Literary Devices

anaphora

repetition of a word or phrase

Simile

a figure of speech that uses like or as to compare seemingly unlike things

symbol

any person, animal, place, object, or event that exists on a literal level within a work but also represents something on a figurative level

onomatopoeia- example

buzz

imagery

descriptive language that speaks to one or more of the 5 senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound)

Metaphor

figure of speech that makes a comparison between two seemingly unlike things

Alliteration- example

from forth the fatal loins

Verbal Irony

stating something other than the literal meaning

Connotation

the associations connected to a word; the figurative meaning

Tone

the author's attitude toward the material

irony

the contrast between appearance and reality

Dramatic Irony

the contrast between what the characters know and what the reader knows

Denotation

the dictionary definition of a word; the literal meaning

Verbal Irony- example

Of course I don't mind that you lowered my pay.

Symbol-example

Cross

hyperbole- example

I hope my mom doesn't kill me when she finds out.

Hyperbole

a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express strong emotion, make a point, or evoke humor

Allusion- example

He had Herculean strength.

Theme- example

It is better to try your hardest than to live with the regrets of inaction.

Anaphora- example

She breathed in and out, in and out, to steady her nervous for the big test.

Simile-example

She was as beautiful as Aphrodite.

Situational Irony- Example

The princess walks out of the castle as the prince arrives to save her.

Dramatic Irony- example

The reader knows the killer is in the shed, the characters in the story don't.

Personification- example

The trees danced in the breeze.

Metaphor-example

Time is money.

Personification

a figure of speech in which an animal, object, a force of nature, or an idea is given human characteristics.

allusion

a reference to a well-known character, place, or situation from history, music, art, or another work of literature

Motif

a significant word, phrase, image, description, idea, or other element that is repeated throughout a literary work and is related to the theme.

Theme

the moral or lesson taught throughout the story

Situational Irony

the outcome is something other than what is anticipated

alliteration

the repetition of constant sounds, generally at the beginning of words

onomatopoeia

the use of a word or phrase that imitates or suggests the sound of what it describes

Diction

word choice