Literary Devices and Techniques :3

Rhetorical Question

A question asked for effect or to make a point rather than to get an actual answer.

Anecdote

A short and interesting story or personal account used to illustrate a point or engage the audience.

Ethos: Persuasion through credibility or character. Pathos: Persuasion by appealing to the audience's emotions. Logos: Persuasion using logic, facts, or reason.

Aristotle's Appeals

Comic Relief

Humorous scene, character, or dialogue used to relieve tension in an otherwise serious or dramatic work.

Euphemism

Mild or indirect word or phrase used to replace one that may be harsh, blunt, or unpleasant.

Logical Fallacies

Errors in reasoning that weaken an argument.

Sarcasm

Use of irony to mock or convey contempt, often by saying the opposite of what one means.

Satire

Technique that uses humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or expose flaws in society, politics, or individuals.

Understatement

Figure of speech in which something is presented as being smaller or less important than it actually is, often for ironic or humorous effect.

Alliteration

Two or more words next to each other in a sentence that begin with the same sound.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

Antithesis

Two opposite ideas put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Apostrophe

When a speaker directly addresses an absent or imaginary person, or a personified abstraction.

Chiasmus (Antimetabole)

Two or more clauses balanced against each other by the reversal of their structures.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words in a phrase or sentence.

Epigraph

A short quote or saying at the beginning of a book or chapter, intended to suggest its theme.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses or sentences.

Denotation

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Connotation

The emotional, cultural, or implied meaning associated with a word beyond its literal definition.

Colloquialism

Informal words or phrases used in everyday conversation, often specific to a region or group.

Jargon

Specialized language used by a specific profession, group, or field that may be difficult for outsiders to understand.

Dialect

A regional or social variety of a language with distinct vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Vernacular

The everyday spoken language of ordinary people in a particular region or group.

Point-of-View (POV)

The perspective from which a story is told.

Conflict

The struggle or opposition between two or more forces, typically driving the plot and narrative forward.

Internal Conflict

A struggle within a character, such as emotions, thoughts, or decisions.

External Conflict

A struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another character or the environment.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story.

Flashback

An interruption in the present narrative to show an event from the past.

Suspense

A feeling of tension or anxiety about what will happen next.

Flat Character

An undeveloped, one-dimensional character.

Round Character

A layered character with complex emotions and traits.

Static Character

A character who does not go through a significant change in the text.

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes significant change over the course of the text.

Direct Characterization

When the author explicitly states a character's traits.

Indirect Characterization

Author shows a character's traits through their speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, and looks.

Protagonist

The main character in a story.

Antagonist

The character who opposes the protagonist to create conflict.

Foil

A character who contrasts with another character to highlight particular qualities.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to one or more of the five senses to create vivid mental pictures for readers.

Irony

Verbal: Saying the opposite of what you mean. Situational: The opposite of what is expected happens. Dramatic: The readers know something the characters do not.

Juxtaposition

Two or more contrasting ideas, characters, settings, or images placed side by side to highlight their differences or create an effect.

Onomatopoeia

Words that imitate or suggest the sound they describe.

Setting (Micro)

Specific, detailed location or environment where a scene takes place.

Setting (Macro)

Larger, broader context of the story (geographical location, historical time period, cultural environment).

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases in a sentence.

Allegory

A story or narrative that is entirely symbolic of a larger idea.

Allusion

A reference to a person, place, or thing that is of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Analogy

A comparison between two normally dissimilar objects to highlight their similarities.

Archetype

A universal, recurring character, story, or theme in literature.

Personification

A comparison that gives human qualities to an inanimate object.

Hyperbole

Exaggeration in order to emphasize a point.

Pun

A play on words where a word may have multiple meanings.

Implied Metaphor

Comparison between two unlike things without explicitly stating one of them.

Extended Metaphor

A metaphor that continues over several lines, sentences, or an entire piece of writing.

Dead Metaphor

A metaphor that has lost its original imagery or impact due to overuse.

Mixed Metaphor

A combination of two or more incompatible metaphors, often producing a confusing or humorous effect.

Metonymy

A word or phrase used to represent or stand for something else.

Mood

The atmosphere or feelings the reader feels based on the author's writing.

Motif

A recurring element that represents a larger idea throughout a book.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech in which two opposing or contradictory words are paired.

Simile

A comparison made using 'like' or 'as.'

Symbol

An object, person, place, or thing that is meant to represent something else.

Synesthesia

Blending or mixing of sensory experiences in description, where one sense is described in terms of another.