1. Lansdale, Pennsylvania
English 10
Literary Analysis
North Penn High School
Lansdale, Pennsylvania
Mr. Scott Swindells

2. Table of Contents alliteration allusion antithesis apostrophe
assonance
consonance
details
diction
figures of speech
flashback
foreshadowing
hyperbole
imagery
irony
metaphor
mood
motivation
narration
onomatopoeia
oxymoron
paradox
personification
plot
point of view
Table of Contents
prosody
protagonist
pun
repetition
rhyme
sarcasm
setting
shift or turn
simile
sound devices
structure
style
suspense
symbol
synecdoche
syntax
theme
tone
understatement
websites
header page
plagiarism
north penn
Yahoo!

3. “The twisting trout twinkled below.”
alliteration T T T
“The twisting trout twinkled below.”
alliteration
is the practice of beginning several consecutive or neighboring words with the same sound.
Example
in Context
Table

4. and you know it's no illusion, you may come to the conclusion
allusion
is a reference to a mythological, literary, or historical person, place or thing: e.g., “He met his Waterloo.”
no illusion
If you think you see one,
and you know it's no illusion,
you may come to the conclusion
that it's likely
Click here for a good site on allusion
an allusion
Tired of trying to explain the creature to his students, Mr. Swindells assumes the necessary guise to enter its habitat and convinces it to pose for a photograph.
Example
in Context
Table

5. Anthony’s nuptial antithesis
is a direct juxtaposition of structurally parallel words, phrases, or clauses for the purpose of contrast: e.g., “sink or swim.”
Sink or swim
“…for richer or poorer…”
Anthony’s nuptial antithesis
Example
in Context
Table

6. .’ is a form of personification in which the absent or dead
apostrophe
is a form of personification in which the absent or dead .’
are spoken to as if present and the inanimate, as if animate.
Oh,
period …
Thou
shouldst be living!
Example
in Context
Periods go inside quotes
Table of contents

7. the repetition of accented vowel sounds in a series of words
&
AssOnAncE
CoNSoNaNCe
the repetition of accented vowel sounds in a series of words
the repetition of a consonant sound within a series of words to produce a harmonious effect S D S
“And each low u k a
rawing- own of blind ” D D S Y Y I
“Cr b the hills de”
Example
in Context
Table of contents

8. details
The facts revealed by the author or speaker that support the attitude or tone in a piece of poetry or prose.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

9. DICTION (purple prose)
Diction is word choice intended to convey a certain effect.
(purple prose)
Example
in Context
Table of contents

10. The trees stood up to the woodcutter.
figures of speech
Not meant to be taken literally, figurative language is used to produce images in a reader’s mind and to express ideas in fresh, vivid and imaginative ways.
click on
me!
Words or phrases that describe one thing in terms of something else. They always involve some sort of imaginative comparison between seemingly unlike things.
The trees stood up to the woodcutter.
Example
in Context
The most common examples of figurative language, or figures of speech, used both in poetry and prose, are simile, metaphor and personification.
Table of contents

11. a scene that interrupts the action of a work
flashback!
to show a previous event
Table of contents
Example
in Context

12. to suggest future action
foreshadowing
the use of hints
or clues in a narrative
to suggest future action
Some said that the order in which they walked was to foreshadow the order of their deaths…
Table of contents
Example
in Context

13. "The shot heard 'round the world."
hyperbole
A deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration:
"The shot heard 'round the world."
Table of contents
Example
in Context

14. Photo by Sarah Swindells, 2001
Imagery
The words or phrases a writer uses to represent persons, objects, actions, feelings, and ideas descriptively appealing to the senses.
Example
in Context
Table
Photo by Sarah Swindells, 2001

15. “Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?”
Irony
Example
in Context
Verbal irony: when a person says one thing, but means the exact opposite: e.g., “It is easy to stop smoking. I’ve done it many times.”
Situational irony: when a situation turns out differently from what one would expect — though often the twist is oddly appropriate: e.g., a deep sea diver drowning in a bathtub.
Dramatic irony: when a character or speaker
says or does something that has different meanings from what he or she thinks it has, though the audience and other characters understand the full implications of the speech or action: e.g., Romeo kills himself believing Juliet has died, while the audience knows Juliet is still alive.
“Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?”
Table of contents

16. A COMPARISON OF TWO UNLIKE THINGS NOT USING “LIKE” OR “AS.”
Metaphor
A COMPARISON OF TWO UNLIKE THINGS NOT USING “LIKE” OR “AS.”
Table of contents
Example
in Context
Example 2
in Context
Table of contents
“TIME IS MONEY.”

