Literary Devices Overview

Study Notes

Literary Devices

Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things that does not use "like" or "as". For example: "He was a volcano of rage."
Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as". For example: "Shine bright like a diamond." or "She was as weak as a kitten."
Idiom: A phrase that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. These expressions are often understood by a specific group of people or in a particular region. For example: "Spilled the tea", "Killed the vibe", "More than one way to skin a cat".
Flashback: An interruption in the present narrative to show events that happened in the past, often providing crucial information for the reader. For instance: In a story, a character's current actions might be explained by a flashback revealing a past experience that shaped them.
Foreshadowing: Hints or clues within the story that suggest events that will occur later. This creates suspense and anticipation. For example: If a character mentions a recurring dream about a storm, it might foreshadow a real storm later in the story.
Tone: The author's attitude or feelings towards the subject they are writing about. It is conveyed through specific word choices and often described using feeling words. Examples of tones include: cheerful, optimistic, fearful, melancholic.
Mood: The feelings or emotions that the audience experiences while reading or consuming a piece of literature. This can be influenced by the author's writing style and the audience's own experiences and perspectives. Examples of moods include: calm, light-hearted, tense, rebellious.
Hyperbole: A type of exaggeration that is so extreme it is clearly impossible, used for emphasis or humor. For example: "I'm so hungry I could eat a whole horse."
Personification: Giving human qualities or characteristics to inanimate objects or animals. Examples include talking animals or the phrase "The lightning danced through the night sky".

Conflict Types

Man vs. Man: Conflict between two characters, often involving disagreements, arguments, competition, or physical fights.
Man vs. Nature: Conflict between a character and forces of nature that they cannot control, such as natural disasters, diseases, or environmental challenges.
Man vs. Society: Conflict between a character and the social norms, laws, or governing bodies of their society. This could involve protesting, breaking laws, or challenging established customs.
Man vs. Himself: Internal conflict within a character's mind, often involving difficult decisions, troubling thoughts, or struggles with one's own behavior or emotions.

Other Literary Devices

Theme: The central idea, message, or lesson conveyed in a story. It is often described in a phrase and might represent the author's point of view on a particular topic. For example: "Money can't buy love."
Connotation: The emotional associations or feelings linked to a word, beyond its literal meaning. For example, the word "moist" might trigger feelings of discomfort for some, while the word "home" evokes feelings of warmth and security.
Denotation: The literal or dictionary definition of a word. For example, the denotation of the word "moist" is slightly wet, while the denotation of "home" is the place where someone lives.
Alliteration: The repetition of the same consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words in a phrase or sentence. For example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Irony Types

Situational Irony: When an event or outcome is the opposite of what is expected or what would naturally happen. For example: A fire station burning down is an example of situational irony.
Dramatic Irony: When the audience is aware of important information that one or more characters in the story are not. This creates suspense and often leads to a sense of foreboding. For example: In Romeo and Juliet, the audience knows about the priest's plan to reunite Romeo and Juliet, but Romeo is unaware of it, leading to tragic consequences.
Verbal Irony: When a speaker says something that contradicts what they actually mean. This can be achieved through sarcasm or by expressing something in a way that implies the opposite of what is literally being said. For example: Saying "That's just great" when something bad has happened is an example of verbal irony.