Literary Devices

What is a literary device?  Literary Device:  It is a creative writing technique a writer uses to develop style and convey meaning.  Style is the way a writer uses language, and literary devices create the style.  Literary devices include: allusion, analogy, dialect, idioms, figures of speech, imagery, recurring motifs (repetition), symbolism, and understatement (ex. The Grand Canyon is a nice little hole), and exaggeration

Figures of Speech  A Figure of speech is a word or phrase that describes one thing in terms of another and is not meant to be understood as literally true.  Figures of speech include: simile, metaphor, and personification

Simile  A simile is a comparison of two very unlike things using “like, as, or resembles.” “My head is like a volcano.”

Metaphor  It is a comparison of two very unlike things where one thing is said to be the other “My head is a volcano.”

Personification  Personification is when an object or an animal is spoken of as it had human feelings, thoughts, attitudes, or uniquely human actions. “The clouds sleep on the ground when it is foggy.”

Other Literary Devices

Irony  Irony occurs when the expected outcome is very different from what actually happens (reality).  There are three types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic

Three Types of Irony  Verbal Irony is when what is said or written contrasts (opposite) with what is really meant. “That was graceful!” said to someone who tripped and fell.  Situational Irony is when what happens is very different from what we expect to happen. The police chief is arrested for burglary.  Dramatic Irony is when we know something a character doesn’t know. The monster is behind the door the character is about to go through.

Symbolism  A symbol is a person, place, thing, or event that stands for something beyond itself. Bald Eagle is a symbol for America.

Dialect  Dialect is a way of speaking that is characteristic of a certain geographical area or a certain group of people.  Consists of vocabulary and pronunciation “So I ask ha, wat pawt a Joisey you from?”

Allusion An allusion is a reference to someone, something, or some place, often a proper noun that the author assumes the reader will know without an explanation. Example: These terrible economic times are as bad as the time of FDR.

Imagery  Imagery is highly descriptive language that appeals to the senses. “The sweet cinnamon of the warm apple pie filled my lungs.”

Idiom  An idiom is a statement whose true meaning is completely different from the literal meaning.  It is specific to a language and particular place. “I am so hungry I could eat a cow.”