Lesson 8: Literary Techniques

1. Lesson 8: Literary Techniques Competency Goals: 4.02, 5.01, and 5.02

2. Allusion (write example) Diction Figurative Language Flashback Genre Repetition Situational Irony Verbal Irony EOG Vocabulary

3. 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.”

4. 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.”

5. Which best characterizes Poe’s word choice in this selection? • Simple words • Difficult words • Technical words • Nonsensical words

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

7. Let’s 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 out—I saw a bright, smashed one on the path—and 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.

8. 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.

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

10. Tip #2: Look for repeated words. • Repetition is used as a stylistic device that can tell the reader a lot about the writer’s intention—in other words, repetition can create tone and mood.

11. Important Literary Style Devices: • Allusion: subtle reference to something. Ex. “I sure hope this date won’t 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.

12. Tip #3: Be on the lookout for symbols. • Sometimes authors use objects to represent some greater idea or concept. • For example: $5 bill from Gerald’s essay, the butterfly, roses, and silver symbolism from Darkness before Dawn • What did it all mean?