Literary Devices Mr. Authier - ENG 9

What are Literary Devices? Tricks that authors use to: Keep you interested Paint a picture for the reader Say something basic/simple in an artistic way

Types of Literary Devices Simile Metaphor Personification Allusion Foreshadowing Suspense

A Simile: Compares two things using the words “like” or “as” Examples: You’re as slow as a turtle. I’m sweating like a pig. Ride like the wind. You sing like a bird. You’re as fit as a fiddle.

A Metaphor: Compares two things without using “like” or “as” Implies that one thing is the other thing, not like it. Examples: You’re a pig. Life is a highway. All the world’s a stage.

Personification: Giving human characteristics to non- human objects. (Person - ification) Examples: The hills are alive with the sound of music. If these walls could talk… Take a walk through the whispering pines. The warm sand tickled my toes.

Allusion: Referring to a famous person, character, story, or historical event. Hints at one story to tell another. Examples: It’s a game of cat and mouse. (fairy tale) Chocolate is my Achilles heal. (historical figure) It was a match between David and Goliath. (biblical reference)

Foreshadowing: Any clue or hint of future events in a story. May not be obvious until after you’ve finished the story. Examples: Little did he know what awaited him inside. No one could have guessed what would have happened next. Sam had never been a very good swimmer.

Suspense: Creating a sustained interest in a story by delaying the resolution of the conflict. A lot of “Rising Action” Keeps you interested - What’s going to happen next? Builds towards the conflict/turning point.

Review Simile - “like” or “as” Metaphor - one is the other, no “like” or “as” Personification - nonhuman = human Allusion - using old stories/characters Foreshadowing - hints at what’s to come Suspense - builds towards the climax, keeps you interested