Literary Analysis Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Literary Analysis flashcards as text
Which rhetorical appeal is primarily based on the speaker's or author's established credibility?
Answer: Ethos
Ethos builds trust by demonstrating the author's expertise, moral character, or authority on the subject.
What is the literary effect of a paradox?
Answer: It reveals a deeper truth through two apparently contradictory ideas
A paradox uses apparent contradiction to expose a surprising truth, forcing readers to look beyond surface-level logic.
When an author uses 'verbal irony,' what is occurring?
Answer: The speaker says the opposite of what they literally mean
Verbal irony occurs when words express the opposite of their literal meaning, encompassing forms such as sarcasm.
What distinguishes 'situational irony' from 'dramatic irony'?
Answer: Situational irony is an unexpected outcome; dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the characters
Situational irony arises when reality contradicts expectations, while dramatic irony hinges on an information gap between the audience and the characters.
'Synecdoche' is a literary device in which:
Answer: A part of something represents the whole, or the whole represents a part
Synecdoche uses a part to stand for the whole—or the whole for a part—as in 'all hands on deck' meaning 'all sailors.'
As a literary device, 'apostrophe' refers to:
Answer: Directly addressing an absent person, abstract quality, or non-human entity
Literary apostrophe directly addresses someone or something that cannot literally respond, such as death, a muse, or a deceased ancestor.
A work described as 'didactic' primarily aims to:
Answer: Instruct the reader or convey a moral lesson
Didactic literature is designed to teach—whether ethics, philosophy, or practical wisdom—rather than purely to entertain.