Literary Devices (Honors Latin 3 - 2025)

imagery

vivid language designed to appeal to these senses

foreshadowing

when the writer gives a reader information that the characters do not have

alliteration

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

onomatopoeia

Creating a word that sounds or resembles a sound.

personification

applies human features to inanimate objects

rhetorical question

Questions asked to create dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer

preterition

Bringing attention to something by seeming to disregard it

transferred epithet

A figure of speech where a modifier that normally describes a noun is applied to another

simile

A comparison comparing two things using like or as.

metaphor

a figure in speech that compares an object or action to another that is not likely related, without the use of "like" or "as"'

hyperbole

Exaggerated claim that is not meant to be taken seriously

litotes

an ironic understatement, where something is affirmed by denying it's opposite

oxymoron

combination of contradictory words

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

irony

The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite

chiasmus

repetition or contrast of words or ideas in order and then reverse order using ABBA structure.

synchysis

when words are intentionally scattered in an ABAB pattern.

anaphora

the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

apostrophe

Addressing an object or person, which is either not present, abstract, or inanimate.

enjambment

Continuation of a sentence or phrase without a pause or punctuation mark, especially between lines of poetry

ellipsis

The omission of a word that is obviously understood and/or a pause or unfinsihed thought

zeugma

One word which modifies two other concepts in two different ways

synecdoche

Figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole

metonymy

Figure of speech where a concept is replaced by a word associated with it.

asyndeton

Leaving out expected conjunctions between words to emphasize the pace or accumulated amount

polysyndeton

Repeated use of extra conjunctions in close succession

hysteron proteron

rhetorical device where the natural or logical order of events or ideas is reversed

antithesis

Contrasting opposite ideas, using parallel grammatical structure

imagery

The sun, a blazing ball of fire, sank below the horizon

imagery

The room was filled with the soft glow of a thousand candles

imagery

The sky was a canvas of swirling blues and oranges

foreshadowing

The murderous inkeeper saying, "our rooms are to die for"

foreshadowing

The opening of Romeo and Juliet, the talks about star-crossed lovers who are going to die

foreshadowing

Checkov's Gun (a seemingly minor detail, like a gun, that is introduced early in a story that becomes very important later)

alliteration

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers

alliteration

The latin language led Larry's learning life

alliteration

She sells seashells by the seashore

onomatopoeia

Boom

onomatopoeia

Crash

onomatopoeia

Zoom

personification

The sun was smiling down at us

personification

Leaves danced in the breeze

personification

Justice is Blind

rhetorical question

"How many times do I have to tell you?"

rhetorical question

"Do you think money grows on trees"

rhetorical question

"Are you trying to fail Latin class?"

preterition

"I will not discuss the fact that my opponent is a drunk"

preterition

"Needless to say"

preterition

"I shouldn't say that this is a bad decision, as I only care about your best interests"

transferred epithet

"He had a sleepless night."

transferred epithet

"She gave me a cold shoulder."

transferred epithet

"She let out a joyful scream."

simile

He is as big as a mountain

simile

He is as hungry as a hippo

simile

I'm like a bird, I want to fly away

metaphor

"Roller coaster of emotions"

metaphor

"Hope is the thing with feathers..." (Emily Dickinson)

metaphor

"Mr. Muth's classroom was a zoo"

hyperbole

It's raining cats and dogs

hyperbole

She talks a mile a minute

hyperbole

She cried so much that if tears were currency, she could have bought the moon

litotes

You did not do bad on your test...

litotes

thats not the slowest horse in the race...

litotes

You're hardly our best player

oxymoron

Bittersweet

oxymoron

Deafening Silence

oxymoron

Minor Crisis

euphemism

passed away instead of died

euphemism

between jobs instead of unemployed

euphemism

big-boned instead of large

irony

Saying "Great weather!" during a storm.

irony

A fire station burns down.

irony

Audience knows Juliet is alive, but Romeo does not.

chiasmus

"Twist Facts to suit theories, not theories to suit facts."

chiasmus

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

chiasmus

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

synchysis

Quickly, slowly, surrender, die.

synchysis

He runs and jumps, fast and high.

synchysis

I eat and I work, quickly and well.

anaphora

I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul, I want you to notice, When I'm not around...

anaphora

DOOM is the name, the super villain in the room, DOOM with the mask, never showin' his face too soon, DOOM with the tunes, cartoon buffoon..."

anaphora

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness..."

apostrophe

"O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?"

apostrophe

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are!"

apostrophe

"O World, I cannot hold thee close enough!"

enjambment

"To be, or not to be, that is the question:/Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune..."

enjambment

Only know when you've been high when you're feeling low / Only hate the road when you're missin' home

enjambment

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live / in a nation where they will not be judged"

ellipsis

"I'm not sure... maybe we should wait and see.

ellipsis

Did he...peacefully?

ellipsis

Yuri brought three pencils for the test, and Ricardo brought two

zeugma

"caught a train and a bad cold"

zeugma

"with weeping eyes and hearts"

zeugma

"On our first date, I held my breath and the car door for her."

synecdoche

""Nice wheels"" here wheels refers to the car as a whole

synecdoche

""My seat's been taken by some some sunglasses" sunglasses refers to the whole person

synecdoche

"Give me a hand" referring to help from the whole person

metonymy

"suits" referring to business people

metonymy

"Hollywood" referring to the entertainment industry

metonymy

"The White House" referring to the Executive Administration