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| Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolic, of something else, usually a larger abstract concept or important historical/geopolitical event. |
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| The repetition of consonant sounds within close proximity, usually in consecutive words within the same sentence or line. |
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| The author’s means of conveying to the reader a character’s personality, life history, values, physical attributes, etc. |
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| A struggle between opposing forces which is the driving force of a story. Conflicts can exist between individual characters, between groups of characters, between a character and society, etc., and can also be purely abstract (conflicting ideas). |
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| Where future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome, are suggested by the author before they happen. However, if the outcome is deliberately and explicitly revealed early in a story (such as by the use of a narrator or flashback structure), such information does not constitute foreshadowing. |
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| A description which exaggerates, to convey a positive or negative attribute. |
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| Language which describes something in detail, using words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including visual imagery and sound imagery. |
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| Where an event occurs which is unexpected, in the sense that it is somehow in absurd or mocking opposition to what would be expected or appropriate. Mere coincidence is generally not ironic; nor is mere surprise, nor are any random or arbitrary occurrences. |
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| A direct relationship where one thing or idea substitutes for another. |
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| The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting. Mood refers to the general sense or feeling which the reader is supposed to get from the text; it does not, as a literary element, refer to the author’s or characters’ state of mind. |
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| A contradiction in terms. |
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| Where a situation is created which cannot possibly exist, because different elements of it cancel each other out. |
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| Use of similar or identical language, structures, events or ideas in different parts of a text. |
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| Where inanimate objects or abstract concepts are seemingly endowed with human self-awareness. |
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| The identity of the narrative voice; the person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story. May be third-person (no narrator; abstract narrative voice, omniscient or limited) or first-person (narrated by a character in the story or a direct observer). Point-of-view is a commonly misused term; it does not refer to the author’s or characters’ feelings, opinions, perspectives, biases, etc. |
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| The time and place where a story occurs. The setting can be specific (e.g., New York City in 1930) or ambiguous (e.g., a large urban city during economic hard times). |
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| An indirect relationship where one thing or idea is described as being similar to another. Similes usually contain the words “like” or “as,” but not always. |
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| The use of specific objects or images to represent abstract ideas. A symbol must be something tangible or visible, while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal. |
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| The main idea or message conveyed by the piece. |
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| The apparent emotional state, or “attitude,” of the speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the language of the piece. |
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