Lit Terms 1: Summers

Allusion

A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. ex. plan ahead: it wasnt raining when noah built his ark

Apostrophe

A figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. ex. oh nature though art my goddess

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally. ex. he ran a million miles per hour

Irony

Situational Irony, Dramatic irony, Verbal Irony

Situational Irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected. a car mechanic can't chnage a tire

dramatic irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't.

ex. someone making fun of their friend losing their wallet but they also lost their wallet

verbal Irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant. ex. my day is going great thanks, when the day is going poorly

Juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts. a photograph of an old woman holding a baby

metaphor

A comparison without using like or as. ex. life is a box of chocolates

Metonymy

A figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with it. ex. the suits traveled far

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase. ex. life is such sweet sorrow

Paradox

A statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth. ex. I know thsat I know nothing

Personification

A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes. The rock gave a cold hard stare

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as". she ran as fast as a cheetah

Synecdoche

a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa. if i had some wheels I could get there faster

Understatment

the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is. ex. its a bit cold out, when it is a blizzard