Literary Device Examples

External Conflict

Struggles against a force outside themselves such as nature, a physical obstacle, a machine or another character "Warfare"

Antagonist

*Against the protagonist *Causes the conflict *Bad guy "(Other) wolves"

Omniscient (3rd Person) Narrator

*All-knowing point of view *Knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters "Guardians of Ga'Hoole"

Narrative Poem

*Poem that tells a story *Contains characters, a setting, and a plot "Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'"

Protagonist

*The main character in a story, play or novel; the character the audience is most concerned with. *Involved in the main conflict of the story *Usually undergoes a change "Faolan"

Metaphor

A comparison between two different things that is stated as a fact "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Simile

A comparison of two things using "like" or "as" "Happy as a dog"

Characteristic

A distinguishing trait about a character "Burton's clumsiness and paranoia"

Stanza

A paragraph in a poem or song "Roses are red, Violets are blue; Birds go tweet, And cows go moo."

Opinion

A personal feeling or belief, can't be proved true or false "I don't think you should've done that."

Imagery

A picture that the author paints in your head with his/her words. It usually involves at least one of the five senses "A hazy, bright, humid morning."

Shot Story

A short work of narrative fiction

Fiction

A story that is made up that has characters who are not real. Example- Harry Potter

Foreshadow

A suggestion or indication that something will happen in the future

theme

A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work.

Flashback

A transition in a novel, film, etc. to a past event; a strong memory of a past event that comes suddenly into a person's mind

Hyperbole

An extreme exaggeration "Happiest boy in the whole world"

Exposition

Another word for introduction of a story ""

Figurative Language

Any use of language where the intended meaning differs from the actual literal meaning of the words themselves "Little strokes fell great oaks"

Memoir

Collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events that took place in their life "Diary of Anne Frank"

Dialogue

Conversations among characters

Main Idea

Is important information that tells more about the overall idea of a paragraph or section of a text

Internal Conflict

Mental or emotional struggle of a character "Burton"

1st Person

Narrator is: *In the story *Telling their own story *Uses 'I', 'Me', 'My' "Stargirl"

3rd Person

Narrator is: *Outside the story *Telling someone else's story *Uses 'He', 'She', 'They' "Night"

parallelism

Phrases or sentences of a similar construction/meaning placed side by side, balancing each other

juxtaposition

Placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

Non-Fiction

Prose writing that contains facts about real people and events. Example- Dallas Morning News

Repetition

Stating the same word, phrase, or sentence over and over again to provide emphasis "Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'"

Tone

The author's emotional attitude toward the work "The virus' mutation"

Connotation

The emotional or implied meaning of a word. Opposite of denotation "Wily - Clever"

Plot

The events that make up a story "The Andromeda Strain"

Denouement

The final outcome or resolution of the main conflict of the story

Structure

The framework on which the story is built, such as plots, chapters,and scenes

Climax

The highest or most intense point in a story; turning point of a story "Hall twists the detonation stopper keyhole so the bomb doesn't go off."

Genre

The kind or type of literary composition, such as a novel, biography, article, or poetry

Denotation

The literal or dictionary meaning of a word. Opposite of connotation. "Dog - usually domesticated canine which evolved from wolves"

Speaker

The narrator of a poem "Edgar Allan Poe"

Mood

The reader's emotional reaction to the work "Heart racing at a suspenseful/active part of a story"

Alliteration

The repetition of beginning consonant sounds through a sequence of words "So sorry, she sent seven sibling-less."

Biography

The story of a person's life, told by another person "New Testament"

Autobiography

The story of a person's life, written by that person "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin"

Conflict

The struggle between opposing forces around which the action of a literary work revolves

thesis

The thesis statement is the sentence or group of sentences that directly expresses the author's opinion, purpose, meaning, or position.

Setting

The time, place, and conditions in which the action of a book, movie, etc., takes place "Warriors series: a small forest in a neighborhood; tall, thin trees; thin underbrush; bushes and bracken; small open areas where the 'clan' camps are"

Personification

To give a non-human object or abstract concept human qualities "The wind sung."

Text Evidence

Using quotes from the story to prove your answer "The virus had mutated."

Narrator

Voice that tells the story "Protagonist, background character or omniscience"

Resolution

When a problem is solved, it usually happens at the end of the story. Also known as the conclusion of the story "Firestar gets accepted as a warrior"

Falling Action

Where the conflict begins to calm; The part of the story where all the loose ends of the plot are tied together

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like their meaning, for example, buzz, clank, splat, or crash

Poetry

Writing that is highly structured and uses condensed vivid language, figures of speech, and often rhyme to create an emotional response

Rising Action

where the story begins to escalate;begins after the exposition/introduction of a story