Literary Techniques

Scavenger Hunt and Scrapbook

What: Throughout the course, you will be participate in a scavenger hunt search for a wide variety of literary elements.

Why: To develop your knowledge of literary elements, your ability to recognize them in original texts, and your comprehension while reading nonfiction works. Hopefully, this will also provide you with a workable resource in future English courses.

Sources:All of these examples must be found in published fiction (novels, short stories, poems, lyrics) or nonfiction pieces (newspapers, magazines – online newspapers/magazines okay). You must use a combination of works read in class, found in your textbook, or cut from a newspaper or magazine (online articles acceptable if you can reference the online newspaper/magazine).You must site the original source (Title of Article and Title of Newspaper/Magazine/Text, Author, Full Web Address if Applicable). You may NOT simply look up online examples!

Project: After finding an example (or multiple, as required) of each literary element, you must compile them into a scrapbook. The scrapbook must be neatly organized, with:

1)Title/Prologue,

2)Table of Contents with Literary Terms and Page Numbers, and

3)Scrapbook Pages.

Scrapbook Pages: For each literary element:

1)It must be clearly labeleddefined (provided, but need transferred to scrapbook)

2)Include the actual example cut out from the source, highlighted, and pasted

(60 total)

3)Include the source (Title, Issue, Date Accessed, Website if used), and

4)Include an explanation of the connection between your example and the definition.

Note: You may have multiple elements on a page.

Book Possibilities:Construction paper, Cardstock or Scrapbook Pages bound in binder or another way. Sketchpad allowed, but will need to create a cover – NO NOTEBOOK PAPER!

In-Class Work Time:4 Sessions (45 minutes each)

Due: Beginning of the hour on Wednesday of the 4th Week of Summer School

Literary Elements:

  • 1 - Fact (truth known to exist or to have happened)
  • 1 -Opinion(belief or judgment)
  • 1 - Strong Hook Sentence: snappy, attention-grabbing opening that interests reader
  • 1 - Strong Finale Sentence: summary or concluding sentence of a paragraph/essay
  • 1 - Strong Topic Sentence: expresses main idea of the paragraph it begins
  • 1 - Good Supporting Evidence: supports the main idea with proof/examples
  • 1 - Strong Transition (NOT including First, Second, Third, Finally, In Conclusion): words/phrases used to move smoothly from one idea to the next
  • 1 each - Organizational Structures:
  • Sequential:author lists items/events in numerical or chronological order; clue words such as begin, first, next, finally often used
  • Descriptive: author describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, and examples
  • Cause and effect: author lists one or more causes and the resulting effect/effects
  • Compare and contrast: shows similarities and differences between two subjects
  • Problem and solution: author states problem and lists one or more solutions
  • 1 each - Types of Writing:
  • Expository (Informative, Compare/Contrast, Technical/Directions): writing designed to convey information or explain what is difficult ot understand
  • Narrative (Biographical – experience from someone else’s life; Fictional – made-up story; Personal – writer’s life): writing that tells a story, whether true or fictional
  • Persuasive (Opinion, Problem-Solution, Pro-Con): attempts to convince the reader to accept a particular point of view or take specific action
  • 1 - Slogan or Motto (may be image): memorable image/phrase used in political, commercial, religious, or other context as an expression of an idea or purpose
  • 1 - Author expects reader to make an inference: reader is expected to make a logical judgment or conclusion based on provided information. Give the inference in your explanation
  • 1 each - Character Types:
  • Dynamic Character: character who changes over time
  • Static Character: character who does not change in the course of the story
  • 1 each - Types of Conflict:– may be fiction
  • Man vs Self Internal Conflict: psychological struggle within the mind of a literary or dramatic character
  • Man vs Nature External Conflict: character faces conflict against elements of nature
  • Man vs Society External Conflict: character faces a conflict against more than one person or a common view/policy
  • Man vs Man External Conflict: character faces a conflict against another character
  • 1Connotation/Denotation pair -Loaded Language:
  • Connotation: emotional association or implication that comes with a particular word;
  • Denotation: exact dictionary definition of word

Example: Mansion connotation = large house; Mansion denotation = house owned by rich, famous, haughty people

  • 1 each - Tone:Tone in writing is the voice in which something is written
  • Formal: helps establish the writer's respect for the audience and suggests that the writer is serious about his or her topic
  • Informal/Casual: personal/opinion-based, often using slang
  • 2 different - Mood (Ex: Lighthearted, Dark, Mysterious, Etc): feeling/emotional state of a literary work
  • 1 each - Point of View:
  • 1st Person: speaker is character in the story and tells from his/her perspective using “I”
  • 3rd Person: narrator is outside of the story, referring to characters as “he/she”
  • 1 - Passive Voice: form of a transitive verb in which its subject receives the action

Example: The homework was completed by the student.

  • 2 - Unknown Vocabulary– Use Context to guess meaning; Look up dictionary definition

Example: spectrometer guessed meaning = something which measures light

Spectrometer dictionary definition = an instrument used for measuring wavelengths of light spectra.

  • 2 - Grammatical Errors (Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.): mistakes in arrangement or formation of words/sentences. Include mistake and correction as your explanation
  • 1 each (25 total) - Literary Techniques:
  • Simile: comparison between two otherwise unlike things using “like” or “as”
  • Metaphor:direct comparison between two otherwise unlike things NOT using “like” or “as”
  • 1 each - Allusion: makes a reference to something outside of that text which the reader is expected to know
  • Cultural: indirect reference to arts, music, etc.
  • Literary: reference to another piece of literature
  • Historical: reference to something/someone of historical relevance
  • Character Development: unfolding or growth of a character as plot develops
  • Idiom: specialized speech or expression used by specific group of people; often cannot be literally interpreted
  • Theme: common thread or repeated idea incorporated throughout literary work
  • Stereotype: generalization usually exaggerated or oversimplified and often offensive, used to describe or distinguish a group
  • Euphemism: generally harmless word, name, or phrase that substitutes an offensive or suggestive one
  • Cliche: phrase that has become overused
  • Personification: animals/ideas/objects are given human characteristics
  • End Rhyme:the last word at the end of each verse is the word that rhymes
  • Onomatopoeia: use of sounds similar to noise they represent
  • Hyperbole: extravagant exaggeration
  • Parallelism: writer establishes similar patterns of grammatical structure and length
  • Symbolism: when one thing represents something beyond its literal meaning
  • Imagery: language appealing to 1 or more of the 5 senses; help create “mental pictures” for reader
  • 1 each - Irony (Dramatic, Verbal, or Situational):
  • Dramatic irony- occurs when a character states something that they believe to be true but that the reader knows is not true;
  • Verbal irony - occurs when people say the opposite of what they mean;
  • Situational irony - the situation is different from what common sense indicates it is, will be, or ought to be.
  • Satire (may be image): attack/criticism of stupidity/vice in the form of scathing humor; often political/social/moral/religious criticism in seemingly humorous manner
  • Dialogue: conversation between people or characters
  • Paradox: using contradiction in a manner that oddly makes sense on a deeper level
  • Oxymoron: opposite words paired back to back