English | Literary terms

voice

the unique style, personality or perspective of a piece of writing

Anaphora

repetition of short phrases or single words at the beginning of clauses or sentences

diction

author's word choice and phrasing, which significantly impacts the story

symbol

an object, person, or idea that represents something beyond its literal meaning

tone

attitude or mood towards the subject matter or audience

allusion

reference to a person, event, literary work, or historical text

imagery

descriptive language used to create vivid mental pictures

theme

central idea, message

mood

atmosphere or feeling

metaphor

comparing without using "like" or "as"

simile

comparing with words "like" or "as"

hyperbole

exaggeration for emphasis or effect

personification

human qualities are given to non-human entities

repetition

using the same word or phrase over and over again

foreshadowing

hints at or suggests events that will happen later in the story

onomatopoeia

words that represent sounds (ex. boom)

 juxtaposition

placing two opposites alongside each other in a sentence

alliteration

repetition of beginning consonant sounds in multiple words in a single line

idiom

a phrase whose meaning cannot be derived from the literal meanings of the individual words

pun

different meanings of a word or words that sound alike but have different meanings

oxymoron

combines contradictory words with opposing meanings next to each other

irony

contrast between what is expected and what actually happens

plot

sequence of events that make up a story

characterization

an author reveals a character's personality, traits, and motivations

narration

the act of telling a story or recounting events