IB English A Lang & Lit Layered Techniques: the Motive Key Definitions

Analysis means breaking something down to explain how it works.

When two opposing ideas in parallel structure are used to highlight a contrast or conflict.

The way that emphasis interacts with surrounding content to create a sense of harmony or cohesion.

Characterization is the way a writer reveals a character’s personality, thoughts, and relationships.

A written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people in a literary or theatrical form.

The narrator or another character directly tells the reader what someone is like, describing their looks, personality, background, or motivations.

When the audience knows something the characters do not.

A figure of speech that uses deliberate and obvious exaggeration to create a strong impression or emphasize a point.

The gap between what is said or expected and what actually happens.

When two contrasting elements are placed side by side to highlight their differences or create tension.

A figure of speech where two opposite words are combined to create a striking or thought-provoking effect.

A statement that seems self-contradictory or impossible, but reveals a deeper truth or insight.

The deliberate emphasis of certain elements within a text, making them stand out to the reader.

When events turn out the opposite of what’s expected.

When a speaker says the opposite of what they truly mean.