Literary Elements-
Definitions
Definitions
A figure of speech that states one thing is something else as a way of directly comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as".
What is a metaphor?
"You're as cuddly as a cactus" is an example of this literary device from the film, The Grinch.
What is a simile?
These are the 3 points of a rhetorical triangle.
What are speaker, audience, and message?
This is the word or word group to which a pronoun refers?
What is an antecedent?
"Each of the performers impressed the audience" contains this type of verb.
What is a transitive verb?
A figure of speech where human qualities or characteristics are attributed to inanimate objects, animals, ideas, or forces of nature.
What is personification?
The following quote from The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is an example of this literary device:
“The water in the lake seemed to whisper secrets”
What is personification?
This term refers to an appeal to emotions or values.
What is pathos?
The following sentence contains this type of conjunction:
"Either we'll go to Malta, or we'll go to Hawaii this spring"
What is a correlative conjunction?
Are any of the native insects, plants, and animals losing their habitat, and thus their lives, to ones arriving from other countries?
In this sentence, the underlined words are this type of pronoun.
What are indefinite pronouns?
Afigure of speech that involves an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis or effect. It’s not meant to be taken literally. Instead, it is a way to really drive a point home.
What is a hyperbole?
“The brick wall felt gritty and worn from years of weather" is an example of this type of imagery.
What is tactile imagery?
This refers to what the author/writer hopes to achieve by writing. Examples include: to entertain, to inform, or to persuade.
What is purpose?
"On a fun, breezy day, it's fun to sail" contains this type of phrase.
What is an infinitive phrase?
The following sentence contains this type of phrase:
"Do you play her favorite instrument, guitar?"
What is an appositive phrase?
A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of cultural, literary, or political significance
What is an allusion?
In Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron", the titular character represents individuality, an example of this literary device.
What is symbolism?
This word describes those who will receive the text an author/writer has created. It includes those the author is targeting intentionally, and those outside of that group.
What is audience?
"The coach had tried to guide the team so that they could succeed" contains this type of conjunction.
What is a subordinating conjunction?
"Last Sunday, I prepared our fantastic dinner using the new oven Steve installed" is written in this voice.
What is active voice?
Any recurring element within a story that reinforces a story's theme or message. It could be an image, a phrase, a symbol, or an action.
What is a motif?
This literary element is described in the following:
A detective is investigating a murder. The following clues are presented early in the story:
What is foreshadowing?
This refers to the attitude of a piece of writing e.g. serious vs humorous.
What is tone?
This verbal ends in -ing, and functions as a noun.
What is a gerund?
"Yesterday, new locks were installed by a
skilled locksmith" is written using this voice.
What is passive voice?