Literary Devices Flashcards

Front

A comparison between two things that are similar in some way, used to explain or clarify something. Example: "Memory is like a filing cabinet; you have to organize your thoughts."

Back

Analogy

Front

Exaggeration for emphasis or effect. Example: "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse."

Back

Hyperbole

Front

Making something seem less important than it really is, often for ironic effect. Example: "It's a bit chilly," said the person shivering in a blizzard.

Back

Understatement

Front

The repetition of vowel sounds within words close together. Example: "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."

Back

Assonance

Front

The juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases. Example: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Back

Antithesis

Front

A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. Example: A firehouse catching on fire.

Back

Irony

Front

Saying the opposite of what you mean (sarcasm is a form of this). Example: It’s raining, but one says: “What great weather!”

Back

Verbal Irony

Front

When the outcome is the opposite of what was expected. Example: A police station getting robbed.

Back

Situational Irony

Front

When the audience knows something the characters don't. Example: Romeo does not know that Juliet isn’t dead.

Back

Dramatic Irony

Front

A statement that seems self-contradictory but may contain a deeper truth. Example: "Less is more."

Back

Paradox