Literary Devices

Literary Devices ENG 3U0

List of Literary Devices • Foreshadowing • Hamartia • Hyperbole • Malapropism • Metaphor • Onomatopoeia • Oxymoron • Paradox • Alliteration • Allusion • Analogy • Archetype • Catharsis • Dramatic Irony • Flashback • Pathetic Fallacy • Personification • Pun • Simile • Situational Irony • Symbolism • Verbal Irony

Alliteration The repetition of the initial consonant sound in a series of words. It adds rhythm or emphasizes emotion. Example: The ravenous reptile ate the weary rat hungrily on the rock.

Allusion An indirect reference to a famous person, place, thing, pop-culture icon, or another work of literature. By suggestion, it may enhance the significance of a poetic image or prose passage.

Analogy A comparison that focuses on something similar between two things that are otherwise not the same. It’s like a metaphor, but more complex and usually used to express logic. It helps the reader understand something unfamiliar by comparing it to something well-known.

Archetype An archetypal character represents a general, universal type. An archetypal conflict is a conflict that occurs frequently in literature and is common to the human experience.

Catharsis An event releases these powerful emotions which ultimately provides relief and gives the spectator a deeper, more powerful experience.

Dramatic Irony A situation in which the audience knows more about present or future circumstances than a character in the story. Romeo & Juliet: The audience know that Juliet is not dead, she has taken a potion. However, Romeo thinks that she is dead.

Flashback A jump back to an event or scene that took place at an earlier point in a story. Writers use flashback to explain something that is presently occurring in the story. Flashbacks can also explain a character’s motivation and help to clear up any unanswered questions in the plot.

Foreshadowing Subsequent actions or events that are suggested; a hint of what is to come. The hint, however, should not be too obvious to the reader because it will give the plot away and affect the suspense of the narrative.

Hamartia The tragic flaw of the tragic character. It is the error of judgment that leads to the hero’s destruction. Example: Hubris

Hyperbole The obvious exaggeration of facts to show the intensity of feeling. Example: My heart is broken

Malapropism Unintentional use of an inappropriate word similar in sound to the appropriate word, often with humorous effect. Ex. “…an excitement that will sweep the country like wildflowers.”

Metaphor A direct comparison between two unlike things. In addition to painting vivid pictures for the reader, metaphors help to make abstract ideas more concrete, add emotion, and show the writer’s feelings. Ex. The basketball player was an overpowering mountain. Nobody was able to score a basket over him.

Onomatopoeia The sound of a word resembles its meaning. Hiss, thud, crash, hush, and twitter are examples of onomatopoeic words.

Oxymoron A figure of speech in which contradictory words or connotations are placed together for effect. Example: jumbo shrimp is an oxymoronic phrase.

Paradox An apparent contradiction or illogical statement but on closer examination, contains some truth. Examples: Nobody goes to that restaurant, it's too crowded. Don't go near the water until you've learned to swim.

Pathetic Fallacy A literary device in which nature or inanimate things are described in a way that is sympathetic or mirrors events or emotions of characters

Personification Human qualities are attributed to inanimate objects. Example: The wind whispered through the pine trees.

Pun A play on words based on the similarity of sound between two words with different meanings. Example: Opening a new funeral parlor can be quite an undertaking.

Other Examples of Puns * source: @omgthatspunny on Twitter He said I was average – but he was just being mean It’s a fact, taller people sleep longer in bed I got angry when my cell phone battery died. My counsellor suggested I find an outlet Trust your calculator. It’s something to count on. The personal trainer quit his job because it wasn’t working out • Swimming instructors are always getting immersed in their work • I used to like Russian dolls until I realised they were full of themselves! • A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class because it was a weapon of math disruption • I’ve been called a rare commodity. I wonder if that makes me silver or gold? I guess I could be either ore.

Simile A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as”. Example: The fall leaves looked like monarch butterflies dancing on the ground.

Situational Irony Situational Irony – takes place when the circumstances turn out differently from what the reader expects or anticipates.

Symbolism The use of definite objects to stand for complex ideas. The story will tell you if something should be taken symbolically, usually through emphasis, repetition or position. If something is described in an odd way, or if it keeps showing up, or if it appears in the key positions of a story (the title, the first or the last paragraphs) it may be symbolic. The meaning of the symbol has to exist inside the story. It should be different in kind from its literal meaning. Symbols can have more than one meaning or interpretation.

Verbal Irony Verbal Irony – occurs when the intended meaning of a phrase or sentence differs from its actual meaning.

Literary Devices