Literary Device Notes PDF

Literary Device Notes 1. Metaphor - a comparison that does NOT use like or as. Ex: He was a volcano of rage. 2. Simile - a comparison using like or as Ex: Shine bright like a diamond. She was as weak as a kitten. 3. Idiom - a phrase that makes no literal sense, but has meaning to...

Literary Device Notes 1. Metaphor - a comparison that does NOT use like or as. Ex: He was a volcano of rage. 2. Simile - a comparison using like or as Ex: Shine bright like a diamond. She was as weak as a kitten. 3. Idiom - a phrase that makes no literal sense, but has meaning to people in a certain group or area. Ex: Spilled the tea, Killed the vibe, More than one way to skin a cat. 4. Flashback - An interruption to the plot that goes back in time to explain important information the reader should know. Ex: When Jane saw Raphael she froze. This was worse than she thought. She remembered back to when they shared an afternoon and kissed. He had made her heart flutter and then never called. 5. Foreshadowing - When the author gives clues that something important will happen later in the story. Ex: Sam wished he could rid himself of the sick feeling in his gut. It had been sitting in the pit of his stomach ever since he found the dead crow on the sidewalk. 6. Tone - The author’s feelings or attitude toward the subject they are writing about. - Described using feeling words and created with specific word choice. Ex: Cheerful, Optimistic, Fearful, Melancholy 7. Mood - The feelings of the reader or audience in reaction to a piece of literature. - Infinite number of possible moods based on the author’s writing and the audience’s prior knowledge/perspective. Ex: Calm, Light-Hearted, Tense, Rebellious 8. Hyperbole - Extreme exaggeration. So extreme it cannot possibly occur. Ex: I’m so hungry I could eat a whole horse. 9. Personification - Giving human characteristics to nonhuman things. Ex: Talking animals, “the lightning danced through the night sky”  Literary Device Notes Conflict Types: 10. Man vs. Man - a character vs character conflict (issue or problem) Ex: Fight, argument, disagreement, competition 11. Man vs. Nature - a conflict between a character and something in the environment which they cannot control. Ex: Natural Disaster, disease, etc. 12. Man vs. Society - a conflict between a character and a group of people, his governing body, or the society in which he belongs Ex: Protesting, breaking a law 13. Man vs. Himself - an internal conflict occurring in one’s mind. Ex: A decision, troubling thoughts, behavior etc. 14. Theme - the lesson anyone can learn from a story. The author’s point or message. Sometimes known as the moral. Described in a phrase. Ex: Money can’t buy love. 15. Connotation - the emotional meaning of a word. The feelings associated with a specific word. Ex: Moist, Home, Blue 16. Denotation - the dictionary definition of a word Ex: Moist- slightly wet, Home- the place where you live, Blue- the color between violet and green 17. Alliteration - the repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words. Ex: Peter Piper picked a peck of purple pickled peppers. Irony Types: 18. Situational Irony - An event or outcome of events opposite to what was or might naturally have been expected Ex: When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, all of his shots initially missed the President; however a bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof windows of the Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, the windows made to protect the President from gunfire were partially responsible for his being shot. 19. Dramatic Irony - when one or more of the characters are unaware of important information that the audience is made aware of. Builds suspense. Ex: Romeo and Juliet - we know of the priest’s plan but Romeo does not. 20. Verbal Irony - When the writer's words do not match the tone. The speaker or writer says one thing while INTENDING the reader to get a different meaning. Ex: Sarcasm, false modesty