Literary Devices Review
Archetype
A recurring symbol, character, landscape, or event found in myth and literature across different cultures and eras. Ex: Cinderella stories
Motif
A recurring theme, subject or idea
Epic
a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds Ex: Gilgamesh
Epic Hero
a main character in an epic whose legendary or heroic actions are central to his/her culture, race, or nation
Fragments
an incomplete sentence
Theme
central idea(s) of a work of literature
Simile
comparison using like or as
Exposition
introduces the characters, setting, and basic situation
Fable
short tale that teaches a lesson
Antagonist
the character who works against the protagonist in the story
Setting
the context and environment in which something is set time, place, cultural ideas, environment
Personification
A figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
Myth
A traditional story about gods, ancestors, or heroes, told to explain the natural world or the customs and beliefs of a society.
Symbol
Person, place, thing, or event that stands for itself and for something beyond itself as well.
Falling Action
The events after the climax which close the story.
Foil
a character whose personality and attitude contrast sharply with those of another
Metaphor
a figure of speech comparing to unlike things without using like or as
Internal Conflict
a problem or struggle within a character Man vs. Self
Allusion
a reference to something literary, mythological, or historical that the author assumes the reader will recognize
Thesis
a statement that you support with evidence from the text
Folktale
a story that is usually passed down orally and becomes part of a community's tradition
Frame Story
a story that serves as a narrative setting or frame for one or more other stories
External Conflict
a struggle between a character and an outside force Man vs. Nature Man vs. Man Man vs. Society
Resolution
the falling action of a narrative; the events following the climax
Protaganist
the main character in the story who undergoes some sort of spiritual or emotional change
Point of View
the perspective from which a story is told
Climax
the point of highest interest, the conflict must be resolved one way or another or a character begins to take action to end the conflict
Conflict
the problem or problems characters face in a literary work
Characterization
the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character
Plot
the sequence of events in a literary work
Rising Action
the series of conflicts or struggles that build a story toward a climax.
Foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
Parallel Structure
the use of similar forms in writing for nouns, verbs, phrases, or thoughts For example: 3rd person (He, She, One, The reader thinks...)
Onomatopoeia
the use of words that imitate sounds
Irony
the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
Homonyms/Homophones
words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings (sale/sail)
