Theme/Subject
Theme is a message/lesson that the work transmits or a statement about life in general
The subject of a work is the literal focus of the plot
Subject: blue people vs. humans Theme: corporations should not exploit cultures for material gain
Symbolism
A symbol is something specific or concrete used to represent something abstract
Heart = Love; Ocean = Change
Tone, Mood, and Diction
Tone – The author’s implied attitude towards the subject and audience
- Ex: Informal or Formal, Bitter, Playful, Serious
Mood – The feeling created in the reader by a literary work.
Diction – Author’s choice of words.
Personification
Personification is taking an organism, object, or abstraction and giving it human characteristics.
“Sometimes I feel like my only friend, is the city I live in, the city of angels, lonely as I am, together we cry.” (Chili Peppers)
Hyperbole
Exaggeration for emphasis or humorous effect
“Well I stand up next to a mountain, and chop it down with the edge of my hand.” (Jimi Hendrix)
Understatement
Statement that deliberately represents something as much less in magnitude or importance than it really is.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are doing our best to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress."
Simile
A comparison between two literally different things using the words “like” or “as.”
“Crawls like a worm from a bird” (The Used)
Metaphor
A comparison between two literally different things that share some similarities.
“Life is a highway, and I’m gonna ride it all night long…” (Rascal Flatts)
Imagery
Imagery is language that appeals to the five senses (Describes how something looks, feels, tastes, smells, or sounds)
“Broken bottles under children's feet,Bodies strewn across the dead end street” (U2)
Allusion
An allusion is a reference to another work, event, or person in a piece of literature for effect
The championship game is a real match of David vs. Goliath
Synecdoche
A part is used to represent the whole (as hand for sailor), the whole for a part (as the law for police officer), the specific for the general (as cutthroat for assassin), the general for the specific (as thief for pickpocket).
“I fought the law and the law won” (Bobby Fuller)
Alliteration
Repetition of a beginning speech sound in nearby words
“I'm sick of psychotic society, somebody save me.” (2pac)
Assonance
The repetition of a vowel sound in non-rhyming words.
“Breakin’ rocks in the hot sun, I fought the law and the law won”
“I hear you calling out my nameAll of the elements will fadeNever before has love looked safeNever again will it look the sameBut then we fall back now to this empty houseThere the wars will rage “ (Cartel)
Consonance
The repetition of consonant sounds within and at the end of words.
“At night they would go walking ‘til the breaking of the day, The morning is for sleeping… Through the dark streets they go searching to seek God in their own way,
Save the nighttime for your weeping… “ (Coldplay)
End Rhyme
Rhyme that occurs at the end of the lines
“Take me back to the time we had our very first fight,The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight,You stayed outside till the morning light” (Taylor Swift)
Internal Rhyme
Rhyme that occurs within a single line
“Your faith walks on broken glass and the hangover doesn't pass” (Green Day)
“I lost my fake ID but you lost the motel key” (Katy Perry)
