Elements Of Literature 9th

Irony The outcome of a situation is different from what is expected. “You’d be non-conforming, too if you looked just like me.” From a random iPod song.

Foreshadowing The author gives hints about future events. “…but a singular sense of impending calamity, that should have indeed served me as a warning, drove me onward.” From The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Alliteration Repeating CONSONANT sounds. “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping…” From “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

Personification An author gives human-like characteristics to things that are not human. “Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees. Time can break your heart, leave you begging, please.” From “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton

Allusion A reference to another text, famous person, event, etc. “It’s time to fight back, that’s what Huey said. Two shots in the dark, now Huey’s dead.” From “Changes” by Tupac Shakur

Metaphor A comparison which one thing is said to be the other. “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” From “As You Like It,” by William Shakespeare.

Simile A comparison using the words “like” or “as.” “Karma Police, arrest this man. He talks in maths, He buzzes like a fridge, He’s like a detuned radio.” From “Karma Police” by Radiohead

Symbol A thing/person/place that represents something else. “Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes-Benz, She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends.” From “Hotel California” by the Eagles

Hyperbole An exaggeration for emphasis. “I’m just a girl, I’d rather not be ‘Cause they won’t let me drive late at night.” From “Just a Girl” by No Doubt

Flashback An author stops the action in a story to explain events that happened previously.

“On glancing over my notes of the seventy odd cases….I find many tragic….It was early in the year ‘83 that I awoke one morning to find Sherlock Holmes standing by the side of my bed.” From “Adventure of the Speckled Band” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Setting The time, place, and customs of a story. “Today was just another day in October, in a year suddenly better than anyone supposed it could ever be just a short hour ago, with the moon and the stars moving in grand rotation toward the inevitable dawn…” From Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

Denotation The literal meaning of a word. “We takin’ it back to the days of yes-y’allin’ We holdin’ onto what’s golden.” From “What’s Golden” by Jurassic 5

Connotation The implication associated with a word. “We takin’ it back to the days of yes-y’allin’ We holdin’ onto what’s golden.” From “What’s Golden” by Jurassic 5

Mood The feeling a text creates. “I see a little silhouetto of a man. Scaramouche, Scaramouche, Will you do the Fandango?” From “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Plot The events of a story.

Climax The turning point of the story; the most intense part.

Narrator The person telling the story. 1st person: a character is narrating. 3rd person: an outside narrator who only knows the thoughts of one character. 3rd person omniscient: an outside narrator who knows the thoughts of all characters.

Conflict The problem in a story. Internal: the character struggles with a personal problem. External: the character struggles with someone else, something else, or nature.

Characterization How a character looks, feels, acts, etc. Dynamic character: one that changes over the course of the story. Round character: one that has many different traits.