Which term is a technique that changes ordinary perception by showing something familiar differently?

• A. Defamiliarization
• B. Aphorism
• C. Cliffhanger
• D. Foreshadowing

Answer: (A)

Defamiliarization is the technique that changes ordinary perception by showing something familiar differently. It works by presenting familiar things in unusual detail, language, or perspective so they don’t look ordinary anymore, forcing us to notice textures, sounds, or shapes we’d normally skim over. This idea comes from Russian formalists, who argued that art should “make the familiar strange” to renew our perception.

Aphorism is a short, clever statement of truth. Cliffhanger is a suspenseful stopping point that leaves you wanting to know what happens next. Foreshadowing hints at future events. These choices describe other devices that don’t revolve around changing how we perceive the familiar.