Literary Devices

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Literary Devices

• Common terms needed to understand literature and
  writing
• (PART 1)

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ARCHTYPE

• Definition An original after which other similar
  things are patterned
• iPod mp3 player SuperheroSuperman
  VillainDarth Vader
• Ex

3
ATMOSPHERE

• Definition The way that setting affects the mood
  of a work
• Ex a graveyard, a birthday party, a haunted
  house, a battle field, etc

4
CHARACTERIZATION

• Definition The process used to understand a
  character
• Ex He cant walk down the street without
  everybody staring at him. When we were ten, he
  was almost 6 feet tall and people who didnt know
  him treated him older.

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DYNAMIC CHARACTER

• Definition A character that experiences a change
  of heart or point of view
• Ex Simba (The Lion King)
• Marlin (Finding Nemo)

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STATIC CHARACTER

• Definition A character that remains the same
  throughout the plot
• Ex The Evil Stepsisters (Cinderella)
• Zeus (Greek Mythology)
• Timon and Pumba (Lion King)

7
CONFLICT

• Definition The struggle between two opposing
  forces (any problem that occurs in a story)
• Ex Internal conflict (man vs. self)
• War (man vs. man)
• Titanic sinking (man vs. nature)
• The Civil Rights Movement (man vs.
  society)
• Fulfilling destiny? (man vs. fate)

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DICTION

• Definition The use of selective word choice
• Ex MAD 5 word
• ANGRY 10 word!
• FURIOUS 50 word!!
• ENRAGED 100 word!!!

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FORESHADOWING

• Definition Clues that indicate what may happen
  later in the story
• Ex Intense music in scary movies,
• dark clouds rolling in
• I hope nothing bad happens!

10
IMAGERY

• Definition Writing that creates a mental picture
  for the reader
• Ex When you read a book, you often visualize the
  characters and scenes. When they make a movie, we
  are often disappointed because the filmmakers
  idea is different than ours. This is due to
  IMAGERY!

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IRONY

• Definition The contrast between actual meaning
  and the suggestion of another meaning
• OR
• when something seems to be the opposite of what
  it is supposed to be
• Ex The inventor of the
• Segway dies in Segway accident!

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METAPHOR

• Definition
• A comparison that does NOT use like or as
• Ex You are an angel!
• That test was torture!

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MORAL

• Definition A universal lesson taught by a story
• Ex Dont judge a book by its cover
• Slow and steady wins the race
• Better safe than sorry

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OXYMORON

• Definition a phrase that combines words that are
  opposites
• Ex Jumbo Shrimp
• Quiet Riot Loud Silence

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PERSONIFICATION

• Definition A figure of speech that gives human
  characteristics to non-living (inanimate) objects
• Ex My car hates me.
• Facebook is my best friend.

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PLOT

• Definition The events that take place in a story
  
• (a.k.a.-what happens!)
• Ex Nemo gets captured, Nemo lives in the tank,
  Nemo escapes, Nemo goes home!

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POINT OF VIEW

• Definition The perspective from which a story is
  told
• Ex In any conflict there are many different
  points of view

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FIRST PERSONPOINT OF VIEW

• Definition A story that is told by a character
  using 1st person pronouns like I, ME, MY
• Ex I couldn't believe my eyes!

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THIRD PERSONPOINT OF VIEW

• Definition A story that is told by a narrator
  outside the story
• Ex Joseph couldn't believe his eyes!

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SETTING

• Definition The place, time and circumstances
  surrounding a story
• Ex
• Freedom Writers
• Setting,
• 1990s Los Angeles
• post-LA Riots

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SIMILE

• Definition
• A comparison that uses like or as
• Ex You sing like a bird!
• You are as light as a feather!

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SYMBOL

• Definition a person, object or place that
  represents the meaning of something else
• Ex

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THEME

• Definition A message the author wants the reader
  to think about and understand
• Ex Coming of Age, Identity,
• Love Conquers All