Literary Terms
Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become.
~C. S. Lewis
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How do we discuss and critique literature?
How do we discuss and critique literature?
Have you ever listened to a group of people discussing the biggest movie of the summer? They often critique the movie by discussing the plot, the characters, the climax, the film writing, the dialogue, and the special effects. They use movie terminology to argue with one another about what they liked and didn't like about how the movie was made and how the movie impacted them as a viewer. There are strong similarities in discussing works of literature.
In literature, we use literary terms to discuss, analyze, compare, and critique works of literature. In your previous English/ELA classes, you may have learned about various literary terms, literary devices, literary elements, literary techniques, poetic devices, rhetorical devices, figurative language, and figures of speech.
Why are there so many names for what seems like the same thing? Well, with a closer look, we can see that these different terms have slightly different uses and/or meanings. But, before we look at that, let's use the sport of soccer as an illustration.
Look at the following definitions...
Soccer Terms: any terminology relating to the sport of soccer
Soccer Device: equipment or structures needed to play the game of soccer (ex: ball, cleat, goal, field)
Soccer Element: an individual part of the game of soccer that contributes to playing the whole game (ex: goalie, defensive back, midfield, striker, left-wing, right-wing, coach)
Soccer Technique: an action, skill, or movement used to win the game of soccer (ex: shoot, pass, dribble, sprint, offensive attack, defensive tackle, 4-4-2 strategy, slide tackle)
Youth Soccer Device: any equipment needed to help younger players learn and play soccer (ex: smaller goals, smaller field, 6 v. 6)
Starting Line-Up: The players that are on the field at the beginning of the game. They are usually the best players on the team.
Using the definitions answer let's answer these questions:
Is "starting line-up" a soccer term? Yes.
Is the starting line-up a soccer device? Yes.
Is the starting line-up a soccer element? Yes.
Is the starting line-up a soccer technique? Yes.
Can a starting line-up be used in youth soccer as well? Yes.
So you can see how one element of soccer can be a term, a part of the whole, a technique, an aspect of different kinds of soccer, and a strategy that can have an effect on the overall game.
Now let's look at a similar dynamic when considering literature.
Here are the definitions...
Literary Term - a broad category for all the different terminology used to interpret, appreciate, analyze, critique, and respond to a variety of different written works.
Literary Device - the typical structures (or "tools") used by writers in their works to convey their message to their readers. These are often used to compare works of literature.
Literary Element - types of "big picture" literary devices that are most often used by writers to develop a literary piece as a whole. These are the parts that make up a whole literary work and can be compared to other literary works.
Literary Technique - a stylistic strategy (or "use of a tool") that writers use to achieve a desired artistic effect and to also give readers a greater understanding and appreciation of their literary works.
Poetic Devices - the typical structures (or "tools") used by poets to achieve a desired artistic effect and to also give readers a greater understanding and appreciation of their literary works.
Rhetorical Device - literary devices used to convince or persuade audiences using logos, pathos, and ethos.
Figurative Language - uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful by going beyond the literal meanings of words to give readers new insights.
Figure of Speech - a word or phrase that is used in a non-literal way to create an effect. This effect may be rhetorical.
Now let's take metaphor for example. ( Metaphor is a comparison between two things that are typically unrelated to convey new meaning or insight.)
Is a metaphor a figure of speech? Yes.
Can a metaphor be considered figurative language? Yes.
Can a metaphor be used as a rhetorical device to persuade an audience? Yes.
Can a metaphor be used as a poetic device? Yes.
Can metaphor be considered a literary technique? Yes.
Can metaphor be considered an element of literature, namely a part of a whole work of literature? Yes.
Can metaphor be a literary term used to discuss literature? Yes.
Still a little confused? That's okay! A safe bet is to discuss "literary terms" or even "elements of literature" as that covers all terms relating to literature. You can also think about how is the term being used.
If you are breaking down the literature into parts...literary element.
If you are discussing poetry...poetic device.
If you are discussing the persuasive nature of the literature or the effect on the audience...rhetorical device.
If you are discussing the author's style and use of language...literary technique.
If you are comparing works of literature...literary device.
If you are zeroed in on a particular sentence or word...figurative language.
If you are analyzing an argument...rhetorical device.
With this knowledge, let's dive in and learn some of the most common literary terms:
A Good List of Literary Terms:
A Good List of Literary Terms:
Literary Terms General ELA Vocabulary2.pdf
ACT Literary Terms Quizlet:
ACT Literary Terms Quizlet:
This page's content paraphrased and adapted for classroom use from:
https://literarydevices.net/ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_terms/index.html
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