Literary Terms to Know and Apply
We may be familiar with the basic elements of the short story: setting, character,
conflict, point of view, plot, and theme. In addition to considering the elements of a
short story we need to understand the various literary devices that an author may use.
These literary devices guide our interpretation and help us to better understand the
story’s complexities and overall meaning. They are IRONY, SYMBOL, FLASHBACK
and FORESHADOWING.
IRONY
SYMBOLISM
FLASHBACK
FORESHADOWING
IRONY
There are several types of irony in literature. Three main types are verbal irony,
dramatic irony, and situational irony.
Verbal Irony: This is the contrast between what is said and what is meant. In other
words, sarcasm.
Dramatic Irony: This is the contrast between what the character thinks to be true and
what we (the reader) know to be true. Sometimes as we read we are placed in the
position of knowing more than what one character knows. Because we know something
the character does not, we read to discover how the character will react when he or she
learns the truth of the situation. Think: soap operas!
A form of dramatic irony in which a character who is about to become a victim of
disaster uses words that have one meaning to him and quite another to the spectator or
those who are aware of the real situation is called TRAGIC IRONY. In some instances
the character may not be about to become a victim, but rather their statement is based
on partial knowledge or misunderstanding, and the spectator is aware of the truth of the
situation.
Situational Irony: This is the most common in literature. It is the contrast between
what happens and what was expected (or what would seem appropriate). Because it
emerges from the events and circumstances of a story it is often more subtle and
effective than verbal or dramatic irony.
SYMBOLISM
A character, an action, a setting, or an object representing something else can be a
symbol. Most often, the symbol in a story is an object that represents its owner’s
character or situation, or both. For example, a secluded, near-empty apartment might
represent the alienation and emotional emptiness of the tenant. Symbols are usually
recognizable by the amount of emphasis they receive. Objects intended to be viewed
as symbolic may be described in detail, be included in the title, be referred to frequently,
or emphasized at the beginning or ending of the story. When we recognize a symbol
Literary Terms to Know and Apply
and understand its meaning or meanings we see more clearly what the writer chose to
emphasize.
FLASHBACK: This is a writers’ technique in which the author interrupts the plot of the
story to recreate an incident of an earlier time (goes back in time; like giving the reader
a memory). This device is often used to provide additional information to the reader.
FORESHADOWING: This is a writers’ technique in which the author provides clues or
hints as to what is going to happen later in the story. It’s like the music in a scary movie
when we know that something bad is about to happen.
THEME: Underlying idea of a piece of writing or the message which the author wished to
emphasize or portray.
IMAGERY: The key to good imagery is engaging all five senses.
Here are some examples of words specific to the five sensory systems:
Visual
Auditory
Kinesthetic
Olfactory
Gustatory
picture
flash
bright
sharp
clear
see
light
dark
large
blue
scream
shout
listen
tone
whisper
ring
utter
nasal
squeal
quiet
feel
warm
grasp
sharp
peaceful
cold
rugged
joyful
fuzzy
hard
pungent
fragrant
sweet
dank
rich aroma
stinky
musty
rotten
odor
essence
sweet
sour
salty
bitter
fresh
juicy
bland
burnt
zesty
tangy
Visual
To evoke visual imagery, visualize the following:
A shape: circle, triangle, square
An oak tree
A rose
A sailing boat
A button
A computer
Auditory
To evoke auditory imagery, imagine the following:
The wind blowing through the trees
The ring on your telephone
The sound of your computer keyboard
Scales played on a guitar
Water lapping on a lake shore
Literary Terms to Know and Apply
Olfactory
To evoke olfactory imagery, conjure up the following smells:
Petrol fumes
Newly baked bread
Chlorine
New mown grass
Freshly brewed coffee
Gustatory (taste)
To evoke gustatory imagery, imagine the taste of:
Sugar
Bananas
Salt
Lemon
Toothpaste
Kinesthetic
Kinesthetic imagery can be further divided into: sense of touch, temperature, movement, and feelings.
Touch - imagine the feelings of:
Standing barefoot on a sandy beach
Running your fingertips on satin fabric
Holding a smooth pebble
Temperature:
Sunlight falling over your arm
Holding an ice cube
Stepping into a warm bath
Movement - feel yourself engaged in an activity:
Swimming
Running on grass
Throwing a ball
Feelings - what does it feel like in your body to be:
Peaceful
Angry
Sad
Calm
Happy
These are the main five types of imagery. Engage as many senses as you can when you are doing
visualization or guided imagery.
