senses.

Italian Sonnet

A 14-line poem divided into an octave (abbaabba) and a sestet.

Malapropism

The mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'.

Motif

A recurring image, symbol, or idea that helps develop a theme.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate the natural sounds associated with the things named.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech combining two contradictory terms.

Parallelism

The use of matching grammatical structures in consecutive phrases or sentences.

Paradox

A seemingly self-contradictory statement that reveals a deeper truth.

Personification

Attributing human characteristics or behaviors to non-human objects or ideas.

Point-of-view

The perspective or vantage point from which a story is told.

Repetition

Intentionally repeating words, phrases, or lines for emphasis or unity.

Rhyme

The correspondence of sound between words or the endings of words.

Sibilance

The repetition of soft consonant sounds, primarily the 's' sound.

Simile

A comparison of two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

Symbol(ism)

The use of symbols to represent ideas, qualities, or abstract concepts.

Theme/Message

The central idea, underlying meaning, or main moral of a literary work.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject, characters, or audience.