Literary Terms

Front 1

Metaphor

Back 1

A direct comparison in which two unlike things represent each other.

Example:
Morning is a new sheet of paper for you to write on.

Front 2

Assonance

Back 2

Definition:
Vowel sounds that are similar are repeated.

Example:
"make the grade"

Front 3

Allegory

Back 3

Definition:
A work of literature with two levels of meaning, a symbolic level and a literal one.

Example:
"Aesop's Fables" or "Animal Farm"

Front 4

Allusion

Back 4

Definition:
Reference to a historical, mythological, Biblical, or literary event or person that the author expects the reader to know.

Example:
Juliet refers to Phoebus, the sun god, when waiting impatiently for night to come.

Front 5

Simile

Back 5

Definition:
A comparison between two things using the word "like" or "as".

Example:
Air polution is eating up monuments in Washington, D.C., like an Alka-Seltzer tablet.

Front 6

Irony

Back 6

Definition:
An event that occurs which is the opposite of what is expected.

Example:
It is ironic that Romeo took the poison believing Juliet was dead when she was just sleeping.

Front 7

Alliteration

Back 7

Definition:
Repitition of similar initial consonant sounds.

Example:
Twenty terrible tigers.

Front 8

Consonance

Back 8

Definition:
A consonant sound that is repeated in the middle or at the end of words in lines of poetry.

Example:
lady lounges lazily

Front 9

Onomatopoeia

Back 9

Definition:
Words that sound like their meaning.

Examlpe:
chomp gobble slurp whoosh slap smack crunch burp gurgle

Front 10

Aside

Back 10

Definition:
Words spoken by a character that are intended for one or a few others on stage to be unable to hear.

Example:
Mercutio tells Romeo he has been injured in an aside. None of the other actors on stage were supposed to hear his comment, so they don't realize how serious the situation is

Front 11

Soliloquy

Back 11

Definition:
A long speech given in whih a character speaks directly to the audience; no other characters from the play are on stage.

Example:
Macbeths's dagger speech.

Front 12

Blank Verse

Back 12

Definition:
Lines of poetry that do not rhyme, that have ten syllables which can be divided into five measures in each line, and that contain a series of accented syllables alternating with and following unaccented syllables.

Example:
The book fell off the shelf and hit my
head.
It didn't hurt though so I will be
fine.

Front 13

Symbolism

Back 13

Definition:
A concrete or idea which represents an abstraction.

Example:
The conch in "Lord of the Flies" represents democracy and order.

Front 14

End Rhyme

Back 14

Definition:
Two or more lines of poetry that sound very similar at the end of the lines.

Example:
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Front 15

Personification

Back 15

Definition:
An object, animal, or idea is given human characteristics.

Example:
Money talks.

Front 16

Foil

Back 16

Definition:
Two characters that oppose one another in some way such as a conflict, challenge, or clash.

Example:
The Montagues and Capulets are for one another because of the long standing family fued.