Literary Devices

First person point of view

Narrative told from the perspective of the narrator using 'I'. Example: 'I saw it happen.'

Third person omniscient

Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters. Example: 'He knew her thoughts.'

Third person limited

Narrator knows only one character's thoughts and feelings. Example: 'She felt sad but didn’t understand why.'

Narrator Reliability

The credibility of the narrator; reliable narrators provide accurate information, while unreliable narrators may distort reality.

Flashback

A scene set in a time earlier than the main story, providing context or background. Example: A character remembers their childhood.

Foreshadowing

Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story. Example: Dark clouds hint at a storm.

Frame Narrative

A story within a story, where an overarching narrative sets the context for another narrative. Example: 'The Canterbury Tales'.

Exposition

The introduction of background information, setting, and characters. Example: The beginning of a novel introduces the main character and setting.

Metaphor

A direct comparison between two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'Time is a thief.'

Simile

A comparison between two unlike things using 'like' or 'as'. Example: 'She is as brave as a lion.'

Personification

Attributing human characteristics to non-human entities. Example: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally. Example: 'I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.'

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. Example: 'The bittersweet memories flooded back.'

Paradox

A statement that seems contradictory but reveals a hidden truth. Example: 'This statement is false.'

Alliteration

The repetition of initial consonant sounds in closely placed words. Example: 'She sells sea shells by the sea shore.'

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds within closely placed words. Example: 'The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.'

Diction

The choice of words and style of expression. Example: Formal diction in a legal document.

Tone

The author’s attitude toward the subject and audience. Example: A sarcastic tone may indicate criticism.

Mood

The emotional atmosphere created by the author’s word choice and style. Example: A gloomy setting creates a somber mood.

Syntax

The arrangement of words to create sentences. Example: 'The dog bit the man' vs. 'The man bit the dog.'

Verbal Irony

Saying the opposite of what one means for effect. Example: 'Great weather!' during a storm.

Situational Irony

When the actual outcome is opposite to what is expected. Example: A fire station burns down.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more than the characters. Example: In 'Romeo and Juliet,' the audience knows Juliet is alive.

Satire

The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize societal flaws. Example: A political cartoon exposing government corruption.

Sarcasm

An often bitter expression of disapproval disguised as praise. Example: Saying 'Oh, fantastic!' when witnessing a failure.

Understatement

A figure of speech that intentionally diminishes the significance of something. Example: Calling a large dent 'just a scratch.'

Protagonist

The main character around whom the story revolves. Example: Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling's series.

Antagonist

The character or force that opposes the protagonist. Example: Voldemort opposing Harry's journey.

Epiphany

A moment of sudden revelation or insight experienced by a character. Example: A character realizes their true feelings.

Internal vs External Conflict

Internal conflict occurs within a character; external conflict occurs between characters or forces.

Foil Character

A character who contrasts with another to highlight specific traits. Example: Dr. Watson is a foil to Sherlock Holmes.

Characterization

The method used by a writer to develop a character, through descriptions, actions, and dialogue.

Juxtaposition

Placing two elements close together to highlight their differences or similarities.

Allegory

A narrative that uses symbolic figures and actions to convey deeper meanings.

Imagery

Descriptive language that appeals to the senses, creating vivid mental pictures.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Climax

The most intense, exciting, or important point of a story.

Resolution

The conclusion of a story, where conflicts are resolved.

Narrative Hook

An engaging opening that grabs the reader's attention.

Theme

The central idea or underlying message in a literary work.

Tone Shift

A change in the attitude or emotional quality of a piece.

Perspective

The angle from which a story is told, influencing how events are perceived.

Dialogue

The written conversational exchange between two or more characters.

Prologue

An introductory section of a literary work that sets the stage.

Epilogue

A concluding section that wraps up the story after the main plot.

Motif

A recurring element that has symbolic significance in a story.

Personification

Attributing human traits to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract concepts.

Allusion

A brief reference to a well-known person, place, event, or work of literature.

Cliché

An overused expression or idea that has lost its originality.

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that juxtaposes contradictory terms.

Colloquialism

A word or phrase used in casual conversation, often specific to a region.

Flash forward

A scene that temporarily jumps ahead in time from the current point.

Antithesis

A rhetorical device that places contrasting ideas in a balanced structure.

Juxtaposition

The placement of two or more ideas, characters, or settings side by side for comparison.

Chiasmus

A rhetorical inversion of the second of two parallel phrases.

Anaphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses.

Epistrophe

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses.

Assonance

The repetition of vowel sounds in closely placed words.

Consonance

The repetition of consonant sounds in closely placed words.

Rhyme

The correspondence of sound between different words or endings of words.

Meter

The rhythmic structure of verses, determined by the number of syllables.

Sonnet

A poem of 14 lines with a specific rhyme scheme and meter.

Quatrain

A stanza of four lines, often with alternating rhyme.

Couplet

A pair of successive lines that usually rhyme and have the same meter.

Symbolic Interaction

A literary device wherein characters derive meaning from symbols and their interactions.

Parody

A humorous or satirical imitation of a particular work or genre.

Epiphora

The repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive sentences.

Apostrophe

A figure of speech in which a writer addresses an absent person or an abstract idea.

Doppelgänger

A character that is a duplicate or counterpart of another character.

Synecdoche

A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole or vice versa.

Metonymy

The substitution of the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant.

Tercet

A stanza of three lines.

Sibilance

A hissing sound produced by the repetition of 's' or 'sh' sounds.

Soliloquy

An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud while alone on stage.

Verisimilitude

The appearance of being true or real in a narrative.

Dactyl

A metrical foot consisting of one stressed syllable followed by two unstressed syllables.

Anapest

A metrical foot consisting of two unstressed syllables followed by one stressed syllable.

Blank verse

Unrhymed verse, typically written in iambic pentameter.

Free verse

Poetry that does not rhyme or have a regular meter.

Theme Statement

A complete sentence or sentences that summarize the main theme of a literary work.

Cliffhanger

A dramatic ending to a scene or chapter that leaves the reader in suspense.

Narrative Structure

The framework that underlines the order and manner in which a story is told.