literary terms

quiz tmrw

allegory

a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one

alliteration

the repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words

allusion

a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance

analogy

a comparison between two things, typically on the basis of their structure and for the purpose of explanation or clarification

anecdote

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

anthropomorphism

the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, object

epithet

an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned

euphemism

a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

figurative language

language that uses words or expression with a meaning that is different from the literal interpretation

foreshadowing

a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story

hubris

excessive pride or self confidence

hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

idiom

a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words

imagery

visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work

metaphor

a figure of speech in which word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

motif

a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition that may contribute to the theme

oxymoron

a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

paradox

a seemingly absurd or self contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true

personification

the attribution of a personal nature of human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form

pun

a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings

simile

a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between the two different tings using the words like or as

situational irony

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected

suspense

a state of feeling of excited or anxious uncertainly about what may happen

symbol

a thing that represents or stand for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract

verbal irony

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning