Literary Devices

When commenting on sounds: remember - it's not just noise! It's words. Words have meanings. So you need to figure out how the sounds add to (or contrast with) the meaning.

repetition

• emphasize recurring ideas → overthinking

• the (REPETITIVE) sound of the letter ‘c’ is harsh with ‘kh’

assonance

the elongated/ stretching/ extended sound of (insert the repeated letter) shows the _ is abnormally continuous

• consistent sounds of ‘s’ → sing song effect/ whispers

rhyme

• repetition

• cyclical pattern

• loop effect

• sing song effect closure because its cyclical sound

free rhyme

• freedom

• not permanent

• playful

• uncontrolled

• unpredictable

full stop

• the idea/ message has been halted/ cut permanently

• finality/ closure which gives the ultimatum from the idea

• suggest a change in direction of idea

commas

• thinking

• reflect

• hesitate

• slows down the speed of speech (pace)

enjambment

continuous ideas

elipsis

• thinking

• reflect

• staggered speech

• fragmented memories

exclamation mark

• rise/ surge of tone

• positive → excitement, happiness

• negative → rage, anger

question mark

• suspense/ curious/ prompt readers to think

• includes rhetorical question

capital letters

highlight the significance of the word

filler

they are overwhelmed/ speechless

hyphens

• detaches

• pauses

• slows paces down

• interrupt

elision

flash of thought

sibilant

• s/ sh/ ch/ x/z

• soft/ hissing or insidious/ sinister

plosive

• b/ p/ t/ d

• abrupt/ sharp/ shocking

• negative → harsh (making explosive sound)

• positive → energetic and bouncy

• percussive sounds

• causes a revolting & dismal effect

fricatives

• f/ v/ th

• hard

• voiceless (soft) → airy effect

• explosive

• forceful

liquid

• l

• flow → creating a sense of quick, light movement of water

nasal

• m/ n

• suppressed

• contentment

• thinking

• worrying

c (hard k)

• harsh → creating the feeling of hardness

• create cacophony & reinforce the action

• abruptness/ authority

• hard/ guttural

w

• hushed feeling

• resemblance to sound of wind

• gliding/ wispy/ airy

End-stopped

accentuating the rhythmic quality of the poem