Literary Elements and Devices

The practice of attaching human characteristics and traits to inanimate objects and animals (things that aren't human).

• the climax

• denouement

• personification

• falling action

The parts of the story after the climax and before the resolution.

• the climax

• denouement

• personification

• falling action

The practice of comparing two unrelated and dissimilar things, people, beings, places and concepts by using the worlds, "like," "as," or "such as."

• assonance

• flashback

• simile

• conflict

The primary problem that the characters in a story face. It can be broken down into four categories: person vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. society, and person vs. self.

• assonance

• flashback

• simile

• conflict

Which description best represents the resolution in a story?

• literary device in which one subject is implied to be another to draw a comparison between their similarities and shared traits without using "like" or "as"

• the base that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece--basically the main subject

• brings the story to a close in some way when the character solves the main conflict or someone solves it for him/her.

• where a story takes place

Which choice best describes the setting of a story?

• literary device in which one subject is implied to be another to draw a comparison between their similarities and shared traits without using "like" or "as"

• the base that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece--basically the main subject

• brings the story to a close in some way when the character solves the main conflict or someone solves it for him/her.

• where a story takes place

Which choice best describes a story's theme?

• literary device in which one subject is implied to be another to draw a comparison between their similarities and shared traits without using "like" or "as"

• the base that acts as a foundation for the entire literary piece--basically the main subject

• brings the story to a close in some way when the character solves the main conflict or someone solves it for him/her.

• where a story takes place

The associations people make with words that often creates emotions or feelings in the reader and go beyond the dictionary or literal definition.

• denotation

• connotation

• foreshadow

• simile

The use of words or phrases that give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense.

• denotation

• connotation

• foreshadow

• simile

The dictionary definition or literal meaning of a word

• denotation

• connotation

• foreshadow

• simile