Literary Devices in Prose Flashcards

In a story, a character repeatedly sees a white dove before moments of peace. The dove most likely serves as:

Answer: A symbol

A symbol is an object, person, or event that represents something beyond its literal meaning.

"The smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the warm kitchen, mingling with cinnamon." This passage primarily uses:

Answer: Imagery

Imagery uses sensory details (smell, warmth) to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind.

Early in a story, a character ignores a warning sign on a dangerous road. Later, she is involved in an accident. The warning sign is an example of:

Answer: Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing uses early clues or hints to suggest what will happen later in the story.

Which of the following phrases is an oxymoron?

Answer: Deafening silence

An oxymoron combines two contradictory terms in a single phrase; 'deafening' and 'silence' contradict each other.

Instead of saying a soldier "died in battle," an author writes that he "fell in service." This is an example of:

Answer: Euphemism

A euphemism substitutes a mild or indirect expression for one that might seem harsh or blunt.

A character is described as having "the patience of Job." This is an example of:

Answer: Allusion

An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, event, or text — here, Job from the Bible.

The careful choice of words an author makes to convey meaning, style, and tone is called:

Answer: Diction

Diction refers to the author's deliberate word selection and how it shapes the reader's understanding.