Literary Devices

Simile

a comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as”

Foreshadowing

a hint about something that will happen later in the story

Metaphor

a direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as”

Pun

a joke that uses a words multiple meanings or similar sound for humor

Personification

giving human like qualities to something that is not human

Euphemism

a mild or polite expression used instead of one that may sound harsh or unpleast ( death —→ passed away)

Hyperbole

an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect

Understatement

making something seem less important or serious than it is

Alliteration

the repetition of the same beginning constant sound in nearby words

Apostrophe

when a speaker directly addresses an absent person, object, idea, or something that cannot respond

Onomatopoeia

a word that imitates the sound it describes

Repetition

the intentional reuse of words, phrases, or ideas for emphasis

Oxymoron

two contradictory words placed together (deafening silence)

Parallelism

using the same or similar grammatical strucutre in a series of words, phrases, or sentences

Irony

when what happens or is said is different from or opposite to what is expected or meant

Litotes

an understatement that emphasizes something by denying the opposite (“not bad” meaning “good”)

Imagery

descriptive language that appeals to the five senses to help the reader imagine something

Allusion

a brief reference to a well known person, event, place, story, or work without fully explaing it

Symbolism

the use of an object, person, place, or idea to represent a deeper meaning

Paradox

a statement that seems contradictory but reveals a possible turht (“I must be cruel to be kind”)

Rhetorical Question

a question asked for the effect or emphasis rather than to recieve an answer