17. The atmosphere or predominant emotion in a literary work.
Mood
The atmosphere or predominant emotion in a literary work.
Table of contents
Obvious
Example
Less
Obvious
Example

18. What motivates Willie Loman in "Death of a Salesman?"
Motivation
A circumstance or set of circumstances that prompts a character to act in a certain way or that determines the outcome of a situation or work.
Table of contents
Example
in Context
What motivates Willie Loman in "Death of a Salesman?"

19. narration The telling of a story in writing or speaking Example
in Context
Table of contents

20. Onomatopoeia Bop! Zonk! Pow!
(imitative harmony)
The use of words that mimic the sounds they describe: e.g., “hiss,” “buzz,” and “bang.”
Bop!
Zonk!
Pow!
When onomatopoeia is used on an extended scale in a poem, it is called imitative harmony.
Example
in Context
Table of contents

21. OXYMORON cold fire sweet sorrow Water Ice!!! jumbo shrimp
A form of paradox that combines a pair of opposite terms into a single unusual expression.
cold fire
sweet sorrow
Water Ice!!!
Example
in Context
jumbo shrimp
Table of contents

22. Ah, yes … everything is going according to my plans…
PARADOX
Ah, yes … everything is going according to my plans…
Paradox occurs when the elements of a statement contradict each other. Although the statement may appear illogical, impossible, or absurd, it turns out to have a coherent meaning that reveals a hidden truth: e.g., “Much madness is divinest sense.”
Table of contents
Example
in Context

23. Personification a kind of metaphor that gives inanimate objects
or abstract ideas
human characteristics
e.g., "The wind cried
in the dark."
Example
in Context
Table of contents

24. PLOT
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OR ACTIONS IN A SHORT STORY, NOVEL, PLAY, OR NARRATIVE POEM.
"I'm
thirsty!"
Example
in Context
Table of contents

25. The perspective from which a story is told.
Point of view
The perspective from which a story is told.
Example
in Context
Table of contents

26. The study of sound and rhythm.
PROSODY
The study of sound and rhythm.
prose
prose
prose
prose
prose
prose
Example
in Context
Table of contents

27. Can our protagonist save the day!?!?
Example
in Context
protagonist
Can our protagonist save the day!?!?
Fortunately, not only could our PROTAGONIST fly … he was also A PRO diver!
HELP ME
!!!
Table of contents

28. PUN
What is a pun? The following information is from the Pun FAQtory. In Italian, 'puntiglio' means "a fine point," hence a verbal quibble, and is most likely the source of the English "punctilious.“ A pun is defined by Webster as "the humorous use of a word, or of words which are formed or sounded alike but have different meanings, in such a way as to play on two or more of the possible applications; a play on words." Why do people groan when a pun is told? A pun is often considered obvious humor, since the person relating it is merely balancing the humor in it on a twist of a word's meaning or sound. Children love this type of obvious humor and can laugh at it without reproachments. Adults, on the other hand, are more likely to have a twinge of envy, and "why didn't I think of that?". It is this envy in adults that subconciously causes them to groan upon hearing a pun. As time goes on, it can only be hoped that we adults will eventually learn to react more like a child and less like a groan-up! There are different types of puns. Homographic puns make use of multiple meanings from a single spelling (e.g., "pen" for writing instrument or animal enclosure). These are also referred to as "antanaclasis". Homophonic puns use like sounds but with different spellings and meanings. This is also referred to as polyptoton. Examples of homophones are scent and sent, jeans and genes, waive and wave, and buy and bye. Slide 2
PUN = FUN
Example
in Context
Table of contents

29. The deliberate use of any element of language more than once.
Repetition
The deliberate use of any element of language more than once.
This can be repetition in sound, word, phrase, sentence, grammatical pattern, or rhythmical pattern.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

30. — The correspondance of terminal sounds.
Rhyme
— The correspondance of terminal sounds.
Types of Rhyme:
true rhyme or perfect rhyme — late-fate; hollow-follow
Masculine rhyme: a single stressed syllable — still-hill
Feminine rhyme (also double rhyme): a stressed syllable
followed by an unstressed syllable — ending-bending
eye rhyme: appears the same, but does not sound the same —
prove-love; come- doom
imperfect rhyme, partial rhyme, near rhyme, slant rhyme —
loads-lids-lads, groaned-crooned
Table of contents
Example
in Context

