Poetry Literary Devices

Literary Devices

• Repetition is a literary device used to draw the reader's attention
• Assonance: repetition of a vowel sound (e.g., "Jan likes to eat spam from a can")
• Consonance: repetition of a consonant sound (e.g., "Troy took a trip in his truck and experienced traffic")
• Both assonance and consonance can establish a rhythm in poetry

Poem Analysis: "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson

• The poem describes hope as a bird that sings within the soul
• Dickinson uses short, lyric poetry with one speaker to emphasize elements of nature, self-identity, and God
• The poem's focus is on the bird's song remaining consistent and steadfast
• Dickinson uses anaphora (repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses) to emphasize the bird's resiliency and steady rhythm
• The poem is written in common meter (hymn meter), with alternating eight-syllable and six-syllable lines

Poem Analysis: "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

• The poem is centered around an unnamed narrator's journey into madness after realizing he will never forget his lost Lenore
• Poe uses symbols such as a talking raven, a bust of Pallas, and the narrator's chamber to share the story
• The poem represents the narrator's struggle with grief
• Poe believed in the unity of effect, where every piece of a poem supports the poet's purpose
• He uses poetic devices such as meter, alliteration, and internal rhyme to achieve this unity of effect

Main Idea and Supporting Details

• A main idea is the main point or argument being made in a text
• An implied main idea is not clearly stated but can be inferred from the supporting details
• To identify the main idea, readers can:
  • Read the entire passage to determine the topic
  • Examine individual details to make connections
  • Use clues in the text to identify and explain the main idea

Sequential Structures

• Chronological sequencing: events in the order they occurred
• Instructional sequencing: events in the order they need to be accomplished
• Foundational sequencing: events ordered by building on previous knowledge
• Authors use these structures to convey information in informational texts

Informational Text Structures

• Cause and effect structure: shows how certain actions led to other events
• Compare and contrast structure: shows similarities and differences between two people, ideas, places, or things
• Chronological order: relates events in the order they occurred
• Problem and solution structure: lays out a situation before explaining how it was addressed
• Descriptive structure: uses creative writing to make an event come alive and illustrate a point

Organizational Aids

• Print features: table of contents, preface, index, or glossary
• Organizational aids: headings, subheadings, bold, color, or italic font
• Illustrations and graphics: photographs, drawings, graphs, tables, maps, or diagrams that summarize main ideas

Historical Speeches

• Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln (1863)
  • Sought to give meaning to the sacrifice of soldiers who died during the American Civil War
  • References the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of the United States on liberty and equality
• Farewell Address by George Washington (1796)
  • Announced his decision not to seek a third term as president
  • Warned against sectionalism, political parties, and foreign involvement

Responding to Art Forms

• Qualities of good responses: thoughtfulness, specific explanations, and vivid details
• Approaching responses: prewriting, asking questions (e.g., context, content, what's not in the piece?)
• Considering paintings and other art forms, asking questions, and making connections

Literary Devices

• Repetition is a literary device used to draw the reader's attention
• Assonance: repetition of a vowel sound (e.g., "Jan likes to eat spam from a can")
• Consonance: repetition of a consonant sound (e.g., "Troy took a trip in his truck and experienced traffic")
• Both assonance and consonance can establish a rhythm in poetry

Poem Analysis: "Hope is the Thing with Feathers" by Emily Dickinson

• The poem describes hope as a bird that sings within the soul
• Dickinson uses short, lyric poetry with one speaker to emphasize elements of nature, self-identity, and God
• The poem's focus is on the bird's song remaining consistent and steadfast
• Dickinson uses anaphora (repetition of words or phrases at the beginning of successive clauses) to emphasize the bird's resiliency and steady rhythm
• The poem is written in common meter (hymn meter), with alternating eight-syllable and six-syllable lines

Poem Analysis: "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe

• The poem is centered around an unnamed narrator's journey into madness after realizing he will never forget his lost Lenore
• Poe uses symbols such as a talking raven, a bust of Pallas, and the narrator's chamber to share the story
• The poem represents the narrator's struggle with grief
• Poe believed in the unity of effect, where every piece of a poem supports the poet's purpose
• He uses poetic devices such as meter, alliteration, and internal rhyme to achieve this unity of effect

Main Idea and Supporting Details

• A main idea is the main point or argument being made in a text
• An implied main idea is not clearly stated but can be inferred from the supporting details
• To identify the main idea, readers can:
  • Read the entire passage to determine the topic
  • Examine individual details to make connections
  • Use clues in the text to identify and explain the main idea

Sequential Structures

• Chronological sequencing: events in the order they occurred
• Instructional sequencing: events in the order they need to be accomplished
• Foundational sequencing: events ordered by building on previous knowledge
• Authors use these structures to convey information in informational texts

Informational Text Structures

• Cause and effect structure: shows how certain actions led to other events
• Compare and contrast structure: shows similarities and differences between two people, ideas, places, or things
• Chronological order: relates events in the order they occurred
• Problem and solution structure: lays out a situation before explaining how it was addressed
• Descriptive structure: uses creative writing to make an event come alive and illustrate a point

Organizational Aids

• Print features: table of contents, preface, index, or glossary
• Organizational aids: headings, subheadings, bold, color, or italic font
• Illustrations and graphics: photographs, drawings, graphs, tables, maps, or diagrams that summarize main ideas

Historical Speeches

• Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln (1863)
  • Sought to give meaning to the sacrifice of soldiers who died during the American Civil War
  • References the Declaration of Independence and the foundation of the United States on liberty and equality
• Farewell Address by George Washington (1796)
  • Announced his decision not to seek a third term as president
  • Warned against sectionalism, political parties, and foreign involvement

Responding to Art Forms

• Qualities of good responses: thoughtfulness, specific explanations, and vivid details
• Approaching responses: prewriting, asking questions (e.g., context, content, what's not in the piece?)
• Considering paintings and other art forms, asking questions, and making connections

Learn about literary devices used in poetry, including repetition, assonance, and consonance. Understand how to analyze and describe poetry.