Literary Elements & Devices

Vocabulary flashcards covering literary elements, figures of speech, types of irony, and literary devices.

Flashback

When, in a narrative (long or short) or poem, present events are interrupted and the reader learns about past events related to the story.

Foreshadowing

When the author purposely uses hints or suggestions to give a preview of events that will come later in the plot (kind of like Easter eggs or spoilers).

Mood/Atmosphere

When an author uses diction (word choice) and descriptions to create certain feelings or an emotional situation for the audience.

Style

How authors express themselves in writing. Straight up, it's what makes their writing sound like them. Style tools authors might use are diction (word choice) and syntax (sentence structure).

Theme

The core idea and (life) lessons explored in literature.

Tone

The author's attitude; it's how they feel about their subjects and their readers.

Metaphor

A comparison of two things that does not use "like" or "as."

Personification

When an author assigns human-like traits to an animal, object, or idea.

Simile

A comparison of two different things that have something they have in common, using the words "like" or "as" to point out similarities.

Analogy

A purposeful comparison that is based on similarities.

Allusion

When an author mentions or refers to a famous person, place, event, story, character, book, myth, or movie.

Spoonerism

When the beginning sounds or parts of two words are accidentally switched, creating a funny or incorrect phrase.

Litotes

Using a negative statement to express a positive or stronger idea, often by saying something is “not bad” instead of “good.”

Idiom

A word or phrase which means something different from its literal meaning.

Irony

In general, has to do with contrast; the difference between what is known and unknown, the difference between what is expected and what happens, and the difference between what is said and what is meant.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience or reader of a text knows something that the character do not.

Situational Irony

A situation where events have the opposite result from what is expected or what is intended.

Verbal Irony

When words express something opposite to the truth; you're saying one thing and meaning the opposite. Ironic statements aren't intended to hurt anyone.

Alliteration

When two or more words that start with the same sound are used repeatedly in a phrase or a sentence. The repeated sound creates the alliteration, not the same letter.

Assonance

A type of ALLITERATION distinguished by the repetition of vowel (a, e, i, o, u) sounds.

Consonance

A type of ALLITERATION that is the repetition of consonant (everything but vowels) sounds.

Onomatopoeia

A word that represents sound.

Rhyme

When words share the same ending or similar sound pattern.

Hyperbole

An intentional and extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally.