Literary Terms
and Examples
Mr. Lein
Pre-AP English I & II
Metaphor
A
vivid comparison which doesn’t use like
or as, but often uses the verb “be”.
Metaphors are often stronger than similes.
 “His stomach was a burning cauldron
after eating the Torpedo Loco Taco.”
 “Hollywood is a vampire.”
Figurative Language
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“Figurative Language” is a large category,
comprising almost any type of language that
is not being used literally.
Figurative language is often seen in fiction
and poetry; it is one of the ways that writers
tweak their words, images, and meanings.
Often figurative language presents situations
that are impossible or unlikely in real life.
Simile
A
less-direct comparison of two
things/ideas, which uses ‘like’ or ‘as’:
 “It’s as hot as a sauna in here!”
 “His hair looked like straw.”
 “That boy’s about as lazy as a bump on a
log.”
Personification
 “Person”
– ification – literally making a
non-human object a human.
 Personification uses action verbs directly:
 “The car dragged it’s feet and grunted
against the weight of the huge Christmas
tree.”
 “Shadows danced in the candlelight.”
Oxymoron
 Two
terms that are contradictory,
paradoxical, or seem to not be able to go
together – yet form a single meaning:
open secret
larger half
clearly confused
act naturally
alone together
Hell's Angels
found missing
liquid gas
civil engineer
deafening silence
seriously funny
living dead
Microsoft Works
military intelligence
jumbo shrimp
Onomatopoeia
 Words
that are simply the written form of a
sound:
 Buzz
 splat!
 Pop
 Boom!
 Think ‘Batman fighting’ from the old
cartoon.
Alliteration
 Repetition
of a sound or letter in order to
create a melodic or rhythmic effect
 Alliteration is used to enhance or
emphasize the words that are being used.
 “The soothing sounds of silence bring with
them serenity.”
Tone
 The
“sound” of the work or voice.
 Often, the tone of a work can be heard
by listening to your inner monologue (the
voice-reader inside your head).
 Satirical,
Dark, Optimistic, Cynical,
Narrative, Journalistic, Patriotic
Hyperbole/Understatement
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Hyperbole is a common literary device of
ancient and classical writing
Hyperbole is an intentional dramatic
overstatement
Understatement is the exact opposite – this is
when a profound experience transpired and
is paid relatively little attention
*Both hyperbole and understatement are
used to draw attention to important thematic
messages (aka pay attention to these!)
Irony
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Irony is another way to say “the unexpected” –
In other words, when something ironic happens,
we are set up to believe that something will
happen: (An old librarian shushes kids in the
library)
Then, something we didn’t see coming (the
unexpected) happens: (She leaves the school and
gets in a Land Cruiser playing loud rap music.)
To sum up: Irony is when the expected outcome
and the actual outcome don’t match.
Satire
 Usually
a form of social criticism – tends to
focus on a current trend
 Tends to blow things out of proportion in
order to make a point - absurdity
 Often takes serious situations and makes
them so absurd that they seem funny
 “Dark Comedy”
Allusion
A
literary reference, usually to a novel,
play, character, or historic figure. Not a
direct quote.
 “He flung away his rubber-ball nose,
revealed a man that would have awed
Thor, the god of thunder” – from Harrison
Bergeron.
Juxtaposition
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This word sound a lot more strange than it
actually is.
Juxtaposition is what happens when two
things are placed side by side for comparison.
For example, in many police dramas, an
ethical police officer is partnered with a
corrupt one so that the characteristics of
virtue and dishonor can be more clearly
identified and experimented with.