English
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Literary Terms
Key literary terms and devices for English class, AP Literature, and the SAT reading section.
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Metaphor
A comparison between two unlike things WITHOUT using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'Time is money')
Simile
A comparison between two unlike things USING 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'Brave as a lion')
Personification
Giving human qualities to non-human things (e.g., 'The wind whispered')
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration for emphasis (e.g., 'I've told you a million times')
Alliteration
Repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of words (e.g., 'Peter Piper picked')
Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate sounds (e.g., 'buzz', 'hiss', 'crash', 'sizzle')
Irony
When the opposite of what is expected occurs; types: verbal, situational, dramatic
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues about events that will happen later in the story
Symbolism
Using an object to represent a larger idea (e.g., dove = peace, darkness = evil)
Allegory
A narrative where characters and events represent abstract ideas or moral lessons (e.g., Animal Farm)
Imagery
Descriptive language that appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)
Tone
The author's attitude toward the subject (e.g., sarcastic, nostalgic, hopeful)
Mood
The emotional atmosphere a text creates for the reader (e.g., suspenseful, gloomy, cheerful)
Theme
The central message or underlying meaning of a literary work
Protagonist
The main character of a story; drives the plot forward
Antagonist
The character or force that opposes the protagonist
Conflict
The central struggle; types: person vs person, person vs nature, person vs self, person vs society
Climax
The turning point or moment of highest tension in the plot
Allusion
A reference to another literary work, person, or event (e.g., 'He was a real Romeo')
Paradox
A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth (e.g., 'Less is more')
Oxymoron
Two contradictory words placed together (e.g., 'deafening silence', 'bittersweet')
Juxtaposition
Placing two contrasting elements side by side for comparison or emphasis
Satire
Using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock people, institutions, or society
Point of View
Perspective from which a story is told: first person (I), second person (you), third person (he/she)
Flashback
A scene set in a time earlier than the main story; provides background information
Motif
A recurring element (image, symbol, theme) that supports the main theme
Diction
The author's choice of words; can be formal, informal, technical, etc.
Syntax
The arrangement of words and phrases to create sentences; affects rhythm and emphasis
Rhetoric
The art of persuasion; appeals: ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), logos (logic)
Soliloquy
A speech in a play where a character speaks their thoughts aloud, alone on stage
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