Literary Devices

Metonymy

A figure of speech where a word is substituted for another closely associated word.

Parable

A short story that teaches a religious or moral lesson.

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, character, place, or event to deepen the reader's understanding.

Verbal irony

A statement where the speaker's words are incongruous with their intent.

Colloquialism

Informal language specific to a demographic or time period, used to convey personality and authenticity to characters.

Internal conflict

Tension experienced by a character within themselves.

Quatrain

A piece of verse complete in four rhymed lines.

Parody

A humorous or mocking imitation of something, using the same form as the original.

Apostrophe

A speech or address to a person or personified object not present.

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration for literary or rhetorical effect.

Couplet

A pair of consecutive lines of poetry that create a complete thought or idea.

External conflict

Conflict between characters and forces outside themselves.

Onomatopoeia

Using words that imitate or name a sound.

Realism

A literary movement that portrays everyday experiences as they are in real life.

Free verse

Poetry without strict meter or rhyme scheme.

Alliteration

Repetition of initial stressed consonant sounds in close proximity.

Foil

A character who contrasts with another character.

Mixed metaphor

The combination of two or more metaphors that don't align logically.

Flat character

A two-dimensional character who remains unchanged throughout a work.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite elements.

Direct characterization

When an author describes a character straightforwardly.

Dynamic character

A character who learns a lesson or undergoes change.

Implied metaphor

A metaphor that compares two unlike things without explicitly stating one of them.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds in close proximity.

Analogy

Comparing two unrelated things to make a point.

Antithesis

Contrasting ideas or words placed in close proximity for emphasis.

Ellipsis

Omitting a portion of the sequence of events, allowing the reader to fill in the gaps.

Ethos

Focuses on the writer's or speaker's trustworthiness.

Imagery

Vivid description that appeals to the senses to create mental images.

Pathos

Evoking emotions in the audience to persuade them.

Anaphora

Repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Anthropomorphism

Assigning human characteristics to nonhuman entities.

Crux

A corrupted textual passage that is difficult to interpret and resolve.