A
A comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
Metaphor
A comparison using "like" or "as."
Simile
Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
Imagery
Using a person, object, or event to represent a deeper meaning or idea.
Symbolism
The perspective from which the story is told.
Point of View
Giving human qualities to non-human things.
Personification
The author's attitude toward the subject.
Tone
The emotional atmosphere of a piece; how it makes the reader feel.
Mood
The central message or insight about life revealed in a literary work.
Theme
The time and place in which a story occurs.
Setting
An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
Hyperbole
An interruption in the narrative to show an event that happened earlier.
Flashback
A contrast between expectation and reality.
Irony
Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.
Foreshadowing
Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or effect.
Repetition
Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of nearby words.
Alliteration
Words that imitate sounds.
Onomatopoeia
The struggle between opposing forces in a story.
Conflict
The way an author develops characters.
Characterization
A seemingly contradictory statement that may reveal a deeper truth.
Paradox
A reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of literature.
Allusion
A story where characters, settings, and events stand for abstract ideas or moral qualities.
Allegory
The author's choice of words to convey tone, mood, or style.
Diction
A figure of speech where two opposite ideas are joined.
Oxymoron
The arrangement of words and sentence structure in writing.
Syntax