(ENG 1D9) Literary Terms and Devices

Question	Answer
IMAGERY E.g. The giant tree was ablaze with the orange, red, and yellow leaves that were beginning to make their descent to the ground.	DEFINITION: A picture painted by words that appeals to any of the 5 senses (visual, auditory, olfactory, kinesthetic, and/or gustatory); a collection of mental pictures created by words that appeal to the senses. Imagery can appear in the form of similes, metaphors, personification, onomatopoeia, etc. PURPOSE: To use a set of descriptive words to describe something well enough for the reader to imagine text more realistically
METAPHOR E.g. My Love for you is a red, red, rose.	DEFINITION: A comparison of two dissimilar objects (one of which is usually commonplace or familiar to most) without using the words "Like" or "As" etc. one object is made into another. PURPOSE: A metaphor is used to emphasize the qualities of something by comparing it to something dissimilar and create imagery so that the reader may be able to visualize the connection. This allows the reader to gain a greater understanding of the concept, object, or character being described.
PERSONIFICATION E.g. The ivy wove its fingers around the fence.	DEFINITION: The attachment of human attributes and emotions to an idea or an animal. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings PURPOSE: Personification can make descriptions of non-human entities more vivid, or can help readers understand, sympathize with, or react emotionally to non-human characters by giving non-human things human attributes. By making inanimate things more vivid, personification allows readers to relate to them, giving them meaning on a more "human" level, as well as making the story more interesting and/or amusing by establishing mood and imagery.
EXTENDED METAPHOR E.g. My love is a red, red rose. I give my red rose to you.	DEFINITION: A metaphor that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph or lines in a poem; the idea of the metaphor is extended. PURPOSE:Extended metaphors communicate a detailed comparison of two objects by allowing the author to highlight multiple commonalities and compare multiple aspects of two objects, therefore, extended metaphors offer the audience a more detailed, vivid comparison, and are ideal for breaking down a complicated concept.
SIMILE E.g. She looks as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs	DEFINITION: An explicit comparison which shows similarities between two vastly different things. Unlike a metaphor, a simile draws resemblance with the help of the words “Like” or “As”; a direct comparison. PURPOSE: Authors use similes to compare two vastly different things, while creating a sense of emotion and making the story more vivid, as the familiarity of one object makes it easier for the reader to create imagery. Similes can make language more descriptive and enjoyable. Often, similes are used to add depth and emphasize what an author is trying to convey to the reader.
IRONY (Broad Term)	DEFINITION: To express something other than, and especially the opposite of, the literal meaning; when someone does or says the opposite of what is expected. PURPOSE: Irony can be used for satirization, but in most cases, irony is used to make the story more interesting and entertaining for the reader.
VERBAL IRONY E.g “Yet Brutus says he was ambitious and Brutus is an honorable man” (William Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar")	DEFINITION: When someone says something but means the opposite; usu. sarcasm. Verbal irony in its essence requires an understanding of circumstance, attitude, and most importantly, timing. PURPOSE: In this form of irony, the user intends to wittily attack or make a derogatory statement about something or someone. Sarcasm can often be funny and witty, yet simultaneously it can be hurtful and humiliating.
DRAMATIC IRONY E.g. Hank Schrader in "Breaking Bad" is a DEA agent looking for crystal-meth producer 'Heisenberg'. The audience knows that 'Heisenberg' is Schrader’s brother-in-law, Walter White.	DEFINITION: Dramatic irony occurs when there is miscommunication in a book, play or film and the audience is smarter than the characters; irony that is understood by the audience, but not grasped by the characters. PURPOSE: Because the audience knows something that the characters do not, the words of the characters take on a different meaning, creating intense suspense or humor.
SITUATIONAL IRONY E.g. Discovered in the 9th century by the Chinese, gunpowder was found by alchemists attempting to find an “elixir of immortality.”	DEFINITION: Irony in a situation that is completely unexpected. Situational irony is often referred to as an “irony of events.” PURPOSE: Situational Irony creates a tension between expected and real results. The effect of situational irony is almost always humor, but what's more important than this is the effect of humor. Humor destroys barriers that a greater truth can be revealed. The author will use irony to get away satirization.
SOCRATIC IRONY E.g. Calling a stupid plan “clever” without giving away that fact that you are aware of the stupidity of the plan.	DEFINITION: The practice or act of asking someone a question in order to demonstrate his or her ignorance.This type of irony is most relative in the great world of academia and is related to the Socratic teaching method. The Socratic teaching method encourages students to think and present opposing views while the teacher plays ignorant. PURPOSE: Socratic irony can be used to disarm an opponent in an argument or debate in order to make them damage their own position. Referring to the Socratic teaching method, Professors often employ its use to inspire critical thinking, but it also allows them the chance to have students pose questions and ideas amongst themselves. Socratic irony can also be used as a tactical strategy in getting what you want.
COSMIC IRONY E.g. The Titanic was promoted as being 100% unsinkable; but, in 1912 the ship sank on its maiden voyage.	DEFINITION: This type of irony can be attributed to some sort of misfortune. Usually cosmic irony is the end result of fate or chance. PURPOSE: Cosmic irony feeds on the notion that people cannot see the effects of their actions, and sometimes the outcome of a person’s actions may be out of their control.
PATHETIC FALLACY E.g. The wind howled in the angry storm during the couples final fight to the death.	DEFINITION: The attachment of ONLY emotions to non-human things in nature. PURPOSE: Pathetic fallacy helps the reader visualize the mood established in scene. Referring to the example, the turbulence of the nature outside reflects the turbulence of the couple; the emotions reflect that of the humans.
