HAS Literary and Rhetorical Devices Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering literary and rhetorical devices, appeals, modes of repetition, and visual examples from lecture notes.

Literary Devices

Devices used primarily in fiction writing.

Rhetorical Devices

Devices used primarily in nonfiction writing.

Logos

An appeal to logic.

Ethos

An appeal to credibility.

Pathos

An appeal to emotion.

Simile

A comparison made between two dissimilar things using the words "like" or "as".

Metaphor

A comparison made between two seemingly different things without using "like" or "as".

Personification

Giving human characteristics to a non-human object, animal, or idea, allowing audiences to relate better to them.

Allusion

A short reference to a famous person, event, or writing, most commonly sourced from literature, history, Greek myth, or the Bible.

Analogy

A comparison of two things that are alike in several respects, used to clarify or explain an unfamiliar or difficult idea; functions as an extended metaphor or long simile.

Imagery

Language that creates a visual in the mind of the reader or listener, often relying on one or more of the five senses to affect mood and evoke a powerful connection.

Repetition

Repeating words, phrases, lines, or stanzas in a work to emphasize a message.

Amplification

The intentional repetition of words or phrases throughout a text to emphasize specific facts or ideas.

Anaphora

A specific type of repetition where successive sentences or clauses start with the same word.

Tricolon

Presenting information in sets of threes, which helps the human brain remember the information better.

Alliteration

The repetition of the initial consonant sound in a phrase used for emphasis and drawing attention.

Parallelism

The use of similar patterns of words or phrases to express related ideas or ideas of equal importance, creating rhythm and balance.

Call to Action

A direct appeal to the reader or listener urging them to do or believe something in order to promote change.

Rhetorical Question

A question asked merely for effect with no answer expected, used to arouse curiosity and draw attention to the presented idea.

Antithesis

The deliberate use of two contrasting ideas in consecutive phrases or sentences.

Satire

The art of making someone or something look ridiculous using sarcasm, ridicule, or irony to embarrass, humble, or discredit targets and effect social or political change.

Understatement

A statement deliberately weakened to sound ironic or softened to sound polite, often expressing an affirmative by negating its opposite.

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

"Join, or Die" Cartoon

A famous political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin using the visual of a severed snake to symbolize the necessity of colonial unity.