Notes

Definition Example
Simile
Comparing one idea to something completely different using
“like” or “as”
My pillow is as soft as a fur coat
2:00pm is like a gift

Metaphor
Compares two ideas directly (idea 1 = idea 2)
without “like” or “as”
Life is a game
The ocean was a raging bull

Personification
Making a non-living object come to life
(give it a human quality)
Water bottle invited me
Sun danced across the sky

Hyperbole
Stretching the truth. Also known as an exaggeration
I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
Fast as a cheetah
The class took forever

Onomatopoeia
A word that sounds like the thing it describes
Swish, boom, CRASH!

Alliteration
Repetition of the same sounds or letters.
The two turtles turned to Tom to tell Tom to turn to Trevor

Repetition
Repeating the same thing a number of times
“If you can’t fly, then run,
If you can’t run, then walk, if …”
“Let freedom ring..
Let freedom ring..
“I have a dream today”

Imagery
Creating a picture in the mind of the reader.
Descriptive *5 senses
sight, taste, hearing, touch, smell, a 6th sense?
Ex. the wrinkles in a face,
Ex. The sound of wind blowing against the side of the house at night

Symbolism
When an object, or thing represents a larger idea
Butterfly - kindness
Diving Board - Courage
Light bulb - an idea
A quilt - interconnectedness

Rhetorical Question
A question that does not need an answer but is rather meant to make you think or reflect
Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
How many times do I have to tell you to get out of bed?

Rhyme and Slant Rhyme
A Rhyme is when words are very similar in their final sounds
Slant rhyme is when words sounds very similar but not exact
This rhyme arrived just on time, and I’m fine…
Ex. Dime, Lime, etc.
Alexander Hamilton there's a million things I haven’t done

Paradox
a statement, often a full sentence or longer, that seems like it is both true and false at the same time.
It often points towards a larger idea.
The more you give the more you receive
This is the beginning of the end
They must go to war to make peace

Oxymoron
when two words are placed together that seemingly contradict each other.
It is often used for dramatic effect.
It was a cold fire
You should try the jumbo shrimp
Oh, that’s old news

Diction
The choice of words or style (tone) by an authour
Is it Slang? Jargon? Colloquial? Formal? Informal?
Slang: Ex. to throw shade.
Jargon: SPAM email (computer)
Colloquial: Hey, bruh…
Formal: “I will address that issue right away
Informal: “you got it”

Irony
The use of words to express something other than the literal meaning

Verbal irony:
“Oh great!” (when you spill hot tea on clothes)

Situational irony:
When what is expected to happen is different than what actually happens

Dramatic irony:
When the audience is more aware of what is happening than the characters

Allusion
A reference to another literary work, a historical event, or even a philosophical idea. Allusions are a quick way to add meaning to a poem and to help audiences connect what they are reading to other works of literature.
Chocolate is his Kryptonite.
In this example, the word “kryptonite” alludes to, or hints at, the hero Superman.

Meiosis
An attempt to downplay the significance of something or an event. The opposite of hyperbole
When Mercutio is mortally wounded in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, instead of complaining too much about his injury, he asserts that it’s “a scratch, a scratch.”
The concert was a bit loud…

Theme
a universal observation about human nature or life
Growing in compassion is the true manifestation of a life well lived