Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate The word "downtown" is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of "down" followed by another stressed syllable, town: Down-town. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats -- the hobbit was fond of visitors." (read full dialogue explanation with examples) Pathetic fallacy occurs when a writer attributes human emotions to things that aren't human, such as objects, weather, or animals. Pathos, along with logos and ethos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. (read more), Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating its contrary. "She is as vicious as a lion." Nglish: Translation of device for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of device for Arabic Speakers. Send us feedback. Also known as figures of speech or rhetorical devices, the goal of . something (such as a figure of speech) in a literary work designed to achieve a particular artistic effect. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worryit is. Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance, as in "Look! An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. Maybe breaking down the finer points of metaphor, perspective, and juxtaposition sounds like a fast track to sucking all the fun out of actually enjoying writing. (read full end-stopped line explanation with examples) (read more), A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. Below is a list of literary devices, most of which you'll often come across in both prose and poetry. Elegies are defined Explore the definition of literary examples and see examples including allusion . In Robert Munschs groundbreaking feminist page turner The Paper Bag Princess, the typical damsel-and-dragon story is turned on its head as none of the three central characters fit into the roles theyre expected to. Parataxis usually involves simple sentences or phrases whose relationships You probably wont use all of the literary devices were going to show you here in your own work. For example, one Contrary to stereotypes, which are oversimplifications of an archetypes most extreme personality traits, archetypes work because they speak to a universal truth. Ideas, images, A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or a thing. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? (read full point of view explanation with examples) Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Join hundreds of thousands of writers and get your story published! (read full consonance explanation with examples) Unlike a paradox, an oxymoron is a figure of speech that having to do with two words one after the other: a deafening silence is an oxymoron, because it combines two words that contradict each otherd. It was a dark and stormy night is an infamous opening line that immediately sets the tone for the story. (read more), Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. (read full epanalepsis explanation with examples) Juxtaposition 12. is a soliloquy, as she is speaking aloud to herself (remember that she doesn't realize Romeo's there listening!). More importantly, both myths and legends are stories that stay with us for the long game because they represent values, needs, and desires that transcend generational divides. A caesura doesn't have to be placed in A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. Without these elements theres no physical house. (read more), An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and", "or", and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importanceare omitted. (read more), Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity), with a focus on the trials and misfortunes that affect the character's growth. Definition with Examples, What Is Anachronism? Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Tolkien's The Hobbit: "It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. Some of those literary devices include conflict, cliffhangers, foreshadowing, imagery, and themes. This device is often used to help the reader clearly visualize parts of the story by creating a strong mental picture. (read full anapest explanation with examples) Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or two quatrains making up a stanza of 8 lines) and a sestet (a stanza of A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. A myth is a story that explains why things are how they are in the worldfor instance, the creation myth of the Bible, or the story of how Raven stole the moon and stars in aboriginal mythology. LitCharts Teacher Editions. J. R. R. Tolkien, for instance, creates richness in the world of his English language work by inventing entirely new languages and referencing them just enough to make them seem real. The skilled writer uses them to create a powerful, lasting work of art; and without them, a story would be much more basic, less enjoyable, and less memorable. It is often used in poetry (for purposes of rhythm as well). For An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually within parallel grammatical structures. Resist the temptation to skim or skip any sections of the text. Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. (read more), A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. But unlike a simile, which draws a comparison between two things, a metaphor goes a step further and uses one image to literally serve in place of another. Assonance is a figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words. An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem Characterization may occur through direct description, in which the character's qualities are described by a narrator, another character, or (read full dactyl explanation with examples) Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall. (read full tragic hero explanation with examples) Having a basic understanding of the ideas on this literary devices list, however, will help you see why other storytellers make the choices they do so that you can begin developing a storytelling voice of your own. (read more), A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. For example, in the story of "Little An aphorism is a saying that concisely expresses a moral principle or an observation about the world, presenting it as Reflection - In literature class, we could apply this concept because in literary work, literary devices and figurative language is used all the time. Dialect is a fantastic literary device to use when crafting strong, distinctive, believable characters. The meaning of TECHNIQUE is the manner in which technical details are treated (as by a writer) or basic physical movements are used (as by a dancer); also : ability to treat such details or use such movements. For instance, these lines from A pun is a figure of speech that plays with words that have multiple meanings, or that plays with words Polyptoton is a figure of speech that involves the repetition of words derived from the same root (such as "blood" hide 55 types. For Symbols that we see in our everyday lives include things like red roses for love, butterflies for transformation, or the the caduceus for medicine. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. (read full epigram explanation with examples) (read full rhyme scheme explanation with examples) (read more), Exposition is the description or explanation of background information within a work of literature. How to use a word that (literally) drives some pe Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference. (read full pun explanation with examples) Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. A clich is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. The dnouement is the final section ofa story's plot,in which loose ends are tied up, lingering questions are answered, and Although For instance, the epigraph of Mary An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poemthat is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. All character archetypes exist and, on some level, exist in us. In the story, animals on a farm practice animalism, which is essentially communism. Slam, pop, and pow are other common words you see in superhero comics. (read more), An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a pointparticularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. 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