Figurative Language
A direct comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
What is metaphor?
The deliberate repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences
What is anaphora?
The author's or speaker's attitude toward the subject matter
What is tone?
The central, underlying message or universal insight of a piece of literature.
What is theme?
"The wind howled its dynamic, angry song through the barren trees."
What is personification OR imagery?
Giving human characteristics to non-human things or abstract ideas.
What is personification?
Arranging words, phrases, or clauses in a parallel grammatical structure.
What is parallelism or parallel structure?
The perspective from which a story is told (e.g., 1st person, 3rd person omniscient)
What is point of view?
n object, person, or situation that stands for something deeper than its literal meaning
What is symbolism?
"He was a regular Einstein when it came to solving those calculus proofs."
What is allusion?
An extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or humor and a reason to use it
What are hyperbole and to emphasize emotional intensity or highlight ridiculousness.
Placing two concepts, characters, or ideas close together to highlight their contrasts and a reason to use it
What is juxtaposition and to emphasize the differences between two things, forcing the reader to consider traits more closely?
The emotional atmosphere or vibe created for the reader by a text and why to use it
What is mood and to emotionally manipulate or align the reader with the narrative?
Vivid, descriptive language that appeals to the five senses and why an author includes it
What is imagery and to immerse the reader in the setting, making themes feel reachable and to emotionally connect with the audience?
"To survive in the cutthroat corporate world, she had to become a chameleon, constantly shifting her colors to match her surroundings."
What is metaphor?
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art and why someone might use it
What is an allusion and it establishes an understanding by using the reader's prior knowledge to add layer/depth to the current text.
An interruption in the chronological sequence of a story to show an event that happened earlier.
What is a flashback?
The specific word choices an author makes to convey action, reveal character, or imply tone and why to include it
What is diction and because words carry heavy connotations; precise diction shapes how readers perceive a theme?
A recurring element, image, or idea in a work of literature that helps develop the central theme (Like in Their Eyes Were Watching God)
What is a motif?
It acts as a visual or conceptual thread that ties the entire narrative back to the core message.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
What is juxtaposition?
A statement that seems self-contradictory but reveals a deeper truth
What is paradox?
A rhetorical device where a speaker raises a question and then immediately answers it themselves.
What is hypophora or rhetorical question?
When the audience or reader knows a vital piece of information that the characters do not
What is dramatic irony?
A character who contrasts sharply with another character (usually the protagonist) to highlight their specific traits
What is foil or antagonist?
By showing what the protagonist is not, the author sharpens the protagonist’s traits, flaws, and moral compass.
In a story, a character constantly complains about the tediousness of reading books, unaware that they are living inside a library their late grandfather built specifically for them to inherit.
What is situational irony?
This highlights the character's ignorance and emphasizes the theme of unappreciated or overlooked legacy.