ALLUSION E.g. I was surprised his nose was not growing like Pinocchio’s.	DEFINITION: A reference to a well known event, person, object, place, or literary work. PURPOSE: Allusions in writing help the reader to visualize what's happening by evoking a mental picture. allusion can provide helpful context in a much shorter span than if the author tried to explain everything from scratch. In other situations, it can also offer foreshadowing. Foreshadowing also gives a deeper meaning to a story by referring to another work which has a similar theme by emphasizing the main point the author is trying to make. Allusions also engage the reader and will often help the reader remember the message or theme of the passage.
FLASHBACK E.g. Sarah was nervous about her performance. She had a dream about her performance last year when she fell in front of everyone.	DEFINITION: An interruption of a current narrative with a past event, memory or dream inserted into the plot to relate to the story. PURPOSE: Flashbacks provide background information on either the situation or character, helping the reader gain a better understanding of the plot or character.
FORESHADOWING E.g. He had no idea of the disastrous chain of events to follow	DEFINITION: A device whereby the author clues/hints at a future event in the story without giving anything away. PURPOSE: Foreshadowing creates suspense, "hooking" readers. Foreshadowing also make strange events more plausible when they unfold.
ALLITERATION E.g. Walter walked wearily while wondering where Wally was.	DEFINITION: A series of words in a row (or close to a row) that have the same first consonant sound. PURPOSE: Alliteration is used to ensure that something is memorable, which is why this technique is used often by major companies.
HYPERBATON (SYNTACTIC INVERSION) E.g. "And gone are all my Summer days." (William Soutar's "The Tryst") Vs. All my summer days are gone.	DEFINITION: To reverse the normal word order (Subject → Verb...) of a sentence so that the Verb is placed before the Subject (Verb → Subject...). PURPOSE: Syntactic inversion makes the story more intriguing to the reader by creating a dramatic atmosphere. It also reversed in order to achieve a particular of effect or emphasis.
TONE E.g. "Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world" (William Yeats' "The Second Coming")	DEFINITION: The AUTHOR'S attitude toward a subject that is expressed in the writing using the words and details he or she selects, usually through a character; a description of the voice of the author. Tone shapes the work as a whole, and clarifies whether the piece should be read as a serious, funny, dramatic or upsetting. PURPOSE: Tone helps the reader determine the writer’s feelings towards a particular topic and this in turn influences the reader’s understanding of the story. Referring to the example, from that one line, the words "anarchy loosed upon the world" create a sense of fear and foreboding.
ATMOSPHERE (MOOD) E.g. "The river, reflecting the clear blue of the sky, glistened and sparkled as it flowed noiselessly on." (Charles Dickens' "Pickwick Papers")	DEFINITION: The general feeling or emotional quality of a piece; it’s the emotions a selection arouses in a reader; a description of the emotions conveyed to the reader. PURPOSE: The atmosphere is created with the intention of evoking a certain emotion or feeling from the audience. Referring to the example, the mood created in that sentence is an idyllic one: a calm and peaceful feeling, which can sometimes be shown by describing a natural setting, like in the country.
CLICHÉ (CLICHE) E.g. "All's Well That Ends Well" (William Shakespeare's "All's Well That Ends Well")	DEFINITION: A word or expression that has lost much of its force through overexposure. PURPOSE: Cliches can be used to explain or represent something when an original or elaborate metaphor or description would be overkill. They are also used when an author wants to show a lack of originality and creativity. Cliches can convey complex ideas in few words, and ensure understanding on the part of the reader, and, therefore, they serve as shortcuts. Referring to the example, the sentence signifies that even if there were problems along the way, it doesn't matter as long as there is a happy ending.
ANECDOTE E.g. Before giving a presentation on the dangers of drug abuse, the speaker tells the audience how he himself used to abuse drugs and explains the negative effects it brought about in his life.	DEFINITION: A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person i.e. a short story that is incorporated in writing. PURPOSE: Often relaying stories that can be used as themes or lessons, anecdotes can be useful for setting the stage for a speech or personal essay. Anecdotes can be used to bring cheer, to reminisce, to caution, or to persuade or to inspire.
PROVERBS E.g. Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.	DEFINITION: A short popular saying that effectively expresses some commonplace, basic truth or useful thought in an obscure way. The phrase usually has an indirect message behind that when first heard may seem a little odd. Usually a proverb is very well known because of its popular use in colloquial language. PURPOSE: The most common role that a proverb plays is to educate, and is often tossed around as expert advice in conversation, the innate role to educate people on what might happen if they do something.
SYMBOLISM E.g. "The works of women are symbolical. We sew, sew, prick our fingers, dull our sight, Producing what? A pair of slippers, sir, To put on when you're weary." (Elizabeth Barret Browning’s "Aurora Leigh")	DEFINITION: Symbolism is a technique used in literature when some things are not to be taken literally. The symbolism can be an object, person, situation, events or actions that have a deeper meaning in context. Generally, it is an object representing another to give it an entirely different meaning that is much deeper and more significant. Sometimes, however, an action, an event or a word spoken by someone may have a symbolic value. For instance, “smile” is a symbol of friendship. Symbols do shift their meanings depending on the context they are used in, thus, symbolic meaning of an object or an action is understood by when, where and how it is used. It also depends on who reads them. PURPOSE: Symbolism gives a writer freedom to add double levels of meanings to his work: a literal one that is self-evident and the symbolic one whose meaning is far more profound than the literal one. This technique can enhance writing and give insight to the reader. Referring to the example, the work of women is symbolized as being undervalued.

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(ENG 1D9) Literary Terms and Devices

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	Created by syeda_zahra about 10 years ago