Literary Devices

Allegory

This is when ideas are used to symbolize people

Ex: The Hunger Games is an allegory for humans’ obsession with reality TV

Alliteration

Repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of a word for effect (sense and sensibility)

Ex: sally sells seashells by the seashore

Allusion

Reference to well-known work or event

Ex: I had no idea my comment would open Pandora’s box.

Anaphora

When words or phrases are repeated at the beginning of a clause or sentence

Ex: MLk Jr’s “I have a dream” repeated again and again

Archetypal elements

This is a character that represents some universal patterns.

For example, all villains and heroes have similar character. Often found in myth genre.

Ex: garden symbolizes love and fertility

Light symbolizes hope

Assonance

Repetition of vowel sounds to create internal rhyme (please set the kite right)

Ex: Try to light the fire

Cliche

This is a saying or expression that is overused to the point that it has lost its original meaning

“Only time will tell…”

“At the end of the day…”

Consonance

This is when sounds produced by consonants within a sentence or phrase are repetitive

Chuckle-fickle-kick

Dialect

A regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties.

Ex: listen Sam, if it was nature, nobody wouldn’t have tuh look out for babies touchin’ stoves, would they? “Cause dey just naturally wouldn’t touch it. But Dey sho will.

Diction

This is the distinctive tone and style of an author.

Example: the author might prefer to use formal language instead of informal language such as slang

Epigraph

This is a quotation located at the beginning of a literary work that gives the reader an idea of what work is about

Example: behind every great fortune there is a crime—The Godfather

Euphemism

This is the use of a nicer word or expression to refer to something unpleasant

Example: saying passed away instead of died

Fable

Animals or objects teach a moral lesson.

The tortoise and the hare

Figurative Language

This includes simile, metaphor, personification

Flashback

This unveils to the reader what happened in the past.

Foreshadowing

Hints or warnings the author gives the reader about the outcome without ruining the suspense

Hypophora

This is when a question is raised and immediately answered by the same person

Ex: from EB White’s Charlotte’s Web

“After all, what’s life anyway? We’re born, we live a little, we die “

Irony

Depicts a sharp contrast between how things unfold and how they are expected to unfold

“A teacher fails a test.” This is ironic because we expect teachers to pass tests.

Isocolon

When two or more phrases have similar structure, rhythm, and length (veni, vidi, vici)

“Signed, sealed, delivered”

Litotes

Form of verbal irony—an understatement

Ex: not too bad when meaning very good.

Mood

This is often confused with tone; mood is not the author’s attitude, but how the readers are made to feel as a result

Parable

Teaches moral or religious lesson

“Good Samaritan” or Prodigal Son

Paradox

Juxtaposes contradictory concepts that, when put together, reveal some hidden truth or significant value

“your enemy’s friend is your enemy”

Point of view

Who tells the story and determines how the story unfolds and the tone

Satire

Author uses humor and making fun of a human flaw not to entertain or amuse the reader but to get the reader to feel contempt for the subject. Satire is beyond sarcasm

Symbolism

A symbol has layers of figurative meaning to give the object a greater meaning than its literal meaning

The dove is a symbol of peace

Synechdote

Term for when a part of something refers to the whole and vice versa.

Example: using “suit” to refer to the businessman

Syntax

This is the physical placement of the words and sentences. grammar is part of syntax

Tone

This is the perspective or attitude of the author with an intended effect on the reader