Literary Devices Flashcards

Flashcards for key literary devices and terms. Definitions are provided along with the term.

Imagery

Words that help you picture something using the five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).

Tone

The author's attitude or feeling about what they're writing (serious, angry, playful, etc.).

Diction

The words the author chooses to use and how they affect meaning or tone.

Syntax

The way words and sentences are put together to create a certain effect.

Symbolism

When something (like an object or action) stands for a bigger idea.

Motif

A repeated image, word, or idea that helps show a theme.

Theme

The big message or idea the story is trying to share about life or people.

Irony

When the opposite of what you expect happens, or when words mean something different from what they seem.

Allusion

A quick reference to something well-known (like a book, movie, or historical event) to add meaning.

Point of View

The perspective from which the story is told (first person, third person, etc.).

Characterization

How the author shows what a character is like through what they say, do, think, and how others react to them.

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side by side to show how they're different or to highlight something.

Metaphor

Saying one thing is another to make a comparison (without "like" or "as").

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as" to show similarity.

Ambiguity

When something can have more than one meaning, often on purpose to create depth or mystery.