Literary devices
Anecdote
A short story within another piece
Figurative language
Writing that uses figures of speech (such as metaphor, simile, etc.). Figurative language uses words to mean something other than their literal meaning.
Symbol
An object or event with a deeper meaning.
Mood
The general feeling or atmosphere that a piece of writing creates within the reader.
Why did Achebe write "Things Fall Apart?"
He did not approve of the way Africa had been depicted in popular literature. He particularly was offended by Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness."
Diction
A speaker or writer’s choice of words
Imagery
Vivid descriptions that alert senses of sight, smell, sound, taste, and/or touch.
Motif
A repeated pattern (image, object or symbol) throughout a text that contributes to the deeper meaning of the text.
Tone
The speaker’s attitude towards the subject.
What was the name of the storyteller in Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness?"
Marlow
Denotation
Relating to diction: the literal, dictionary definition of a word.
Personification
Assigning human-like qualities to something non-human.
Metaphor
A comparison between two things that does NOT use the words “like” or “as.”
Literary effect
The impact of a literary device; an author's attempted outcome when making choices
Which Mirabal sister in Julia Alvarez' "In the Time of the Butterflies" was the most outspoken from the start?
Minerva
Connotation
Relating to diction: the associations and emotional overtones that have become attached to a word or phrase.
Simile
A comparison between two things that uses the words “like” or “as.”
Literary device
A choice that the author makes in order to produce a certain literary effect
Characterization
The way an author depicts a character’s values and/or identity.
Rhetoric
The art of persuasion
Details
A broad term, encompassing the images, descriptions, etc. that an author uses and selects to develop literary effects such as mood, tone, characterization, and theme
Statistics
Data-backed facts or figures.
BONUS: Syntax
The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
Theme
A broadly applicable idea about the human experience.
Citing a peer-reviewed journal in a speech is an example of what rhetorical appeal?
Ethos (an appeal to character/reputation/trustworthiness)