Literary Terms and Devices

Nuance

• A subtle or slight difference in meaning.

• A loud and clear statement.

• A major contradiction in ideas.

• An overwhelming majority opinion.

Syntax

• Sentence structure and word order

• Use of metaphors and similes

• Rules of punctuation

• Types of sentences

Satire

• Using humor or exaggeration to criticize

• A form of serious literature

• A type of poetry

• An ancient form of storytelling

Denotation

• A. The emotional meaning of a word

• B. The dictionary definition of a word

• C. A word's connotation

• D. A synonym for a word

Archetype

• A typical example of something in literature

• A character that represents a specific stereotype

• A narrative technique used to create suspense

• A type of literary device that conveys a moral lesson

Connotation

• Literal meaning of a word

• Implied meaning beyond the literal definition

• A synonym for a word

• The antonym of a word

Understatement

• Making something seem less important than it is

• Exaggerating the importance of something

• Describing something in a straightforward manner

• Making something seem more important than it is

Paradox

• A statement that contradicts itself but may be true

• A logical conclusion that is always true

• A statement that is universally accepted as false

• A question that cannot be answered

Colloquialism

• Formal language used in literature

• Informal or conversational language

• Technical jargon used in specific fields

• Slang used by teenagers

Diction

• Word choice used by the author

• The tone of the writing

• The structure of the sentences

• The theme of the story