Figures of Speech
Imagine all the pretty language that engages your senses. Poems are experts at using this.
What is imagery?
Bless you! No, that wasn't a sneeze. It's this short poem with 17 syllables (5-7-5) that's written mostly about nature.
What is a haiku?
Another word for play, this genre of literature needs lots of players to make it work.
What is drama?
I like to stick with the heroes, the good guys, the this term for the main character.
What is the protagonist?
Picture this: we remember the beginning of the year notes during our test causing us to pass! Thank goodness that this literary term interrupted our thoughts to bring up something from the past.
What is a flashback?
Don't deny your dedication to diction. This figure of speech repeats beginning sounds.
What is alliteration?
Don't make me laugh by using this type of five-line poem. "There once was a man from York..."
What is a limerick?
Plays like to make references to other works. Arthur Miller used several Bible verses to make these references.
Villains have more fun. This is the term for any character or force that goes against the main character.
What is the antagonist?
Wow, watch it! This is the term for the author's attitude toward the subject of a work.
What is tone?
"Jumbo shrimp," "seriously funny," and "awfully pretty" are these types of phrases that combine opposite or contradicting terms in a brief phrase. No, they are not insulting your intelligence.
What are oxymorons?
Shakespeare knew a thing or two about these 14-line poems.
What are sonnets?
Oops, sorry! Only one character in a play can make this long speech to others on the stage.
What is a monologue?
So the hero found out I was going to foil his plan. Now, I'm using a pseudonym to hide this important piece of personal information.
What is a name?
"Susie was kind and generous every day." Instead of implying her character, this type of characterization was used to help us understand Susie.
What is direct?
"Don't let the cat out of the bag." This is an example of an expression that should not be taken literally.
What is an idiom?
What is a ballad?
Plays can give these hints, too. John Proctor gave us a lot of information that helped us guess his fate.
What is foreshadowing?
Don't be a hater! This type of external conflict can cause trouble between people in the story.
What is character v. character?
Sometimes we need more information before a story starts. This is the name of the chapter BEFORE the first.
What is the prologue?
Hey Ben Franklin! These are brief, cleverly worded statements that make wise observations about life.
What are aphorisms?
This type of poem wishes it were free, but it has to stick to unrhymed iambic pentameter. Bummer.
What is blank verse?
What is dramatic irony?
Throughout this category, the author knew what all the characters were thinking and feeling. This type of point of view was used.
What is third person omniscient?
These can be universal. These show up everywhere. Heroes, mentors, villains, and more. Every story has this type of character.
What is an archetype?