Start with "S"
A comparison using like or as.
Simile
A literary device where there is a contrast between expectation and reality, often used to convey a different or opposite meaning than what is expressed.
Irony
The general character or attitude of a piece of writing.
Tone
The attribution of human characteristics or personal nature to something that is nonhuman.
Personification
The formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.
Onomatopoeia
Anything that has a literal meaning but also conveys an idea beyond what it is.
Symbol
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g. faith unfaithful kept him falsely true ).
Oxymoron
The emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story.
Mood
A question asked without expecting an answer but for the sake of emphasis or effect. (A question asked to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer)
Rhetorical Question
Words, grammatical constructions, or concepts are repeated in reverse order, in the same or a modified form.
Chiasmus
The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Satire
A seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.
Paradox
the literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests.
Connotation/Denotation
The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.
Diction
An allegory is a representation in which a character, place, or event can be referenced to represent a hidden meaning with significance.
Allegory
A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa.
Synecdoche
a work that is created by imitating an existing original work in order to make fun of or comment on an aspect of the original.
Parody
A sad poem, usually written to praise and express sorrow for someone who is dead
Elegy
A figure of speech, in which a famous person, place, or event is referred to directly or indirectly, without mentioning it explicitly.
Allusion
When a character uses an exclamatory passage in a speech or poem addressed to a person (typically one who is dead or absent) or thing (typically one that is personified).
When a speaker breaks offs from addressing one party and instead address a third party, sometimes represented by the exclamation “O”.
Apostrophe
Any poem with fourteen lines that follows a rhyme scheme. There are two types, Elizabethan and Petrarchan.
Sonnet
A comedy in which everything is absurd and often dramaticized. This usually involves some kind of deception or miscommunication.Often stereotyped characters are involved in far fetched situations.
Farce
The use of a word or phrase to stand in for something else for which it is often associated
Metonymy
A literary device that involves placing two or more contrasting elements (such as characters, words, ideas, or settings) side by side in a text to highlight their differences and create a stronger impact or a deeper understanding of the subject.
Juxtaposition
a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
Euphemism