Literary Devices and Rhetorical Strategies for Analyzing Texts

Pun

A play on words exploiting multiple meanings or similar sounds for humor or effect.

Figurative Language

Language that goes beyond the literal to create comparisons, imagery, or symbolism.

Double Entendre

A phrase with two meanings, one often ironic or risqué.

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates a natural sound (e.g., buzz, bang).

Simile

A comparison using like or as.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without like or as.

Analogy

A comparison to explain or clarify an idea.

Conceit

An extended, complex metaphor that continues through a passage or work.

Personification

Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.

Zeugma

One word applies to two ideas in different senses (e.g., She broke his heart and his car).

Allegory

A story in which characters/events symbolize abstract ideas or morals.

Fable

A short tale, often with animals, that teaches a moral lesson.

Metonymy

Referring to something by an associated concept (e.g., the crown for monarchy).

Synecdoche

Using a part to represent the whole (e.g., all hands on deck).

Apposition

Placing two elements side by side, one explaining the other (e.g., my brother, the doctor).

Epithet

A descriptive phrase expressing a characteristic (e.g., swift-footed Achilles).

Hyperbole

Exaggeration for emphasis or effect.

Understatement

Making something seem less important than it is.

Litotes

An understatement using double negatives (e.g., not bad = good).

Euphemism

A mild phrase used instead of something harsh (e.g., passed away for died).

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth.

Oxymoron

A phrase combining contradictory terms (e.g., bittersweet).

Allusion

A reference to another work, person, or event.

Rhetoric of Parallelism / Parallel Structure

Repetition of grammatical patterns for rhythm or emphasis.

Rhetoric of Ellipsis

Deliberate omission of words that are understood in context.

Rhetoric of Antithesis

Juxtaposing contrasting ideas in balanced phrasing.

Asyndeton

Omitting conjunctions between words or clauses (e.g., I came, I saw, I conquered).

Polysyndeton

Using many conjunctions for effect (e.g., and...and...and).

Anaphora

Repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses.

Anadiplosis

Repetition of the last word of one clause at the start of the next.

Isocolon

Parallel structures that are the same length and rhythm.

Chiasmus

Reversal of word order in parallel phrases (e.g., Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country).

Exclamation

A sudden cry or remark expressing emotion.

Parenthesis

Insertion of extra information into a sentence (often with parentheses, dashes, or commas).

Apostrophe

Addressing someone absent, dead, or nonhuman as if present/alive.

Style

The author's unique way of using language (diction, syntax, tone).

Diction

Word choice in writing or speech.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases in sentences.

Organization/Structure

How ideas are arranged in a text.

Narrative Structure/Narration

The framework of a story (e.g., point of view, sequence of events).

Detail

Specific pieces of information that support meaning.

Theme

The central idea or underlying message of a work.

Tone

The author's attitude toward the subject.

Mood/Attitude

The emotional atmosphere created for the reader.

Humor

Writing intended to amuse, often through irony, exaggeration, or wit.

Irony (3 types)

Verbal: saying the opposite of what is meant; Situational: outcome is different from expected; Dramatic: audience knows more than the characters.

Sarcasm

Harsh or cutting verbal irony meant to mock or insult.

Satire

Writing that criticizes society, politics, or human behavior through humor or irony.

Language

The overall use of words in a text (formal, informal, figurative, literal, etc.).

Literal Meaning

The exact, dictionary meaning of words.

Metaphorical/Figurative Meaning

A nonliteral meaning that conveys deeper ideas.

Formal, Informal, Colloquial

Levels of language use: Formal = professional; Informal = casual; Colloquial = everyday speech/slang.

Connotative or Denotative

Connotative = implied meaning; Denotative = dictionary meaning.

Abstract or Concrete

Abstract = ideas or concepts; Concrete = physical things.

External/Internal Conflict

External = conflict with outside forces; Internal = conflict within a character.

Suspense

A feeling of tension or uncertainty about what will happen next.

Devices of Sound

Techniques using sound for effect (e.g., alliteration, assonance, consonance, refrain).

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds.

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds within words.

Consonance

Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.

Refrain

A repeated line or phrase in poetry or song.

Pathos

Appeal to emotion.

Ethos

Appeal to credibility or ethics.

Logos

Appeal to logic and reason.

Simple or Pretentious

Word choice that is either straightforward or overly complex.

Imagery

Language that appeals to the senses.

External and Internal Action

External = physical events; Internal = thoughts and feelings.

Exposition

The introduction of background information in a story.

Rising Action

Events building tension toward the climax.

Climax

The turning point or most intense moment in a story.

Resolution

The conclusion where conflicts are resolved.

Rhetorical Questions

Questions asked for effect, not to be answered.

Ad Hominem Device/Argument

Attacking the person rather than the argument.

Logical Fallacies

Errors in reasoning (e.g., hasty generalization, false dilemma, slippery slope, circular reasoning).

Syllogism

A logical argument with a major premise, minor premise, and conclusion.

Reasoning (Inductive and Deductive)

Inductive = specific to general; Deductive = general to specific.

The Grotesque

Writing that blends the absurd, horrifying, or distorted, often to evoke both disgust and empathy.