literature

• Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (e.g., "The bitter wind stung her face")

  imagery
• A contrast between expectation and reality (e.g., "The fire station burned down")

  irony
• Two opposing ideas combined (e.g., "bittersweet")

  oxymoron
• A recurring symbol or idea (e.g., darkness in Macbeth representing evil)

  motif
• Opposing ideas presented for effect (e.g., light vs darkness)

  contrast
• Weather reflecting human emotions (e.g., "The rain wept for her sorrow")

  pathetic fallacy
• The emotional atmosphere of the text (e.g., suspenseful, nostalgic)

  mood
• A shift in tone or argument, common in sonnets

  volta
• In poetry, when a line flows into the next without punctuation

  enjambment
• A deliberate pause within a line of poetry, often marked by punctuation

  caesura
• A shift to events from the past

  flashback
• Strong differences between characters or themes (e.g., good vs evil)

  contrast/opposition
• The peak of tension or turning point in the narrative

  climactic moment
• The text ends where it began

  circular structure
• Contrasting images or ideas placed side by side

  juxtaposition
• A character speaks their inner thoughts aloud

  soliloquy
• A short comment made to the audience, unheard by other characters

  aside
• The audience knows something the characters don’t

  dramatic irony
• Instructions for movement, tone, or set design in a play

  stage directions
• Build-up of suspense through disagreements or unresolved issues

  tension/conflict
• Introductory or concluding sections of a play

  prologue/epilogue