Honors Literary Devices (Content) Review

when the audience knows something that characters do not

a comic imitation of another, usually serious, work

a basically good person who has a fatal flaw which leads to their downfall 

insight into the human condition; central message

when a character struggles against an outside force

a struggle between opposite needs, desires or emotions within a single character

the placement of one idea next to its opposite to make it more dramatic

character (or other force) that presents an obstacle or is in direct conflict with the protagonist

any object or action that represents something beyond itself

a narrative in which the characters and/or events have both a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning

a character that serves by contrast to highlight or emphasize opposing traits in another character

a character that changes in a significant way from the story’s start to its finish

“telling" who a character is through the use of descriptive adjectives

a struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces or emotions

a recurring unifying element in an artistic work

a series of related events that make up a story

the driving force behind a character’s action

a main character who lacks traditional heroic attributes such as idealism, courage and morality

the central character of a story

an event/situation that turns out to be the opposite of what is expected or appropriate

“showing” who a character is through their speech, thoughts, actions, or appearance

the process by which a writer reveals the personality of a character

the resolution of a plot by use of a highly improbable coincidence that solves some difficult problem or crisis

a literary genre that uses irony, wit and sometimes sarcasm to expose humanities vices and faults

a character that does not change much from the start of the story to the end