Lesson 8: Literary Techniques

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Lesson 8 Literary Techniques

• Competency Goals 4.02, 5.01, and 5.02

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EOG Vocabulary

• Allusion (write example)
• Diction
• Figurative Language
• Flashback

• Genre
• Repetition
• Situational Irony
• Verbal Irony

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Tip 1 Notice how word choice helps create mood.

• Pay close attention to the word choice, or
  diction, in the following passage
• During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless
  day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
  hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been
  passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly
  dreary tract of country and at length found
  myself, as the shades of the evening drew on,
  within the view of the melancholy House of Usher.

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Notice any particular type of word choice here?

• During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless
  day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
  hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been
  passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly
  dreary tract of country and at length found
  myself, as the shades of the evening drew on,
  within the view of the melancholy House of Usher.

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• Which best characterizes Poes word choice in
  this selection?
• Simple words
• Difficult words
• Technical words
• Nonsensical words

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• Which word best describes the mood of the
  selection?
• Warm
• Exciting
• Gloomy
• Peaceful

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Lets Compare . . .

• From Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard
• The morning woods were utterly new. A strong
  yellow light pooled between the trees my shadow
  appeared and vanished on the path, since a third
  of the trees I walked under were still bare, a
  third spread a luminous haze wherever they grew,
  and another third blocked the sun with new, whole
  leaves. The snakes were outI saw a bright,
  smashed one on the pathand the butterflies were
  vaulting and furling about the phlox (flowering
  herb) was at its peak, and even the evergreens
  looked greener, newly created and washed.

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How are the two passages similar?How are they
different?

• Look at the word choice (diction) from both
  selections.
• Compare/contrast positive words with negatives.

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• Which word best describes the mood of this
  paragraph?
• Liveliness
• Humor
• Sadness
• Sympathy

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Tip 2 Look for repeated words.

• Repetition is used as a stylistic device that can
  tell the reader a lot about the writers
  intentionin other words, repetition can create
  tone and mood.

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Important Literary Style Devices

• Allusion subtle reference to something. Ex. I
  sure hope this date wont be like the last one!
• Irony when reality is different from
  appearances.
• Situational something happens that is different
  than what we, the reader, expects.
• Verbal when a character says one thing but means
  another.

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Tip 3 Be on the lookout for symbols.

• Sometimes authors use objects to represent some
  greater idea or concept.
• For example 5 bill from Geralds essay, the
  butterfly, roses, and silver symbolism from
  Darkness before Dawn
• What did it all mean?