Comedy Literary Devices

is a literary work, especially a play, which is light, often humorous or satirical, and ends happily

is the device used by an author to develop a character through (1) what that character says and does, ( 2 ) what other people in the story say about him/her and how they react to him/her, and (3) what the author reveals directly or through a narrator.

A flat character who possesses expected traits of a group rather than being an individual

A character who is not well developed, not complex

A well-developed, complex character

A character who does not change throughout the story

A character who undergoes a change during the story

A character who is in direct contrast to another character

the struggle of a character against an outside force, such as fate, nature, society, or another person

a character’s conflict with himself/herself

when the speaker or writer says one thing but means something very different–often opposite of what is said (sarcasm)

what actually happens is opposite of what is expected or appropriate

occurs when the audience or the reader knows something important that the character does not know

placing dissimilar items, descriptions, or ideas close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast

obvious and intentional exaggeration.

The opposite of hyperbole, an understatement says less than is intended.

Understatement usually has an ironic effect, and sometimes may be used for comic purposes

Two contradictory words used together, as in “sweet sorrow,” “original copy,” or “jumbo shrimp”

the repetition of the same sounds, such as “Sally sells sea shells”

words that sound like what they mean, such as “plop”

The writer’s choice of words.

Diction expresses tone.

a writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the subject

the underlying message of the story; the central idea behind the story; an expression of the author’s attitude

Words or phrases that mean something other than what they literally say.

Figurative language that makes a comparison between two things, usually using “like” or “as”

Figurative language that makes a comparison between two things without the use of such specific words of comparison as like, as, than, or resembles

Figurative language in which an object or animal is given human qualities

a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations

a type of writing that ridicules the shortcomings of people or instructions in an attempt to bring about a change

the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot

a play

a reference to another literary work, a myth, a historical figure or event

An made-up story, whether in prose, poetry, or drama (fake)

prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people, places, objects, or events (not fake)

ordinary form of written language, opposite of poetry

written in lines and stanzas, opposite of prose

description that uses any of the 5 senses

the emotional feeling of a story, often created through imagery