Literary Devices in Dickens' Opening Chapter: Alliteration to Simile

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

Allusion

A reference to another work, event, person, or idea outside the text

Anaphora

Repetition of a word/phrase at the start of successive clauses

Anastrophe

Inverted, unusual word order for effect

Antithesis

Two contrasting ideas placed in balanced, parallel structure

Asyndeton

Omission of conjunctions between related clauses for speed/impact

Hyperbole

Deliberate exaggeration for effect

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

Juxtaposition

Placing two things side by side to highlight contrast

Metaphor

A direct comparison without 'like/as'

Oxymoron

Two contradictory terms combined

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a truth

Parallelism

Repeating the same grammatical structure

Polysyndeton

Excessive use of conjunctions ('and...and...and') for a piling-up effect

Simile

A comparison using 'like' or 'as'