Literary Terms

Allusion: A Reference to someone or something in history or literature or the arts Allusion: A Reference to someone or something in history or literature or the arts She was as beautiful as the Mona Lisa. She was as beautiful as the Mona Lisa.

Apostrophe: Where a writer addresses an inanimate object, idea or absent person Apostrophe: Where a writer addresses an inanimate object, idea or absent person Example: Oh, Death, where is thy sting? Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds Alliteration: Repetition of beginning consonant sounds Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Assonance: Repetition of similar vowel sounds Assonance: Repetition of similar vowel sounds Example: The geese sweep by the sleeping fleet. I like Ike. I like Ike. Consonance: Repetition of final (ending) consonant sounds. Consonance: Repetition of final (ending) consonant sounds. Examples: Do not go gentle into that goodnight. Short and sweet. Short and sweet.

Extended Metaphor: A metaphor that is developed over several lines or writing or even an entire poem. (A comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem.) Extended Metaphor: A metaphor that is developed over several lines or writing or even an entire poem. (A comparison between two unlike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem.) Example: "I graduated from the University of Life. All right? I received a degree from the School of Hard Knocks. And our colors were black and blue, baby. I had office hours with the Dean of Bloody Noses. (Will Ferrell, Commencement Address at Harvard University, 2003)

Flashback: Interrupts the normal chronological order to show something that happened earlier Flashback: Interrupts the normal chronological order to show something that happened earlier Hyperbole: Incredible exaggeration or overstatement used for effect Hyperbole: Incredible exaggeration or overstatement used for effect Example: My mind was going in a million different directions at once.

Imagery: Language that appeals to the senses, creates a picture or a mood. Then after a mile of warm sea-scented beach; Then after a mile of warm sea-scented beach; three golden fields swam around a red farmhouse. Inversion: Reversing normal word order in a sentence Inversion: Reversing normal word order in a sentence Example: Sam, I am.

Irony: Discrepancy between appearance and reality, what is said and what is meant Irony: Discrepancy between appearance and reality, what is said and what is meant Example: A dentist gets a cavity. Metaphor: Comparison not using “like” or “as” Metaphor: Comparison not using “like” or “as” Example: Fame is a bee.

Onomatopoeia: Use of a word whose sound imitates its meaning Onomatopoeia: Use of a word whose sound imitates its meaning Example: Pow! Zap! Wow! Oxymoron: Combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase Oxymoron: Combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief phrase Example: There was a deafening silence.

Paradox: Statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth Paradox: Statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth Example: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Parallelism: Repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same structure or that state a similar idea. Parallelism: Repetition of words, phrases, or sentences that have the same structure or that state a similar idea. Example: Going to the beach, shopping at the mall, and visiting my grandma are all part of the plan.

Personification: Where an object or animal is given human characteristics Personification: Where an object or animal is given human characteristics Example: The picture stared at me with sad eyes. Pun: A play on words (used a lot in jokes) Pun: A play on words (used a lot in jokes) Example: A bicycle can’t stand alone because it is two-tired.

Repetition: Say a word or phrase over for effect Repetition: Say a word or phrase over for effect Example: Row, row, row your boat. Rhyme: words that sound the same Rhyme: words that sound the same End Rhyme: occurs at the end of lines End Rhyme: occurs at the end of lines –The ring Is the thing Is the thing Internal Rhyme: occurs in the middle of lines. Internal Rhyme: occurs in the middle of lines. –Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary.

Symbol: Person, place, thing, event that has meaning or represents something else Symbol: Person, place, thing, event that has meaning or represents something else Example: the bird of night (owl is a symbol of death) Sarcasm: Use of humor in a mocking remark and usually meant to wound Sarcasm: Use of humor in a mocking remark and usually meant to wound Example: "Oh, a sarcasm detector. That’s a really useful invention!“ (Comic Book Guy, The Simpsons)

Simile: A comparison using “like” or “as” Simile: A comparison using “like” or “as” Example: My love is as bright as the sun. Understatement: Saying less than what is meant Understatement: Saying less than what is meant Example: "It's just a flesh wound." (The Black Knight, after having both arms cut off, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail)