Troubling Tropes
A play on the meaning of words
What is Pun?
Expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect
What is Irony?
Attributing human qualities to an inanimate object
What is Personification?
An explicit comparison between two unlike things signaled by the use of like or as
What is Simile?
An implied comparison between two unlike things
What is Metaphor?
What is Onomatopoeia?
What is Alliteration?
Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses
What is Anaphora?
The use of many conjunctions has an opposite effect; it slows the pace
What is Polysyndeton?
Conjunctions are omitted, producing a fast-paced and rapid prose
What is Asyndeton?
The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas, usually in parallel structure
What is Antithesis?
The placing next to a noun another noun or phrase that further explains it
What is Apposition?
Writer arranges ideas in order of importance
What is Climax?
Word order is reversed or rearranged, Yoda talk
What is Anastrophe?
A statement that appears to be contradictory, but, in fact, has some truth
What is Paradox?
Repetition of consonant sounds within words
The substitution of harsh words for ones less pungent, makes situation sound better
Omission of words that are mutually understood and, thus, unnecessary
What is Ellipsis?
What is Parenthesis?
A part is substituted for a whole; understanding one thing for another
What is Synecdoche?
Designation of one thing with something we closely associate with it
What is Metonymy?
When you 'turn away' from the audience to address someone new, typically not present
What is Apostrophe?
Expresses similar or related ideas in similar grammatical structure
What is Parallelism?
Grammatical structure of the first clause or phrase is reversed in the second, sometimes repeating the same words
What is Chiasmus?
Involves the repetition of vowel sounds within words
What is Assonance?