literacy terms
a word that means more (metaphorically) than what it says
what is Allergory
a common pattern, character type, symbol, or theme that appears again and again in stories, myths, and literature across different cultures. (eg. "the hero" or "the villain")
what is archetype
a nickname or appellation (eg. “The Weird Sisters” in Macbeth)
what is Epithet
The special language or vocabulary used by a particular group, profession, or hobby that might be confusing to outsiders. (eg. Gaming: nerf, buff, respawn)
what is jargon
the art of using language effectively to persuade, inform, or entertain.
what is Rhetoric
a reference to another well known piece of literature, art, person, etc (eg. "he is the real romeo")
what is allusion
a literary device that uses harsh, loud, or unpleasant sounds to create a jarring or chaotic effect in writing. (eg. Hard consonants like k, g, t, d, b, p "clash, clang")
what is Cacophony
when you replace a harsh, unpleasant, or blunt word or idea with a nicer or more gentle one. (eg. “He passed away” instead of “He died”)
what is Euphemism
a writer places two ideas, characters, or things side by side to highlight their differences or create contrast. (eg. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”)
what is Juxtaposition
a literary device where a part of something is used to represent the whole, or the whole is used to represent a part. (eg. “All hands on deck” → “hands” means people)
what is Synecdoche
a word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive sentences or clauses to create emphasis or rhythm
What is anaphora
a literary device where words or ideas are repeated in reverse order to create a balanced, memorable sentence. (eg. "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country")
what is Chiasmus
the opposite of cacophony. It’s when a writer uses pleasant, smooth, and harmonious sounds in their writing. (eg. l, m, n, r, s, w. "silken, sad")
what is Euphony
a literary device where you refer to something by using a word closely related to it, instead of its actual name. (eg. “Hollywood” → refers to the U.S. film industry)
what is metonymy
when nature takes on human qualities and complements the situation or emotions taking place in the story. (eg. The night the murder takes place is dark and stormy)
what is Pathetic Fallacy
a short, interesting story about a real event or personal experience
what is anecdote
a writer or speaker acknowledges the other side of an argument—even if they don’t fully agree with it. (eg. “Okay, I see your point, but here’s mine”)
what is concession
a common expression or phrase whose meaning isn’t obvious from the words themselves. (eg. "its raining cats and dogs")
what is Idiom
a statement or idea that seems contradictory or impossible, but actually reveals a deeper truth. (eg. “I can resist anything but temptation.”)
what is Paradox
a writer combines two or more metaphors that don’t logically go together, creating a confusing or funny image. (eg. “We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it.” “Burn bridges” + “cross that bridge when we come to it”)
what is Mixed metaphor
two opposite ideas are placed close together to highlight their contrast. (unlike oxymoron where its two words next to each other)
What is Antithesis
the emotional or cultural meaning a word carries in addition to its literal definition.(eg. Snake → literally a reptile, but connotation: danger, betrayal, sneaky)
what is Connotation
when words within the same line of a poem or sentence rhyme, not just at the end of lines. (eg. "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary.”)
what is Internal rhyme
a style of writing or speech that uses humor, exaggeration, or irony to criticize or make fun of something, usually in society, politics, or human behavior.
what is Satire
what are characteristics of a short story?
dominant mood (i.e. tragic)
rejects all details that do not contribute to the total effect
short time period
limited setting
rapid action – compression heightens tension (dramatic effect)
often begins close to climactic incident –poses an intriguing problem or situation that captures the reader’s interest
limited roster of characters
central character (protagonist/hero) – most essential and memorable details
characters are revealed rather than developed
hero presented at a crucial moment in his life
the setting is often an active agency in the plot
presents a theme