Rhetorical device—Particular use of word patterns, styles,
and literary concepts used to clarify, make associations, and focus
the writing in a piece of literature.
Allusion—A figure of speech which makes brief, even casual
reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object to create
a resonance in the reader or to apply a symbolic meaning to the character
or object of which the allusion consists. For example, in John Steinbeck's
Of Mice and Men, the surname of the protagonist, George Milton, is an
allusion to John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, since by the end of
the novel, George has lost the dream of having a little ranch of his
own to share with his friend Lennie.
Analogy—Comparison of two things that are alike in some
respects. Metaphors and
similes are both types of analogies.
Aphorism—A concise statement designed to make a point or
illustrate a commonly held belief. The writings of Benjamin Franklin
contain many aphorisms, such as "Early to bed and early to rise/Make
a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."
Catharsis Meaning "purgation," catharsis describes
the release of the emotions of pity and fear by the audience at the
end of a tragedy. In his Poetics, Aristotle discusses the importance
of catharsis. The audience faces the misfortunes of the protagonist,
which elicit pity and compassion. Simultaneously, the audience also
confronts the failure of the protagonist, thus receiving a frightening
reminder of human limitations and frailties. Ultimately, however, both
these negative emotions are purged, because the tragic protagonistÕs
suffering is an affirmation of human values rather than a despairing
denial of them.
Colloquialism—Ordinary language; the vernacular. For example,
depending on where in the United States you live, a sandwich is called
a sub, a grinder, or a hero.
Delayed
sentence—A sentence
that withholds its main idea until the end. For example: Just as he
bent to tie his shoe, a car hit him.
Diction—An author's choice of words to convey a tone or
effect.
Dramatic
irony: Dramatic irony creates
a discrepancy between what a character believes or says and what the
reader or audience member knows to be true. Tragic irony is a form of
dramatic irony found in tragedies such as Oedipus the King, in which
Oedipus searches for the person responsible for the plague that ravishes
his city and ironically ends up hunting himself.
Epiphany—A sudden or intuitive insight or perception into
the reality or essential meaning of something usually brought on by
a simple or common occurrence or experience.
Euphemism—Substitution of a milder or less direct expression
for one that is harsh or blunt. For example, using "passed away"
for "dead."
Foil—A person or thing that makes another seem better
by contrast.
Foreshadow—To hint at or present things to come in a story
or play.
Hyperbole—An overstatement characterized by exaggerated
language.
Imagery—Sensory details in a work; the use of figurative
language to evoke a feeling, call to mind an idea, or describe an object.
Imagery involves any or all of the five senses.
Irony: verbal, dramatic, and situational—A situation
or statement characterized by significant difference between what is
expected or understood and what actually happens or is meant. Irony
is
frequently humorous, and can be sarcastic when using words to imply
the opposite of what they normally mean.
Isocolon—Parallel structure in which the parallel elements
are similar not only in grammatical structure, but also in length. For
example, "An envious heart makes a treacherous ear" (Their
Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston).
Juxtaposition—Placing of two items side by side to create a
certain effect, reveal an attitude, or accomplish some other purpose.
Malapropism: a ludicrous misuse of words that sound alike
Mood—The feeling or ambience resulting from the tone
of a piece as well as the writer/narrator's attitude and point of view.
The effect is created through descriptions of feelings or objects that
establish a particular feeling such as gloom, fear, or hope.
Oxymoron A condensed form of paradox in which two contradictory
words are used together, as in "sweet sorrow" or "original
copy."
Parallelism—Recurrent syntactical similarity where several
parts of a sentence or several
sentences
are expressed alike to show that the ideas in the parts or sentences
equal in importance. It also adds balance, rhythm, and clarity to the
sentence. For example, "I have always sought
but never found the perfect painting for that wall."
Situational
irony—This exists when
there is an incongruity between what is expected to happen and what
actually happens due to forces beyond human comprehension or control.
The suicide of the seemingly successful main character in Edwin Arlington
RobinsonÕs poem "Richard Cory" is an example of situational
irony.
Symbolism—A person, place, thing, event, or pattern in a
literary work thatdesignates itself and at the same time figuratively
represents something else.
The use of one object to suggest another hidden, object or idea.
Tone—The attitude a literary work takes towards its
subject and theme.
Verbal
irony—Verbal irony is
a figure of speech that occurs when a person says one thing but means
the opposite. Sarcasm is a strong form of verbal irony that is calculated
to hurt someone through, for example, false praise.