31. Sarcasm
The use of verbal irony in which a person appears to be praising something but is actually insulting it: e.g., “As I fell down the stairs headfirst, I heard her say, “Look at that coordination!”
Table of contents
Example
in Context

32. Setting is
The time
date
and place
in which events in a short story, novel, play or narrative poem take place.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

33. A change or movement in a piece resulting from...
Shift or Turn
A change or movement in a piece resulting from...
an epiphany, realization, or insight
Example
in Context
Table of contents
gained by the speaker, a character, or the reader.

34. "The warrior fought like a lion."
Similie
A comparison of two different things or ideas through the use of the words “like” or “as.” A definitely stated comparison where the poet says one thing is like another. For example…
"The warrior fought like a lion."
Table of contents
Example
in Context

35. Sound Devices Rhyme: Assonance: Consonance: Alliteration:
Stylistic techniques that convey meaning through sound. Some examples of sound device are…
Rhyme:
Two words having the same sound.
Assonance:
Repetition of similar vowel sounds.
Consonance:
Repetition of similar consonant sounds.
Alliteration:
Example
in Context
Words beginning with the same consonant sound.
Onomatopoeia:
Table of contents
Words that sound like their meaning.

36. The framework or organization of a literary selection.
Structure
The framework or organization of a literary selection.
The structure of fiction is usually determined by plot and by chapter division; the structure of drama depends upon its division into acts and scenes; the structure of an essay depends upon the organization of ideas; the structure of poetry is determined by its rhyme scheme and stanzaic form.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

37. Style Style is the writer's characteristic
manner of employing language.
It was quite obvious…
…they had no style.
Example
in Context
Table of contents

38. Example
in Context
SUSPENSE
Don’t press this button!
Suspense is the quality of a short story, novel, play, narrative poem or movie that makes the reader or audience uncertain or tense about the outcome of events.
Table of contents

39. Symbol
Any object, person, place, or action that has both a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself, such as a quality, attitude, belief, or value:
e.g., the land turtle in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath suggests or reflects the toughness and resilience of the migrant workers.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

40. Synecdoche (metonymy)
Synecdoche is a form of metaphor where part of something is used to signify the whole: e.g., “All hands on deck.”
The reverse, whereby the whole can represent a part, is also synecdoche: e.g., “Canada played the United States in the Olympic hockey finals”
Another form of synecdoche is when the container represents the thing being contained: e.g., “The pot is boiling.”
Table of contents
Example
in Context
In one last form of synecdoche, the material from which an object is made stands for the object itself: e.g., “The quarterback tossed the pigskin.”
In metonymy, the name of one thing is applied to another thing with which it is closely associated: e.g., “I love Shakespeare.”

41. Syntax The arrangement of words and the order of
gramatical elements in a sentence
Table of contents
Example
in Context

42. The central message of a literary work.
Theme
The central message of a literary work.
It is not the same as subject, which can be expressed in a word or two: courage, survival, war, pride, etc.
The theme is the idea the author wishes to convey about that subject. It is expressed as a sentence or general statement about life or human nature.
Example
in Context
A literary work can have more than one theme, and most themes are not directly stated, but are implied. The reader must think about all the elements of the work and use them to make inferences, or reasonable guesses, as to which themes seem to be implied.
Table of contents

43. TONE “Eat my shorts, man!”
Tone is the writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience, and it is conveyed through the author’s choice of words and detail.
“Eat my shorts, man!”
Tone can be serious, humorous, sarcastic, indignant, objective, etc.
Table of contents
Example
in Context

44. Understatement (meiosis, litotes)
The opposite of hyperbole. A kind of irony that deliberately represents something as being much less than it really is:
e.g., “I could probably manage to survive on a salary of two million dollars per year.”
(meiosis, litotes)
Example
in Context
Table of contents

45. Useful Websites for Literary Analysis
Literary Analysis of Poetry
Literary Analysis Guide
Dictionary.com
Writing Literary Analysis
Critical Theory Terms
Glossary of Poetry Terms
Terry Eagleton site
Table of contents
Purdue Owl Writing Site