Literay Device Prep

Literary Devices Quiz Prep.

Situational Irony:

Outcome varying from expectation.

E.g. The monster says “kids are scary”

Dramatic Irony:

Audience knows something the characters do not.

In Mulan, the characters think she is a man, however, the audience knows she is a woman.

Allusion:

Reference to famous person/event

Pammy was as lethal as Bin Laden.

Archetype:

Character/structure that is typical or well known.

Pammy had once again killed a devious child. (Pammy is well known for killing children).

Cliche:

Expression that loses meaning through overuse

“Think outside the box!”

Setting:

Time and place where an event in a novel takes place

Outer space, the ocean, a boat, a moving vehicle, a city, someone's house.

Point of View:

The perspective the reader looks at the novel.

First, second, third person omnipotent, third person limited.

Imagery:

Words creating a picture in the readers’ mind.

The grass tickled his skin and sweat cooled on his brow.

Symbolism:

When an inanimate object/idea represents something more.

Pammy’s knife symbolises the murder of her parents.

Alliteration:

Same starting sound in three or more words in a row.

Pammy pooped pennies and powerfully peed pandas.

Analogy:

Similarities between two things with two unlike things.

Apostrophe:

Speaker talks to something or someone not present.

“Dad, I know you are in a better place.”

Antithesis:

Literally opposite: contrasts.

Hope for the best; prepare for the worst.

Anthropomorphism:

Giving animals, gods, or objects human qualities.

The cow yelled “MOOOOO!” after giving birth to twins.

Assonance:

Repetition of vowel sounds throughout a poem.

He claps his hands and stamps his feet.

Cacophony:

Harsh sounding words or letters.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite the claws that catch!”

Characterization:

Construction of a character’s personality and appearance.

“Bill was short and fat, and his bald spot was widening with every passing year.”

Consonance:

Repetition of consonant sounds.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Deus ex machina:

Latin for “god of machine:” unexpected outcome coming without development.

Ending a story with “it was all a dream”

Diction:

The use of words the author purposely incorporates to create effect.

“I will address that issue right away.” (formal)

Dynamic character:

Character that goes through change.

At the start of the novel, Tommy was weak, but after training for 23 years, he was strong.

Enjambment:

Line continuing after a line break.

So much depends upon // a red wheelbarrow.

Foreshadowing:

Clue author gives on something that will happen later.

“I have bad luck with pretty girls”

Hyperbole:

Extreme exaggeration

I ate 1000 burgers before coming here!