Literary Devices

Definition and Examples of Literary Terms

Full List of Literary Devices Grammatical Terms Poem Analysis Book Literary Analysis Phrase Analysis Essay Writing What are Literary Devices Citation

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Introduction
Commonly, the term Literary Devices refers to the typical structures used by writers in their works to
convey his or her message(s) in a simple manner to his or her readers. When employed properly, the
different literary devices help readers to appreciate, interpret and analyze a literary work.

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Two Kinds of Literary Devices
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Literary Devices have two aspects. They can be treated as either Literary Elements or Literary
Techniques. It will be convenient to define them separately.
POPULAR LITERARY DEVICES
Literary Elements have an inherent existence in literary piece and are extensively employed by writers
View Full List of Literary Devices
to develop a literary piece e.g. plot, setting, narrative structure, characters, mood, theme, moral etc.
Ad Hominem Adage Writers simply cannot create his desired work without including Literary Elements in a thoroughly
Allegory Alliteration professional manner.
Allusion Ambiguity
Literary Techniques, on the contrary, are structures usually a word s or phrases in literary texts that
Anachronism Anagram
Analogy Anapest writers employ to achieve not merely artistic ends but also readers a greater understanding and

Anaphora Anecdote appreciation of their literary works. Examples are: metaphor, simile, alliteration, hyperbole, allegory etc.
Antagonist Antecedent In contrast to Literary Elements, Literary Techniques are not unavoidable aspect of literary works.
Antimetabole Antithesis
To have a better understanding of Literary Devices, it is useful to look at their definition and examples:
Aphorism Aposiopesis
Apostrophe Archaism
Archetype Argument Common Literary Elements
Assonance Biography
1. Plot: It is the logical sequence of events that develops a story.
Cacophony Cadence
Caricature Catharsis 2. Setting: It refers to the time and place in which a story takes place.

Characterization Cliché 3. Protagonist: It is the main character of story, novel or a play e.g. Hamlet in the play Hamlet
Climax Colloquialism 4. Antagonist: It is the character in conflict with the Protagonist e.g. Claudius in the play Hamlet
Comparison Conflict 5. Narrator: A person who tells the story.
Connotation Consonance 6. Narrative method: The manner in which a narrative is presented comprising plot and setting.
Denotation Deus Ex Machina 7. Dialogue: Where characters of a narrative speak to one another.
Dialect Dialogue 8. Conflict. It is n issue in a narrative around which the whole story revolves.
Diction Didacticism 9. Mood: A general atmosphere of a narrative.
Discourse Doppelganger
10. Theme: It is central idea or concept of a story.
Double Entendre Ellipsis
Epiphany Epitaph
Common Literary Techniques
Essay Ethos
Eulogy Euphemism
1. Imagery: It is the use of figurative language to create visual representations of actions, objects and
Evidence Exposition
ideas in our mind in such a way that they appeal to our physical senses. For example:
Fable Fallacy
Flash Forward Foil The room was dark and gloomy. -The words “dark” and “gloomy” are visual images.
Foreshadowing Foreword The river was roaring in the mountains. – The word “roaring” appeals to our sense of hearing.
Genre Haiku
Half Rhyme Homage 2. Simile and Metaphor: Both compare two distinct objects and draws similarity between them. The
Hubris Hyperbaton difference is that Simile uses “as” or “like” and Metaphor does not. For example:
Hyperbole Idiom
Imagery Induction “My love is like a red red rose” (Simile)
Inference Innuendo He is an old fox very cunning. (Metaphor)
Internal Rhyme Irony
3. Hyperbole: It is deliberate exaggeration of actions and ideas for the sake of emphasis. For example:
Jargon Juxtaposition
Limerick Line Break
Your bag weighs a ton!
Logos Meiosis
I have got a million issues to look after!
Memoir Metaphor
Meter Montage 4. Personification: It gives a thing, an idea or an animal human qualities. For example:
Mood Motif
Motto Narrative The Flowers are dancing beside the lake.
Nemesis Non Sequitur Have you see my new car? She is a real beauty!
Ode Onomatopoeia
Oxymoron Palindrome 5. Alliteration: It refers to the same consonant sounds in words coming together. For example:

Parable Paradox
Better butter always makes the batter better.
Parallelism Parataxis
She sells seashells at seashore.
Parody Pathetic Fallacy
Pathos Pentameter 6. Allegory: It is a literary technique in which an abstract idea is given a form of characters, actions or
Persona Personification
events. For example:
Plot Plot Twist
Poem Poetic Justice “Animal Farm”, written by George Orwell, is an example allegory using the actions of animals on a
Point of View Portmanteau farm to represent the overthrow of the last of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Communist
Propaganda Prose Revolution of Russia before WW II. In addition, the actions of the animals on the farm are used to
Protagonist Pun expose the greed and corruption of the Revolution.
Red Herring Repetition
Rhetoric Rhyme 7. Irony: It is use of the words in such a way in which the intended meaning is completely opposite to
Rhythm Sarcasm their literal meaning. For example:
Satire Simile
Soliloquy Sonnet The bread is soft as a stone.
Style Subtext So nice of you to break my new PSP!
Superlative Syllogism
Symbolism Synecdoche Function of Literary Devices
Synesthesia Synonym
Syntax Tautology In general, the literary devices are a collection of universal artistic structures that are so typical of all
Theme Thesis works of literature frequently employed by the writers to give meanings and a logical framework to their
Tone Tragedy works through language. When such works are read by readers, they ultimately recognize and
Tragicomedy Tragic Flaw appreciate them. Because of their universality, they also allow the readers to compare a work of one
Transition Utopia writer to that of the other to determine its worth. They not only beautify the piece of literature but also
Verisimilitude
give deeper meanings to it, testing the very understanding of the readers along with providing them
enjoyment of reading. Besides, they help motivating readers’ imagination to visualize the characters and
scenes more clearly.

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