Literary Elements and Rhetorical Devices

theme

A big idea in a literary work. Example: Friendship and courage are central ideas in the story.

tone

The attitude in which the author writes. Example: The author writes in a serious and reflective tone.

symbol

Something that is given meaning through repetition. Example: The blue-glowing squid represents hope.

irony

A contrast between expectation and reality. Example: A fire station burns down.

conflict

Main problem within a story. Example: The character struggles to survive alone.

foreshadowing

When the author hints at something that will happen later. Example: Dark clouds suggest danger ahead.

flashback

Presentation of characters’ past or past events. Example: The story shifts to the character’s childhood.

point of view

Perspective from which a story is told. Example: The narrator uses “he” and “she,” showing third-person.

setting

The time and location of a story. Example: The story takes place in modern-day New York City.

characterization

The development of a character in a story. Example: Bravery is shown through the character’s actions.

allusion

A reference to something well-known from myth, history, or literature. Example: A reference to a Bible verse.

narrator

A character or voice who describes the events of the story. Example: An outside voice tells the story.

imagery

Vivid description appealing to the senses. Example: The salty air burned his lungs.

speaker

The voice or person delivering the text. Example: The speaker reflects on loss in the poem.

stanza

A group of lines in a poem. Example: The poem is divided into three stanzas.

couplet

Two lines of a poem that rhyme. Example: The final two lines of the poem rhyme.

ode

A lyric poem that addresses a subject. Example: A poem written to praise nature.

quatrain

A stanza or poem of four lines. Example: The poem opens with a quatrain.

apostrophe

Addressing someone absent or something nonhuman as if present. Example: “O Death, where is thy sting?”

sonnet

A 14-line poem with a set rhyme scheme, often in iambic pentameter. Example: A Shakespearean sonnet.

rhyme scheme

The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem. Example: ABAB CDCD.

simile

A comparison using “like” or “as.” Example: The fish was as big as a building.

metaphor

A comparison without using “like” or “as.” Example: Time is a thief.

extended metaphor

A metaphor developed over several lines or throughout a work. Example: Life is compared to a journey.

alliteration

Repetition of the same initial consonant sound in nearby words. Example: Wild winds whipped the water.

onomatopoeia

Words that imitate sounds. Example: Buzz and crackle.

personification

Giving human-like characteristics to something non-human. Example: The wind whispered.

hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. Example: I have told you a million times.

free verse

Poetry without a regular meter or rhyme scheme. Example: A poem with no set pattern.

blank verse

Unrhymed poetry written in iambic pentameter. Example: Many of Shakespeare’s plays.

oxymoron

A figure of speech combining two opposite ideas. Example: Deafening silence.

iambic pentameter

A rhythmic pattern of ten syllables per line, unstressed then stressed. Example: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”

diction

Word choice. Example: Formal diction creates a serious mood.

juxtaposition

Placing two contrasting ideas close together. Example: Wealth shown next to poverty.

motif

A recurring symbol, idea, or theme in a literary work. Example: Repeated images of darkness.

paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a deeper truth. Example: Less is more.

logical appeal (logos)

Persuasion through logic, facts, and reasoning. Example: Statistics are used to support an argument.

ethical appeal (ethos)

Persuasion through the credibility of the speaker. Example: A doctor giving medical advice.

emotional appeal (pathos)

Persuasion through emotional language. Example: A sad story used to create sympathy.

rhetorical question

A question asked for effect, not an answer. Example: Who wouldn’t want freedom?

parallelism

Repetition of grammatical structure for emphasis or rhythm. Example: I came, I saw, I conquered.

expression

A particular word, phrase, or way of saying something. Example: Break the ice.

connotation

The emotional or cultural meaning of a word. Example: Home suggests comfort.

denotation

The dictionary definition of a word. Example: Home means a place where someone lives.

colloquialism

Informal, everyday language. Example: Gonna instead of going to.

anecdote

A short personal story used to illustrate a point. Example: A memory shared in a speech.