Literary Terms to Know and Apply
Literary Devices
Allegory
A form of literature in which objects and persons are equated with meanings that lie
outside the story itself
Alliteration
The deliberate repetition of sounds or syllables, especially initial consonants, for stylistic
effect (e.g., recreational reading and writing)
Allusion
A brief reference, explicit or implicit, to a place, person, or event; the reference may be
historical, literary, religious, or mythological.
Anachronism
Assignment of an event, a person, an object, language – anything, in fact – to a time
when that event, person, or object was not in existence
Archetype
Prototype, the original pattern or mode, the reference, the set, the example
Aside
The character shares their thoughts with the audience; though other characters are on
stage, they are unaware of what that character is saying.
Assonance
The deliberate repetition of similar vowel sounds for stylistic effect (e.g., feel/clean).
Cacophony
A generally harsh unpleasant, clashing combination of sounds (the truculent Turk stood
quite quiet)
Catharsis
The purification of the emotions through the spectator’s imaginative participation in the
sufferings of the tragedy’s characters, and the feeling of emotional relief and exaltation
induced by tragic literature or art
Cliché
A trite phase: one that has lost its force through overuse (last but not least)
Connotation
Includes all the ideas that are suggested by the term (home=comfort, love, & security)
Consonance
The agreement of ending consonant sounds when the vowel sounds differ
(nature/feature)
Denotation
The exact meaning of a word (home denotes the place where one lives)
Diction
The choice of words or phrases in speech or writing; the particular words chosen to
express an idea
Dramatic Irony
Words of a character in a play carry a meaning unknown to him/her, but understood by
the audience.
Euphemism
A mild, even vague expression used instead of a harsh, unpleasant one (perspire
instead of sweat; lay to rest instead of bury)
Euphony
Produced by a generally pleasing combination of sounds (a damsel in distress)
Foil
A character whose behavior and qualities set off or enhance those of another figure
Literary Terms to Know and Apply
Idiom
A group of words that, through usage, has taken on a special meaning different from the
literal meaning (e.g., Keep your shirt on! or It’s raining cats and dogs).
Imagery
Descriptions and figures of speech (e.g., metaphors, similes, and other figurative
language) used by writers to create vivid mental pictures in the mind of the reader.
Hamartia
In tragedy, an error of judgment, made as the result of ignorance or human weakness,
which contributes to the downfall of the hero. (A.K.A. tragic flaw)
Hyperbole
A literary device in which exaggeration is used deliberately for effect or emphasis (e.g.,
a flood of tears, piles of money
Juxtaposition
Combined, union – placing of pictures or text side by side to examine the similarities or
differences present
Metaphor
A comparison, either expressed or implied, without the use of like or as
Moral
Practical lesson taught by a piece of writing
Onomatopoeia
The use of a word having a sound that suggests its meaning (e.g., splash, murmur,
buzz, twitter)
Oxymoron
A combination of words with contradictory meanings, used deliberately for effect (e.g.,
delicious torment, living death)
Paradox
A statement that either seems to or actually does contradict itself (ex. If you don’t want
to lose him, let him go.)
Parody
A work mimicking the language, style, or ideas of another for comic or satiric effect (ex.
“To study or not to study, that is the question.” Is taken from “To be or not to be, that is
the question”.)
Pathetic Fallacy
The atmosphere/surroundings reflect the mood/feelings of the character(s)
Pathos
A quality which incites pity, sorrow, or sympathy in the reader
Personification
The giving of personality or life to inanimate objects or ideas
Point of view
In fiction, the position of the narrator in relation to the story and audience (e.g., a limited,
omniscient, third-person, or first-person narrator; multiple narrators)
Précis
A concise summary of the ideas in a written text
Rhetorical question
A question asked not for information but for dramatic effect. The answer may be selfevident (Why should I care what they think?) or immediately provided by the questioner
(What should be done? Well, first we should...).
Satire
Literary Terms to Know and Apply
A form of writing in which human follies and vices are help up to ridicule, generally with
the intention of reform.
Simile
A comparison using “like” or “as”
Soliloquy
A speech of a character delivered while the speaker is alone on stage; he/she informs
the audience what he/she is thinking
Slang
Very informal language patterns or vocabulary used by particular groups, or in special
contexts, or to reflect trends.
Tone
A manner of speaking or writing that reveals the speaker’s or author’s attitude towards a
subject and/or audience.
Theme
Underlying idea of a piece of writing or the message which the author wished to
emphasize or portray.