Literary Terms Quiz

What is a simile in literary terms?

• A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'.

• A figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of something else with which it is closely associated.

• A word that phonetically imitates the sound it describes.

• A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect.

Which poetic device is defined by the rhythm of a piece of poetry, determined by the number and length of feet in a line?

• Meter

• Free Verse

• Couplet

• Sonnet

What does the literary term 'antagonist' refer to?

• The main character in a story.

• A character or group of characters that stand in opposition to the protagonist.

• The psychological struggle within a character.

• The main events of a story.

What is meant by 'internal conflict' in literature?

• A struggle between a literary character and an outside force.

• The rhythm of a piece of poetry.

• A psychological struggle within the mind of a literary or dramatic character.

• A stanza of four lines in poetry.

Which of the following best describes an oxymoron?

• A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

• A figure of speech that imitates sounds.

• A figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an effect.

• A poetic meter consisting of lines with five pairs of syllables.

What does the literary term "foil" refer to?

• A character who contrasts with another character to highlight particular qualities of the other character.

• A secondary story embedded in the main story.

• A literary work in the form of letters.

• A scene set in a time earlier than the main story.

Which term describes the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing?

• Epithet

• Diction

• Connotation

• Motif

What is the purpose of a "farce" in literature?

• To convey a moral using animals as characters.

• To expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices through humor, irony, or exaggeration.

• To use buffoonery and horseplay in a dramatic work.

• To imitate the style of a particular writer or genre with exaggeration for comic effect.

What does "flashback" refer to in narrative techniques?

• A conversation between characters.

• A warning or indication of a future event.

• A scene set in a time earlier than the main story.

• A recurring element with symbolic significance.

Which literary device involves a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word?

• Parody

• Pun

• Motif

• Epistolary