Literary Devices and Elements

Which literary element is most closely associated with establishing the emotional landscape of a narrative?

An author uses sarcasm to mock a politician's stance on climate change. What literary device is being employed?

If a character acts in a way that is understood by the audience but not by other characters on the scene involved, which type of irony is most likely in play?

A rose is a recurring image throughout a book, and comes to represent love, loss, and the ephemeral nature of beauty. What literary device is exemplified?

In a story about the civil rights movement, a character reflects on the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. What literary device is most clearly in play?

An analysis proposes that Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is best understood by considering the social climate of the American South during the 1930s. Which approach to literary criticism does this suggestion reflect?

A literary critic analyzes how the economic system depicted in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist affects the characters' lives and relationships. What critical lens is being applied?

How does understanding an author's personal struggles with mental health potentially enhance an analysis of their novel's themes of isolation and despair?

What is a key difference between first-person and third-person limited point of view?

What is the primary goal of literary analysis?

How does analyzing an author's diction contribute to understanding their style?

Which of the following is a common mistake to avoid when writing a literary analysis essay?

What is the role of textual evidence in supporting arguments in a literary analysis essay?

What should a strong conclusion of a literary analysis essay accomplish?

What is the focus of formalism as an approach to literary analysis?

How might a psychological critic approach Shakespeare's Hamlet?

If a critic analyzes how the portrayal of women in a novel reinforces or subverts patriarchal norms, which critical approach is most likely being used?

What core tenet defines Reader-Response Criticism?

What is the primary function of foreshadowing in a narrative?

In what way does understanding the historical context of a literary work affect one's analysis of the work?