Literary Elements
"It was a dark and stormy night in the outskirts of London in 1850."
This sentence establishes the time and place of a story, which is known as what?
Setting
"The surface of the lake was as smooth as a mirror."
simile
“The tanker was filled with crude oil that had just been pumped from the ground.” What does crude mean?
In a natural or raw state
"The wind whistled a lonely tune through the empty canyon."
Clue: This device assigns human actions or emotions to inanimate objects to create a specific mood.
Personification
"Marcus gripped his bat, stepped to the plate, and stared down the pitcher, determined to win the game for his team."
Marcus is the main character who drives the action, making him the...
Protagonist
When a mother tells her child she has asked them to clean their room "a million times,"
hyperbole
“When the weather turns cold, the herd migrates south to find more food.” What does the word migrate mean?
To move from one region or habitat to another.
"The linebacker was a bulldozer, clearing a path through the opposing team."
Clue: This creates a direct identification between two unlike things
Metaphor
"The hikers looked up in terror as the sky turned black and the mountain began to shake beneath their feet."
This is an example of a 'Man vs. Nature' struggle, which is a type of...
Conflict
Describing a "stubborn" engine that "wheezed and complained"
Personification
“The magician’s final trick left the entire audience in a state of astonishment.” what does the word astonishment mean?
A feeling of overwhelming surprise or amazement.
"The sudden silence in the basement was interrupted only by the 'tick-tock' of the grandfather clock."
Clue: this device uses words that phonetically imitate the actual sound they describe.
Onomatopoeia
"After losing everything, the king learned that 'friendship is more valuable than gold.'"
The idea that 'friendship is more valuable than gold' is the story’s universal message, or...
Theme
The teenage years are a rollercoaster,
Metaphor
“Because it has a pit, a peach is a perfect example of a drupe.” what does the word drupe mean?
A fleshy outside and a single hard pit.
"As a doctor with 20 years of experience, I am telling you that this heart medication is the best choice for your health."
Clue: This is an example of an author using emotion or logic
Rhetorical Appeals
"Just as the hero was about to lose, he found the hidden key, defeated the villain, and saved the city."
This highest point of tension and the big turning point of the story is the...
Climax
Calling a beautiful playground a "Garden of Eden"
Allusion
“With her love for the ocean, she felt a deep affinity for all marine life.” what does the word affinity mean?
A close attraction to someone or something.
"As the protagonist stepped onto the ship, the sun dipped below the horizon, plunging the deck into an eerie, premature darkness."
Clue: This device provides subtle clues
Foreshadowing