Stories -- Literary Devices

Front

What is the problem(s) in the story?

Back

Conflict: The struggle between opposing forces in a story, which drives the plot.

Front

What is the author's feelings or attitude toward his subject matter or characters in the story?

Back

Tone: The author's attitude expressed through word choice and style.

Front

What are interruptions that writers do to insert past events in order to provide background or context to the current events of a narrative?

Back

Flashback: A literary device that allows the writer to present past events to enhance the story.

Front

What is something tangible that represents a bigger idea?

Back

Symbol: An object, character, figure, or color used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Front

What suggests future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome, before they happen?

Back

Foreshadowing: A literary device used to give hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

Front

What is the emotional atmosphere of a story?

Back

Mood: The feeling or emotional state that a piece of writing evokes in the reader.

Front

What is the use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images for the reader?

Back

Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses and helps the reader visualize the scene.

Front

What is a conversation between characters in a story?

Back

Dialogue: The spoken exchanges between characters in a literary work.

Front

What is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art?

Back

Allusion: A brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Front

What is a situation that involves a contradiction between what is expected and what actually occurs?

Back

Irony: A literary device that highlights the contrast between expectation and reality.