Figures of Speech and Literary Devices

Study Notes

Figures of Speech/Literary Devices

Literary devices enhance writing by expressing ideas and improving narrative.
They highlight important concepts and foster connections between readers and characters/themes.

Simile

A comparison using "like" or "as".
Example: "She is vicious as a lion."

Metaphor

Describes actions or objects in non-literal terms.
Example: "The clouds are soft cottons in the sky."

Personification

Assigns human-like qualities to nonhuman entities or abstract concepts.

Hyperbole

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally.
Example: "I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse."

Irony

Highlights contrast between reality and appearance.
Example: A man tasting his wife’s meal & claiming, "I shall never eat this again."

Allusion

An indirect reference to an external figure, place, event, or idea.
Example: "Stop acting so smart—it's not like you're Einstein or something."

Juxtaposition

Comparing and contrasting two or more different ideas or characters.
Example: "A Tale of Two Cities" opens with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Euphemism

A mild or indirect term used instead of a harsh or blunt one.
Example: "I'm so sorry, but he didn't make it" as a softer way to say someone died.

Oxymoron

A combination of contradictory terms.
Examples include "deafening silence," "organized chaos," and "bittersweet."

Epigraph

A quotation or short text inserted at the beginning of a larger text.
Example: "Lawyers, I suppose, were children once." from "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Alliteration

A series of words starting with the same sound.
Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Symbolism

Represents deeper meanings through objects, figures, or events in literature.
Example: In "The Great Gatsby," the green light symbolizes Gatsby's hope and dreams.

Description

Explore the fascinating world of literary devices through this quiz on figures of speech. From similes to allusions, enhance your understanding of how these techniques enrich narratives. Test your knowledge and see how well you can identify and apply various literary devices in your writing.