Literary devices
Cards (34)
- pathetic fallacyfaulty reasoning that inappropriately ascribes human feelings to nature or nonhuman objects
- EuphemismAn indirect, less offensive way of saying something that is considered unpleasant
- Equivocationthe use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself
- OxymoronA figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase.
- JuxtapositionPlacement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts
- LitotesA form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite
- Conceita fanciful, particularly clever extended metaphor
- Anaphorarepetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of sentences, lines, or clauses
- loaded languagewords that imply a value judgement, used to persuade a reader without having made a serious argument
- MetonymyA figure of speech in which something is referred to by using the name of something that is associated with itPen is mightier than the sword
- Enjambmentthe continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.
- ChiasmusA statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed
- literary criticismthe art or practice of judging and commenting on the qualities and character of literary works.
- Consonancethe repetition of consonants (or consonant patterns) especially at the ends of words
- prevaricationevasion of truth
- Antonomasiathe substitution of an epithet or title for a proper name
- dramatic ironywhen a reader is aware of something that a character isn't
- foil charactera character's whose main purpose is to highlight the strengths or weaknesses of another character
- SibilanceA type of alliteration in which the "s" sound is repeated.
- AlliterationThe repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words
- SoliloquyA long speech expressing the thoughts of a character alone on stage
- Paradoxa statement that seems contradictory but is actually true
- MetaphorA comparison without using like or as
- ForeshadowingA narrative device that hints at coming events; often builds suspense or anxiety in the reader.
- RepetitionRepeated use of sounds, words, or ideas for effect and emphasis
- AllegoryA story in which each aspect of the story has a symbolic meaning outside the tale itself.
- Semantic fieldGroup of words which are related in meaning
- political diatribeThe way a text is written to criticise a political system or belief.
- Pleonasmthe use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning [e.g., see with one's eyes ]
- Hypophoraraising a question then proceeding to answer it
- AnastropheInversion of the natural or usual word order (yoda)
- PolysyndetonDeliberate use of many conjunctions
- Synecdochea figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versaLike metonymy
- circumlocutionan indirect way of expressing something, usually in evasive situations