Literary Devices and Their Definitions

alliteration

the repetition of consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words ('she sells sea shells').

allusion

a direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art.

ambiguity

the multiple meanings of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

anadiplosis

the repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause.

analogy

a similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.

anaphora

one of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences.

anecdote

a short narrative detailing particulars of an interesting episode or event.

antecedent

the word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.

aphorism

a terse statement of known authorship which expresses a general truth or a moral principle.

apostrophe

a figure of speech that directly addresses an absent or imaginary person or a personified abstraction, such as liberty or love.

atmosphere

the emotional mood created by the entirety of a literary work, established partly by the setting and partly by the author's choice of objects that are described.

classical appeals

the three primary means by which a speaker sways their audience: ethos, pathos, and logos.

clause

a grammatical unit that contains both a subject and a verb.

colloquialism

the use of slang or informalities in speech or writing.

coherence

a principle demanding that the parts of any composition be arranged so that the meaning of the whole may be immediately clear and intelligible.

connotation

the associative meaning of a word; the implied, suggested meaning.

denotation

the strict, literal, dictionary definition of a word, devoid of any emotion, attitude, or color.

diction

the writer's word choices, especially with regard to their correctness, clearness, or effectiveness.

epistrophe

repetition at the end of successive clauses.

euphemism

a more agreeable or less offensive substitute for a generally unpleasant word or concept.

extended metaphor

a metaphor developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work.

figurative language

writing or speech that is not intended to carry literal meaning and is usually meant to be imaginative and vivid.

genre

the major category into which a literary work fits.

hyperbole

a figure of speech using deliberate exaggeration or overstatement.

imagery

words related to the five senses.

inference

a reasonable conclusion drawn from the information presented.

irony

the contrast between what is stated explicitly and what is really meant.

juxtaposition

the placement of two texts or ideas in close proximity for the purpose of comparison or contrast.

loose sentence

a type of sentence in which the main idea (independent clause) comes first, followed by dependent grammatical units such as phrases and clauses.

metaphor

a figure of speech using implied comparison of seemingly unlike things

metonymy

a figure of speech in which the name of one object is substituted for that of another closely associated with it. 'the White House declared' rather than 'the President declared'

narrative

the telling of a story or an account of an event or series of events.

onomatopoeia

a figure of speech in which natural sounds are imitated in the sounds of words. Examples: buzz, hiss, hum.

oxymoron

a figure of speech wherein the author groups apparently contradictory terms to suggest a paradox. Examples: 'jumbo shrimp' and 'cruel kindness.'

paradox

a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or opposed to common sense but upon closer inspection contains some degree of truth or validity.

parallelism

also referred to as parallel construction or parallel structure. The grammatical or rhetorical framing of words, phrases, sentences, or paragraphs to give structural similarity.

parody

a work that closely imitates the style or content of another with the specific aim of comic effect and/or ridicule.

periodic sentence

a sentence that presents its central meaning in a main clause at the end. This independent clause is preceded by a phrase or clause that cannot stand alone.

personification

a figure of speech in which the author presents or describes concepts, animals, or inanimate objects by endowing them with human attributes or emotions.

prose

one of the major divisions of genre, prose refers to fiction and nonfiction, including all its forms.

repetition

the duplication, either exact or approximate, of any element of language, such as a sound, word, phrase, clause, sentence, or grammatical pattern.

rhetoric

the principles governing the art of writing effectively, eloquently, and persuasively.

sarcasm

sarcasm involves bitter, caustic language that is meant to hurt or ridicule someone or something.

satire

a work that targets human vices and follies or social institutions and conventions for reform or ridicule. Satire is best seen as a style of writing rather than a purpose for writing.

shift

any major change which occurs within a text—especially regarding tone or style.

speaker

the individual or 'persona' that is delivering the text.

style

the sum of the choices an author makes in blending diction, syntax, figurative language, and other literary devices.

syllogism

a deductive system of formal logic that presents two premises (the first one called 'major' and the second, 'minor') that inevitably lead to a sound conclusion.

syntax

the way an author chooses to join words into phrases, clauses, and sentences.

theme

the central idea or message of a work, the insight it offers into life.

thesis

in expository writing, the thesis is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.

tone

the author's attitude toward their material, the audience, or both.

transition

a word or phrase that links different ideas.

trope

an artful variation from expected modes of expression; a use of the word in a sense other than its proper or literal one.

understatement

the ironic minimizing of fact, understatement presents something as less significant than it is.

undertone

an attitude that may underlie the ostensible tone of the piece.

wit

intellectually amusing language that surprises and delights.

zeugma

a word that governs two other words not related in meaning. 'He maintained a business and his innocence.'