Lit Devices 10th Honors

Dramatic Irony

In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus vows to find the murderer of King Laius, not knowing that he himself is the murderer, but the audience is fully aware of the truth.

Dramatic Irony

In a horror movie, the audience watches the killer sneak into the house, but the protagonist happily walks inside, unaware of the danger lurking within.

Situational Irony

A professional swimmer drowns in a bathtub because they slipped on soap, despite their exceptional skills in water.

Situational Irony

The teacher who scolds students for forgetting homework realizes she left her lesson plan at home.

Verbal Irony

After working all weekend on a massive project, a student says, "Oh, that was such a relaxing way to spend my time."

Verbal Irony

When a friend slips and falls in a puddle, someone sarcastically comments, "Well, aren't you graceful today!"

Symbol

In Lord of the Flies, the conch shell represents civilization and order, but when it shatters, it symbolizes the complete breakdown of society.

Symbol

The red rose often symbolizes love and passion, while its thorns may represent the pain and struggles that come with it.

Juxtaposition

The description of the wealthy Buchanan mansion in The Great Gatsby, full of luxury and light, contrasts with the dark, desolate Valley of Ashes just a few miles away.

Juxtaposition

A newborn baby's soft cry is heard in the hospital room, while in the next room, an elderly patient takes their last breath.

Allusion

After her big presentation, she said, "I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders," alluding to the myth of Atlas holding up the sky.

Allusion

His betrayal felt like Brutus's stab, a clear allusion to Julius Caesar's assassination in Shakespeare's play.

Euphemism

Instead of saying "he was fired," the manager said, "he is exploring new opportunities."

Euphemism

The doctor gently told the family their grandmother was in her "final resting phase" rather than saying she was dying.

Hyperbole

"The line at the coffee shop was so long, I thought I'd grow old and gray before getting my drink."

Hyperbole

"She's so dramatic—she cried a river of tears over a lost phone charger."

Oxymoron

The student referred to his summer school as "a bittersweet vacation."

Oxymoron

"That silence was deafening," she said as the tension in the room became unbearable.

Parallelism

"To live freely, to think deeply, to love unconditionally—this is what it means to be human."

Parallelism

Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I have a dream that my children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Repetition

"I will not give up. I will not back down. I will not be afraid."

Repetition

In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth famously repeats, "Out, damned spot! Out, I say!" to emphasize her guilt.

Anaphora

"We will fight in the fields. We will fight on the beaches. We will fight in the streets. We will fight until the end."

Anaphora

"This is our time. This is our moment. This is our chance to make history."

Epistrophe

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child."

Epistrophe

"The world is not safe. The streets are not safe. Our children are not safe."

Colloquialism

"Y'all better hurry up, or we'll miss the movie."

Colloquialism

"She's totally gonna lose it when she sees her surprise party."

Extended Metaphor

In The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost uses the extended metaphor of a fork in the road to symbolize life choices and their long-term consequences.

Extended Metaphor

In Life of Pi, the lifeboat is compared to a microcosm of survival, representing human resilience and primal instincts throughout Pi's journey.

Motif

In Of Mice and Men, the motif of loneliness reappears through characters like Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife.

Motif

In Macbeth, the recurring motif of blood symbolizes guilt and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

Foil

In Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson's rational and calm demeanor serves as a foil to Holmes's eccentric genius and impulsive actions.

Foil

In Hamlet, Laertes acts as a foil to Hamlet by seeking immediate revenge for his father's death, while Hamlet hesitates and contemplates his actions.

Synecdoche

"The crown will decide the country's future," where "the crown" represents the monarchy or ruler.

Synecdoche

"Can you lend me a hand with this?" where "hand" represents the entire person offering help.