Terms and Techniques in Writing Cacophony Noise or

Terms and Techniques in Writing

Cacophony Noise, or harsh, unpleasant combinations of sounds. This is used in poetry for special effects. It is created by reading onomatopoeic words, or by adding sounds based on the author’s instructions, for example, clapping hands, whistling, striking a triangle, etc. Example: John started driving today. Crash! He whammed into the garage. Boom! There goes the garbage can. Ahhh! He headed toward the house. Run Away!

Assonance Vowel rhyme, or words that have the same vowel sound. This is often used in poetry. Example: The silent python was still outside the slide, hissing silently, quietly.

Allusion Something or someone talked about through hints. These hints are often made to people, places, and things that are already well known. Example: Maggie forgot to sign her John Hancock on her paper. ( John Hancock means name. )

Climax The high point of the story. It is followed by an ending called a resolution, or denouement. Example: In the Three Little Pigs, the high point is when the wolf is trying to blow down the third pigs brick house. This is followed by the wolf getting boiled in the pot.

Composition Any written work, either fiction or non-fiction. An example of a fiction book is Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight.

Dialogue Conversation or talking that takes place between two or more characters. This is usually enclosed in quotation marks. Example: Johnny said, “I am going to go to the store to get some milk. ” “Ok!” said Sue.

Etymology The study of the origins of the form and meaning of words and their history. Example: Antonin Careme, the French chef of the future King George IV, suggested yet another origin. Mayonnaise was derived from the French for to “stir” (manier) as, certainly, the sauce would lack perfection unless properly “stirred”.

Characters The personalities in a story. Most characters are people, but sometimes characters are pets, wild animals, or fantasy creatures. The most important character in a book, story, play, or poem is called the _____character. Other characters are called ____ or _____ characters. In true stores, characters are drawn from real life. The ______character in a biography is the person about whom the story is written. The _____characters are people who have known or have somehow been involved with the life of the main character. In Fictional stories, characters are often good or bad, friendly or mean. The “good” main character is called the _____and “bad” main characters is called the _____A story can have many antagonists, but usually one protagonist. Many fictional characters suffer from a weakness called a______. This flaw is important to the action or plot of the story because it is the reason the character gets in trouble or falls into danger.

Characters, page two Example: In batman, batman is the main character. The villains and other heroes are the secondary, or supporting actors. Batman is the protagonist and the many, many villains are the antagonists. Batman's character flaw is when a villain killed his parents, he vowed to get all the bad guys so he is, well, you can say, obsessed with killing them.

Figure of speech A word or phrase used to describe something in an imaginative and usually unrelated way. (See also allusion, imagery, metaphor, and simile. ) Example: The black rose was as dead as a doornail.

Alliteration Repetition of the same sound at the beginning of two or more words that are next to each other or near each other. Example: Louise loves lemony lemons and limes.

Hyperbole A deliberate exaggeration used as a figure of speech. Example: Bell, (my aunt’s cat) is as fat as an elephant, maybe fatter!!!

Situational Irony What actually happens is not expected. This often defies logic. The character and the reader don’t expect it. Example: In the book Twilight, Jacob Black turns into a werewolf and he nor I expected it. He didn’t know they existed. His father was one and he never even told Jacob.

Dramatic Irony The reader knows something about a character’s situation that the character does not know. The reader is aware of the irony. Example: in the book Twilight, Edward is clearly a vampire and Bella is not aware of it until she has a strange dream. I was aware when I read the part where Jacob was telling Bella about vampires.

Imagery Word painting or creating imaginary pictures with words. This helps readers form pictures in their minds. These pictures make certain points easier to understand more interesting to read. Such techniques as allusion, metaphor, and simile are examples of it. Example: At 5: 00 this morning I was standing on the beach. The dark, almost black water was foaming slightly and the air smelled of fresh air and salt. Some dolphins jumped out in the distance, and a small sand crab waddled across my toes.

Metaphor A comparison of two different things to show a likeness between them that does not use like or as. Example: I was dying to get that puppy. I’m drowning in homework!

Meter The rhythm made by stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry. Example: Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

Mood The feeling of a story, short story, poem, or play. They can be happy, sad, scary, tense, gloomy, etc. Example: In my young authors story, Mia Cornwell, the _____ is tense and scary because Mia is a slave and she is running away.

Nonfiction A piece of writing that tells about people, places, or events that exist, that are happening, or that have existed or happened in the past. This can also express an opinion or true feeling. Example: A social studies book is this kind of book because real events happened in it.

Verbal Irony A mode of speech in which the meaning is the opposite of what is actually expressed; sarcasm; satire. The character and reader are aware. Example: When being asked to go get something, I replied, “ Sure!! I’ll go get up and do that right now!!” this is ironic because I couldn't walk.

Onomatopoeia Words that are invented to imitate real sounds. Bang, zip, smash, rip, and Grrr are all examples of onomatopoeia. Example: Grrrrr! The dog growled at me and rip! He tore my shirt apart! A new shirt! Zip! I ran!!!

Parable A story with a moral or religious lessons to be learned. Parables are related to fables. Example: In the book Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red goes into the woods and talks to a stranger, (the wolf, ) and the wolf almost eats her in the cottage. Little Red learns to NEVER talk to strangers.

Prose Any writing that is like ordinary speech, unlike poetry. Example: I might write in a journal, “ I want to walk really, really bad” because I can’t walk!!!!!!

Personification Attributing to things that are not human the personalities and actions of humans. Through this technique, Pooh and Paddington behave like human children, not like bear cubs. Feelings can also be given human traits, for example, the bear grabbed the victim in its iced clutches. Example: The old chair moaned when Elinor sat in it.

Poetry A feeling or story told in rhythmic verse. This sometimes uses rhyme and imagery. A work of this type is called a poem. A ______is a singer or reciter of poetry. Examples: ( next slide. )

Plot The actions or events in a short story, novel, or play. Example: In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka, ( the greatest candy maker of all time) sends out 5 golden tickets so he can find a heir for the factory. The other four children are bad and Charlie gets the prize, the factory!!!!!

____: Look at the beautiful sea Come and take a walk with me. _______: Look at the beautiful sea The fishers are hauling in their nets Come and take a walk with me And watch the sun set. ______: Look at the beautiful sea Come and take a walk with me The fishers are hauling in their nets And watching the sun set. Poetry page 2

Rhyme The repetition of similar or identical sounds, for example: Red Green Bed Bean

Setting The time and place in which a story, poem, or play takes place. This can be a forest, a house, a city, the present, the past, the future, etc. Example: The _____ in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is mostly in Willy Wonka’s factory.

Subject The theme, topic, or main idea of a sentence, paragraph, or larger piece of writing. Example: the topic of the book Harriet Tubman was a famous runaway slave by the name of Harriet Tubman.

Simile A figure of speech that compares two unlike things. These are often confused with metaphors. A major difference between these and metaphors is that a this is introduced by the words like or as, and a metaphor is not. Example: I ate so much food that I feel as big as an elephant.

Theme The main idea or topic in a piece of writing. Example: J. K Rowling wrote seven famous Harry Potter books. In the books , the main idea is that the bad guy, Voldemort, is trying to kill Harry but he always escapes.

Tone The feeling in a piece of writing, similar to mood. ______ or ______of voice reflects the feeling of the writer as much as the feeling in the writing. This can be nasty, angry, kind, friendly, persuasive, etc. Example: “Hi there! My name’s Celia! What's your name? ” That would be a friendly example.

Topic The main idea in a piece of writing. Example: The ______ of my book is animals eating habits in the Arctic. In the book you can learn the eating habits of seals and polar bears.

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