Literary Devices

Short Story Objectives

1)Poetry - imaginative writing in which language, images, sounds, and rhythm combine to create a special emotional effect

2)Theme - underlying idea in a work

3. humor - something intended to be funny

4)setting - the physical and sometimes spiritual background of a story.

4 elements of setting:–1) geographical location–2)daily living of characters–3)the time or period in which the action takes place

–4)general environment

5. character - a person in a story, novel, poem, or play

6. suspense - the anticipation as to the outcome of events

–Question of how, what, who?

–Question of when?

7. Mood / tone - the general feeling in a piece of work

8. Script - the complete text in a play

9. Cast - list of characters

10. Stage directions - describes the action and tells the characters what to do and how to do it

11. Dialogue - what characters say

12. Scenery - everything used to show the setting

13. Sound effects - sounds that are made for a play

14)drama- a literary work meant to be performed for an audience. 3 elements: 1)Story

2)Told in Action3) Actors who play the characters

15. Narrative poetry - poetry that tells a story

16. Metaphor - a figure of speech that compares two unlike things“That car is a lemon.”

17. Extended metaphor- to use a metaphor throughout a poem

18. Personification - a figure of speech in which something not human is given a human personality or characteristics.

19. Free verse - poems with irregular rhythms and line lengths

20. Rhythm - the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry

21.Stanza - A group of lines forming a unit in a poem

22. Symbol - any person, place or thing that stands for something else.Ex: Eagles symbolize freedom.

23. flashback - an interruption of the action to tell about something that happened earlier in time.

24)Characterization-displaying a character’s personality

Five Kinds:1) character’s actions2) character’s speech 3)what other characters say4)revealing character’s

thoughts5) directly commenting

25. Rhyme - the repetition of similar sounds. 2 kinds:

26. End rhyme - rhymes come at the end of lines–Once upon a TIME, –I found a DIME.

27. Internal rhyme - rhyme occurs within a line–The CAT wore a HAT.

28. Alliteration -the repetition of consonant sounds(Betty Botter bought some butter.)

29. Inversion - the reversal of the normal order of words in a sentenceEx: “A kiss, he did receive.”

30. Repetition - a device using the same word or phrase to show emphasis

31. Simile - Figure of speech that compares unlike things using “like” or “as”-“She is as sweet as pie.”

32. Concrete Poems – Poems that have a particular shape Ex: A poem about a balloon that is shaped like a balloon.

33. Onomatopoeia - a word that sounds like its meaning (BZZZ).

34. Biography - a story about someone’s life written by someone else.

35)conflict - the struggle b/t two opposing forces.

4 Kinds: 1) struggle w/ nature2) struggle w/ another

person3) struggle w/ society4) struggle within

36. Myth - a story,often about gods and goddesses that attempts to give meaning to the world

37. Hero - chief character in story; usually brave, courageous, kind, honest, etc.

38)Foreshadowing- the use of hints or clues to suggest what action is about to occur

39. Parody - humorous imitation of a serious piece of literature

40. Comedy - a literary work with a generally happy ending; can be serious at times

41) Dramatic irony- when the reader knows something the characters don’t

Ugly Duckling Questions:1) Why is this story a drama?–It is a drama b/c it is meant to be acted out on stage. It also has a story, actors, and it`s told in action.

Ugly Duckling Questions:2)Define parody and explain

why this drama is one.A parody makes fun of

another story. This play makes fun of the children’s story, “Ugly Duckling.”

Ugly Duckling Questions:3)Why is this play a comedy? It is a comedy because it is

funny and has a happy ending. It also teaches the lesson that people should look beyond outside appearances.

Ugly Duckling Questions:4)Give an example of

dramatic irony.An example would be when

the prince and princess introduced themselves as the servants.