Dr. Cusick Final

Alliteration

Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.

Cacophony

Harsh, jarring sounds used for effect.

Caesura

A pause within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation.

Catalogue/List

A series of items, ideas, or images presented in a sequence.

Common Meter

A poetic pattern alternating lines of 8 and 6 syllables (iambic tetrameter and trimeter).

Comparison/Contrast

Showing similarities or differences between ideas, people, or things.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.

Connotation/Denotation

Denotation = literal meaning; Connotation = emotional or cultural associations.

Diction (Word Choice)

The author's selection of words to create tone and meaning.

Dramatic Irony

The audience knows something the characters do not.

Enjambment

When a sentence continues from one line of poetry to the next without punctuation.

Euphony

Pleasant, smooth-sounding words and sounds.

Flashback

A scene that interrupts the present to show an earlier event.

Free Verse

Poetry without a regular rhyme scheme or meter.

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting ideas or images side by side.

Metaphor & Simile

Metaphor compares without 'like' or 'as'; simile uses 'like' or 'as.'

Parallel Structure

Using the same grammatical pattern in a series.

Personification

Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.

Perspective (Point of View)

The viewpoint from which a story or poem is told.

Repetition

Repeating words, phrases, sounds, or ideas for emphasis.

Rhyme (End/Internal/Slant)

End rhyme: rhyming at line ends; Internal rhyme: within a line; Slant rhyme: near rhyme.

Symbol

An object, person, or event that represents a larger idea.

Theme

The central message or underlying meaning of a work.