Examples
What is this an example of?
Lightning danced across the sky.
personification
main character who experiences a downfall
tragic hero
What is this an example of?
The big, bad bear scared all the baby bunnies by the bushes.
alliteration
animal, object, etc. given human qualities or characteristics
personification
What is this an example of?
A girl in a horror film hides in a closet where the killer just went (the audience knows the killer is there, but she does not).
dramatic irony
When Carla said she was feeling blue, she didn't mean the color blue. She meant she was feeling down and emotional.
connotation
repetition of initial consonant sounds
alliteration
What is this an example of?
A house is considered a building where people live.
denotation
strict literal dictionary definition of a word
denotation
These are all examples of what?
I have told you a million times to wash the dishes.
The warrior has a heart of stone.
The boy was as brave as a lion in the jungle.
figurative language
What is this an example of?
Always trust a glue salesman. They tend to stick to their word.
pun
the non-literal, implied, suggested meaning of a word
connotation
In Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Bilbo Baggins and crew take a perilous journey to destroy the ring. Throughout the journey, Merry and Pippin consistently show themselves as practical jokers as well as light-hearted companions for Bilbo. This is an example of what?
comic relief
formal statement testifying to someone or something’s character
testimonial
At the beginning of late-night shows like Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, etc., the hosts come onto the stage to give this...welcoming the audience and giving comedic dialogue. This is called what?
monologue
Katniss was just a regular teenage girl growing up in a desolate post-Apocalyptic world. She would have continued to live that "normal" life if it weren't for her over-protectiveness. Her over-protectiveness triggered several tragic situations. What is this an example of?
tragic flaw
play on words involving two words that sound alike or have different meanings
pun
What are these examples of?
the hero, the damsel in distress, the sidekick, the bully, the outcast, the mentor, etc.
archetype
the use of a comic scene to interrupt a series of intense dramatic moments
comic relief
Oedipus is an influential king, but he’s full of pride and self-righteousness. While he did kill his father and marry his mother, the ultimate choice that sent him down a road to tragedy was trying to change his fate.
tragic hero
What is this an example of?
Save money by spending it.
paradox
a long speech delivered by a character, alone on stage
soliloquy
What is this an example of?
He’s got a chip on his shoulder. (He’s holding onto a grudge or grievance that’s making him very angry or callous.)
idiom
a speech by one character, unlike a soliloquy, that is addressed to another character or characters
monologue
In Othello by William Shakespeare, Iago expresses his innermost thoughts about his hatred for and jealousy of Othello. Iago’s character is alone on stage when he delivers this speech and he has no awareness of an audience. Therefore, the words Iago speaks are his private thoughts and feelings. What is this an example of?
soliloquy