Literary devices A quick review of literary devices plus three fiction elements

What is a literary device?  Literary devices are specific language or writing techniques. Writers use these to create text that is clear, interesting, and memorable.

idiom  An expression used by a culture; not a literal meaning  Example:

personification

hyperbole

simile

oxymoron Other examples: pretty ugly civil war awfully nice same difference original copy

metaphor

direct characterization (fiction technique)  The author tells us directly something about the character.  Example: John is really tall.

internal conflict (fiction element)  The character struggles with the question “What kind of person do I want to be?”

external conflict: struggle with nature (fiction element)  Characters battle nature and struggle with the question “Will I survive?”

Citation Review  Anytime you use the author’s words, use this pattern.  Quotation marks. Exact words. Quotation marks. Parenthesis. Author’s last name. Page number. Parenthesis. Period.  “Exact words of the author” (Last 777).  “ …….” (Cummings 33). The information in the parenthesis always matches the first information in the Works Cited entry. Work Cited Cummings, Priscilla. Red Kayak. New York: ………..Scholastic Inc, Print.

Assignment: Do the literary devices/elements on the back page.  Try these pages if you can’t find your own:  Internal conflict—(3)  Idiom—(4)  Personification—(5)  Hyperbole—(10)  Simile—(11)  Oxymoron—(16)  Direct characterization—(17)  Metaphor—(22)  External conflict/nature—(22)  When you finish:  Read Chapter Four  Work on your web quest  Watch any of the videos on the Chesapeake Bay site (use earphones)  Read additional information from the Chesapeake Bay web site.