The modern subject is the subject of the sciences.

Omniscient: (he and she are used; BUT the narrator not only lets characters speak, but can also “get inside their heads” to read their thoughts) Pete woke up first, feeling somewhat alarmed that he might have overslept and missed his chance. He looked at his brother’s bed and was glad to see that Sam was still asleep, snuggled up under the covers. 

Repetition - the author purposely repeats words or phrases; the author is trying to create rhythm or suspense, or is trying to really emphasize a certain idea.

Example: It was all gone. Burned to ashes. He had no clothing, no blankets, no bow, no hatchet, no map. It was all gone.

Simile - a comparison between two unlike things, using like, as as, or than in the comparison

Example: the leaf spun to the ground like a descending helicopter; more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs; he was as mad as a hornet

Symbol - any person, object, or action that has additional meaning beyond itself

Example: As a boy sits in class on the first day of school, he stares out the window at a basketball sitting on the blacktop in the playground. As he gazes at it, the basketball reminds him of all the fun times he had over the summer. The basketball becomes a symbol of summer.

Theme - the meaning of a story, what it reveals about human nature; plot is what happens in the story, while theme is what it means

Example: Plot: young soldier fights his first battle Theme: war is useless; fighting solves nothing

Tone - the author’s attitude toward a subject, revealed by choice of words and details

Example: The girl cast a lonely thin shadow on the gray brick wall, as her classmates tumbled merrily in the brightly flowered fields beyond the school. (the author feels sorry for the girl who isn’t playing with the other children)

Understatement - when the author presents something as less significant(important)than it really is