1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Literary and Poetic Devices

2. Figure of Speech
Any expressive use of language in which words are used in a way other than their literal sense in order to suggest an image or other special effect
A term inclusive of: metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, etc.
Also called a literary trope

3. Simile
Definition:
a comparison between two unlike things using the words “like” or “as”
Examples:
“She is shy
as a mouse”
“Life is like a bowl
of cherries.”

4. Metaphor
Definition: one subject is implied to be another in order to draw comparisons between their similarities and shared traits
Examples:
“He was a lion on the soccer field”
“Hope is the thing with feathers,
that perches in the soul”

5. Hyperbole Examples: “The shot was heard round the world.”
“I’m so tired, I could sleep for a year.”
Definition:
using words to exaggerate and overemphasize the basic meaning of a statement to produce a grander effect

6. “The wind shrieked during the storm.”
Personification
Definition: giving abstract ideas or inanimate objects human characteristics or traits
Examples:
“Guilt tormented him.”
“The wind shrieked during the storm.”

7. Alliteration Definition:
Examples:
“The Wicked
Witch of the West”
“She sells seashells
by the seashore.”
Definition:
words used in quick succession that begin with the same letter or sound

8. Allusion
Definition: when an author refers to subject matter such as a place, historical event, or literary work as a passing reference; it is up to the reader to make the connection between ideas
Examples:
“Their next door neighbor is a real Dennis the Menace.”
“Good thinking, Einstein!”

9. Stanza Definition: a grouping of lines separated from others in a poem
Stanzas can be used to mark a shift in mood, time, or thought

10. Line Breaks End-Stopped Line:
a line of poetry ending with punctuation (colon, semi-colon, period) or a line containing a complete phrase
Enjambed Line:
the running over of a sentence or phrase from one poetic line to the next; used to create movement in a poem

11. Tone
Definition: the mood or attitude that an author adopts in regards to a particular character, setting, or idea as perceived by the reader
Tone can express a variety of emotions ranging from solemn and critical to witty and humorous

12. Imagery
Definition: when an author uses words to create “mental pictures” for the reader in order to tickle the senses and help the reader visualize an experience
Example:
“The flowering Dogwood tree, situated beneath her expansive bay window, was dotted with a tiny Finches in a riot of colors”