Allegory
The device of using character and/or story elements symbolically to represent an abstraction in addition to the literal meaning. The meaning usually deals with moral truth or a generalization about human existence.
Alliteration
The repetition of sounds, especially initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words (as in "she sells sea shells"). The repetition can reinforce meaning, unify ideas, supply a musical sound, and/or echo the sense of the passage.
Allusion
A direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. These can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical.
Ambiguity
The multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.
Analogy
A similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.
Antecedent
The word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.
Antithesis
the opposition or contrast of ideas; the direct opposite.
Aphorism
A terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle. (If the authorship is unknown, the statement is generally considered to be a folk proverb.)
Apostrophe
A prayer-like figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love. It is an address to someone or something that cannot answer. The effect may add familiarity or emotional intensity.
Atmosphere
The emotional nod created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described. Even such elements as a description of the weather support this device.
Caricature
a verbal description, the purpose of which is to exaggerate or distort, for comic effect, a person's distinctive physical features or other characteristics. Example: The pupils of her eyes are small, like a pebble of sand floating atop a can of blue paint
Colloquial/Colloquialism
The use of slang or informalities in speech or writing; include local or regional dialect
Literary Conceit
A fanciful expression, usually in the form of an extended metaphor or surprising analogy between seemingly dissimilar objects.
Connotation
The non-literal, associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning; may involve ideas, emotions or attitudes
Denotation
The strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.
Diction
Refers to the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.
Didactic
From the Greek, this literally means "teaching." These words have the primary aim of teaching or instructing,especially the teaching of moral or ethical principles.
Euphemism
From the Greek for "good speech: and are a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept - POLITICALLY CORRECT
Extended Metaphor
An unlikely comparison developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.
Figurative Language
Writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.
Figure of speech
A device used to produce figurative language. Many compare dissimilar things. These include apostrophe, hyperbole, irony, metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, simile, synecdoche, and/or understatement.
Genre
The major category into which a literary work fits. The basic divisions of literature are prose, poetry, and drama.
Homily
This term literally means "sermon," but more informally, it can include any serious talk, speech, or lecture involving moral or spiritual advice.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement. (The literal Greek meaning is "overshoot.") These words often have a comic effect; however, a serious effect is also possible. Often produces irony and its opposite if understatement.
Imagery
The sensory details or figurative language used to describe, arouse emotion, or represent abstractions.
Inference/infer
To draw a reasonable conclusion from the information presented.
Invective
an emotionally violent, verbal denunciation or attack using strong, abusive language.
Dramatic Irony
When facts or events are unknown to a character in a play or piece of fiction but known to the reader, audience, or other characters in the work.
Litotes
A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite. Is the opposite of hyperbole. Examples: "Not a bad idea," "Not many," "It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor on the brain" (Salinger, Catcher in the
Metaphor
A figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things or the substitution of one for the other, suggesting some similarity. Makes writing more vivid, imaginative, thought provoking, and meaningful.
Metonymy
A term from the Greek meaning "changed label" or "substitute name," a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. For example, a news release that claims "the White House declared" rather
Mood
The prevailing atmosphere or emotional aura of a work.
Narrative
The telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.
onomatopoeia
A figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words.
Oxymoron
From the Greek for "pointedly foolish"; wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Simple examples include "jumbo shrimp" and "cruel kindness.
Paradox
A statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.
Anaphora
A sub-type of parallelism, when the exact repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive lines or sentences. MLK used this in his famous "I Have a Dream" speech (1963).
Parody
A work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule. It exploits peculiarities of an author's expression (propensity to use too many parentheses, certain favorite words, etc.) When well-writte
Pedantic
An adjective that describes words, phrases, or general tone that is overly scholarly, academic, or bookish (language that might be described as "show-offy"; using big words for the sake of using big words).
Personification
A figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.
Point of view
In literature, the perspective from which a story is told.
Prose
one of the major divisions of genre; refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms.
Repetition
The duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.
Rhetoric
From the Greek for "orator," this term describes the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.
Sarcasm
From the Greek meaning "to tear flesh," this device involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.
Satire
A work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule.
Synecdoche
a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to represent the whole or, occasionally, the whole is used to represent a part.
Synesthesia
when one kind of sensory stimulus evokes the subjective experience of another. In literature, this device refers to the practice of associating two or more different senses in the same image.
Theme
The central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life; the universal idea.
Tone
Ttone describes the author's attitude toward his material.
Understatement
the ironic minimalizing of fact; the opposite of hyperbole
Wit
in modern usage, intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights. A witty statement is humorous, while suggesting the speaker's verbal power in creating ingenious and perceptive remarks. Wit usually uses terse language that makes a pointed sta
Malapropism
a word humorously misused: Example, he is the AMPLE of her eye... instead of ' he is the APPLE of her eye,
Active Voice
Usually preferred in writing because active verbs express more energy and command of the essay.
Asyndeton
The deliberate omission of conjunctions from series of related independent clauses. The effect is to create a tight, concise, and forceful sentence.
Dialect
A regional speech pattern; the way people talk in different parts of the world; regionalism in wriing and is often referred to as "colloquial language
Ellipsis
Three dots that indicate words have been left out of a quotation; they also can be used to create suspense.
Epistrophe
A minor device, this is the ending of a series of lines, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same word or words. When it appears in speech or essay, it is emotionally potent.
Etymology
The study of the origin of words and their historical uses.
Jargon
A pattern of speech and vocabulary associated with a particular group of people. It typically appears only in the multiple-choice section and is not significant. Computer analysis have their own vocabulary, as do doctors, astronauts, and plumbers.That is
Polysyndeton
The use of consecutive coordinating conjunctions even when they are not needed. The effect is to render the reader somewhat breathless. He was overwhelmed, as is by a tsunami, and by the fishes, and by the seaweed, and by the salt spray from the heavens.
Pun
A play on words. In an argument, this usually calls humorous attention to particular point.
Red Herring
An argument that distracts the reader by raising issues irrelevant to the case.
Thesis
The writer's statement of purpose. Every well-written essay will have one. It is how the reader identifies what the writer is arguing, the position the writer is taking, the action the writer is advocating. Essentially, it is the focal intent of the essay
Zeugma
A minor device in which two or more elements in a sentence are tied together by the same verb or noun. These are especially acute if the noun or verb does not have the exact same meaning in both parts of the sentence. Example: She dashed his hopes and out
apotheosis
deification, glorification to godliness, the perfect example
carpe diem
Seize the day"; a Latin phrase implying that one must live for the present moment, for tomorrow may be too late.
chiasmus
A statement consisting of two parallel parts in which the second part is structurally reversed ("Susan walked in, and out rushed Mary.").
catharsis
an emotional cleansing, am emotional cleansing or purging, A purifying or figurative cleansing of the emotions, especially pity and fear, described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience
frame tale (frame device)
--a story within a story.
Romanticism (literary movement)
The literary movement beginning in the late 18th century that stressed NATURE, emotion, imagination, and individualism.
trite
overused and hackneyed