Literary Devices and Rhetorical Appeals

Vocabulary flashcards defining key literary devices, figures of speech, and rhetorical appeals covered in the lecture notes.

Metaphor

A figure of speech comparing two things directly, such as 'hannan is a night owl'.

Implied Metaphor

A device that suggests a figurative comparison between two objects without explicitly stating it, such as 'she barked words at the crew'.

Extended Metaphor

A comparison of two unlike things that lasts for many sentences.

Simile

A figure of speech comparing two things using 'like' or 'as', such as 'hope is like a lighthouse it shines a Shining light' or 'You are like a devil'.

Personification

A figure of speech where objects are given human traits, such as 'the Sun smiled'.

Symbol

When authors use specific items to communicate different meanings.

Metonymy

A word trick where you call something by the name of a closely connected item, such as 'the crown has decided to raise taxes'.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech where a part represents the whole, such as referring to soldiers as 'Boots' or a police officer as 'the law'.

Allusion

An implied reference to a known thing, such as pointing to sacred texts like the Bible.

Apostrophe

A rhetorical phrase used to address an inanimate object or entity, such as talking to the dead.

Hyperbole

When writers use exaggeration to convey strong emotion, such as 'IM So hungy I could eat a horse'.

Juxtaposition

The art of placing two or more ideas side-by-side to compare them, such as 'the vibrant colorful flowers grew beside the dark house'.

Imagery

Descriptive language, such as 'the trees twisted with hissing Sounds'.

Pun

A play on words that have multiple meanings, such as 'skeletons dont have the guts to fight'.

Paradox

When two opposing ideas come together to reveal a deep meaning, such as 'let go of something to set new opportunity'.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that puts two opposite words together, such as 'bittersweet' or 'Deafening silence'.

Antithesis

The exact opposite of something presented in a sentence to create contrast.

Alliteration

When writers use words in sequence that start with the same sound, such as 'Crazy Kangaroos'.

Onomatopoeia

A word that sounds like the noise it makes, such as 'the cat meowed for food'.

Apophasis

Bringing up a subject while pretending to ignore it, such as saying 'I m not one to gossip but'.

Anaphora

Repetition used to draw attention to a main idea, such as MLK repeating 'I have a dream'.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds without repeating consonant sounds, such as 'he was speckles with barnacles'.

Parenthesis

When a writer adds extra information without interruption, such as 'we arrived at school early'.

Bathos

A sudden drop from something serious to something less serious and funny, such as 'the warrior stood defiant against war then he tripped over a chicken'.

Situational Irony

When the opposite of what is expected happens, such as a fire station burning down.

Dramatic Irony

When you know something that the characters do not, such as knowing someone has been poisoned when they don't.

Verbal Irony

When someone says something but means the opposite, such as speaking with sarcasm.

Ethos

A rhetorical appeal where an author establishes why you should trust them or shows that they are relatable.

Pathos

A rhetorical appeal meant to evoke an emotional response from the reader, such as an ad about saving a dog.

Logos

A rhetorical appeal based on logic and reason, such as citing '9 10 dentists recommend'.