1. Diction - word choice intended to convey a certain effect
2. Denotation - the literal meaning of the word
Ex. The denotation of the word heart is either the beating organ in the human body or the shape of a heart.
3. Connotation - a subjective cultural and/or emotional coloration in addition to the explicit or denotative meaning of any specific word or phrase
Ex. The connotation of the word heart is a symbol of love and affection, not in the way of a rose, but a symbol of true love.
4. Theme - a broad idea, lesson, or message conveyed by a work. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are usually implied rather than stated explicitly.
5. Personification - a kind of metaphor that gives inanimate objects or abstract ideas human characteristics
Ex. The wind cried in the dark.
6. Alliteration - the practice of beginning several consecutive or neighboring words with the same sound. The sounds that are repeated often have purpose beyond just the words they are expressing.
Ex. The twisting trout twinkled below.
7. Hyperbole - a deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration. It may be used for either serious or comic effect.
Ex. “The shot heard ‘round the world.” “He’s older than dirt.”
8. Oxymoron - a figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, as in "jumbo shrimp,” “sweet sorrow,” "deafening silence;" Oxymorons produce a dramatic effect that highlights the complexity of the situation.
9. Irony - use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Irony makes a work of literature more intriguing and forces readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings of the texts. Moreover, real life is full of ironical expressions and situations. Therefore, the use of irony brings a work of literature closer to the life.
2. Denotation - the literal meaning of the word
Ex. The denotation of the word heart is either the beating organ in the human body or the shape of a heart.
3. Connotation - a subjective cultural and/or emotional coloration in addition to the explicit or denotative meaning of any specific word or phrase
Ex. The connotation of the word heart is a symbol of love and affection, not in the way of a rose, but a symbol of true love.
4. Theme - a broad idea, lesson, or message conveyed by a work. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are usually implied rather than stated explicitly.
5. Personification - a kind of metaphor that gives inanimate objects or abstract ideas human characteristics
Ex. The wind cried in the dark.
6. Alliteration - the practice of beginning several consecutive or neighboring words with the same sound. The sounds that are repeated often have purpose beyond just the words they are expressing.
Ex. The twisting trout twinkled below.
7. Hyperbole - a deliberate, extravagant, and often outrageous exaggeration. It may be used for either serious or comic effect.
Ex. “The shot heard ‘round the world.” “He’s older than dirt.”
8. Oxymoron - a figure of speech that combines two apparently contradictory elements, as in "jumbo shrimp,” “sweet sorrow,” "deafening silence;" Oxymorons produce a dramatic effect that highlights the complexity of the situation.
9. Irony - use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Irony makes a work of literature more intriguing and forces readers to use their imagination and comprehend the underlying meanings of the texts. Moreover, real life is full of ironical expressions and situations. Therefore, the use of irony brings a work of literature closer to the life.
