Literary Devices
Terms
Reading Strats.
A little ah this...
A little ah that....
100
Alliteration
What is the repetition of initial consonant sounds to invoke a feeling or sound
100
Protagonist
What is the hero or main character in the novel.
100
Saying the opposite of what is meant (when it has a bite, it is called sarcasm)
What is verbal irony?
100
A comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”.
What is a simile?
100
The important message and the central idea in a story.
What is theme?
200
Onomatopoeia
What is a word that mimics the sound it describes
200
Setting
What is time and place of a novel
200
Techniques used to persuade the reader/viewer in some way. Common techniques are: bandwagon, testimonial, glittering generalities, plain folks, repetition, fear, and transfer.
What is propaganda?
200
When the opposite of what is expected to happen occurs.
What is irony?
200
A comparison of two unlike things without using the words “like” or “as”
What is a metaphor?
300
Personification
What is giving an animal or an inanimate object human-like characteristics
300
Antagonist
What is the person or force working against the protagonist
300
Making an educated guess about future events using evidence from the text.
What is making a prediction?
300
A comparison between two things or ideas in order to make something clearer to the listener. Sometimes these are word pairings, other times they are phrases or sentences. In order to understand, the reader must first understand the type of relationship.
What is an analogy?
300
A manner of speaking understood by native speakers of a language
What is an idiom?
400
Hyperbole
What is the use of exaggeration to show humor or great emotion.
400
introduction/exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution
What is the five stages of plot?
400
Identifying important moments in a text by looking for new characters being introduced, problems emerging, problems being solved, a character’s self-analysis or transformation, an important date, or a moral message.
What is finding the main idea?
400
A reference to something historical, literary, religious, or mythical to help people see unique connections between two ideas.
What is an allusion?
400
The problem in the story (internal or external).
What is conflict?
500
Symbolism
What is the use of items to represent an idea or quality.
500
to entertain, to inform, or to persuade the audience
What is the Author's Purpose?
500
Using what you already know as well as evidence from the text to come up with a deeper understanding of an event or character.
What is making an inference?
500
When the reader/viewer knows more about the situation than the characters.
What is dramatic irony?
500
Using precise words to paint a picture in a reader’s mind; “Show, don’t tell” writing.
What is imagery?
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