Literary Terms and Techniques

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Summary

Back

A short description of the main parts of a story

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Metaphor

Back

A figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another.

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Imagery

Back

The use of words that make the reader see a mental image of what the author is writing about

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Appeal to logic

Back

When the speaker uses simple logic to get the audience to agree with her

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Appeal to emotion

Back

When the speaker evokes the audience’s emotions.

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Appeal to authority

Back

When the speaker asks the audience to trust them because they have expertise in the topic.

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Satire

Back

A work that uses humor to expose the flaws in institutions, social rules, ideas, individuals, or human nature in general

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Syntax

Back

The specific organization of words and phrases into sentences

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Tone

Back

The attitude that the writer or narrator expresses

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Theme

Back

The message that a text is trying to portray.