Literary Techniques prepared by Camille Quamina

What is Literary Technique? Also known as devices, they are typical structures that writer s use to develop a narrative with a view to making it more interesting, sophisticated and complete. When employed properly the different literary devices help readers to appreciate, interpret and analyse literary work

Narrative Techniques: Setting Backstory: story that precedes events in the story being told – past events or background that add meaning to current circumstances

Narrative Technique: Plot Cliff Hanger: the narrative ends unresolved to draw the reader to a future story for the resolution Deus ex Machina (God and Machine): resolving the primary conflict by a means unrelated to the story. (an external force/being solves everything) Flashback: term used for altering time sequences, e.g. taking characters back to the beginning Red Herring: an irrelevant topic used to divert attention away from a real or original issue Story within a Story: a story told within another or the main story

Narrative Technique: Perspective Breaking the Fourth Wall: an author or character addresses the audience directly. why? First person narration: presented from the point of view of a character (protagonist) as if telling the story themselves Third Person Narration: from the point of view of an impersonal narrator who is not affected by the events in the story. Can be omniscient or limited. Magical Realism: describing events in a real world setting but with magical trappings often incorporating local customs or invented beliefs

Narrative Technique: Style Allegory: a symbolic story describing abstract ideas or principles Alliteration: repeating the same consonant sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words Hyperbole: exaggeration used to evoke strong feelings or create an impression which is not meant to be taken literally Imagery: forming mental images of a scene using descriptive words, especially making use of the human senses. The same as sensory detail

Narrative Technique: Style continued Onomatopoeia: word that sounds the same as, or similar to its meaning Paradox: a phrase describing conflicting ideas Parody: ridicule by overstated and most times humorous imitation Pastiche: using forms and styles from another author to honour them Satire: the use of humour, irony, or exaggeration to criticise Assonance: when two or more words close to one another repeat the same vowel sound but start with different consonant sounds

Narrative Technique: Theme Irony: a discrepancy between expectation and reality occurring in three forms: situational irony (between what is expected and what is actualised), dramatic irony (character unaware of information already revealed) and verbal irony (one states one ting while meaning another) Metaphor: evoking imagination by using figurative language Archetype: universal symbols e.g. good versus evil

Narrative Technique: Character Personification: using comparative metaphors and similes to give living characteristics to non living objects Anti Hero: a protagonist possessing good and bad qualities, e.g. typical, clumsy, unskilled etc. Archetype: represents universal patterns of human nature

Work Cited “Literary Devices: Definition and Examples of Literary Terms”. Literary Devices and Terms. web “List of Narrative Techniques”. Wikipedia. web. 2015