Literary Device
A literary device is any specific technique or tool a writer uses to make their writing more beautiful, expressive, or meaningful.
1. Alliteration
Definition: The repetition of the initial consonant sound in a sequence of nearby words.
Or •
- When the first sound of nearby words repeats.
- It's the repetition of the initial consonant sound in a series of words.
Examples:
.Captain Captain carefully counted the cash.
- Busy as a bee.
- She sells seashells by the seashore.
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
2. Anaphora
Definition: The repetition of the exact same word or phrase at the beginning of successive lines or clauses.
Examples:
- "Don’t look back. Don’t give up. Don’t stop trying."
- Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.
- Every day I learn, Every day I improve.
- We shall fight on the beaches, We shall fight on the seas.
3. Assonance
Definition: The repetition of similar vowel sounds inside words that are close to each other.
Examples:
- Go slow on the road.
- The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.
- The blue moon rose too soon.
4. Consonance
Definition: The repetition of consonant sounds anywhere inside or at the end of words in a sentence.
Examples:
- All's well that ends well.
- Blank and think.
- Lumpy, bumpy road.
5. Simile
Definition: A direct comparison between two completely different things using the words "like" or "as".
Or
- Comparing two completely different things by using the words "like" or "as".
Examples:
- He is as brave as a lion.
- She sings like a nightingale.
- The baby slept like a log.
6. Metaphor
Definition: A comparison between two things by stating that one thing is the other, without using "like" or "as".
Or
- Comparing two things by saying one thing is the other thing. (without using "like" or "as").
Examples:
- The classroom was a zoo.
- Time is money.
- The world is a stage.
7. Personification
Definition: Assigning human qualities, actions, or emotions to non-human things or objects.
Or
- Giving human qualities, actions, or feelings to non-human things (like animals, objects, or nature).
Examples:
- The wind whispered through the trees.
- The sun smiled down on us.
- The flowers danced in the breeze.
8. Imagery
Definition: Vivid, descriptive language that creates a clear mental picture by appealing to the five senses.
Or
- Words that create a clear picture in the mind by touching upon the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
Examples:
- The autumn leaves crunched and crackled under our boots.
- The sweet smell of roses filled the garden.
- The icy wind stung my face.
9. Irony
Definition: A contrast between expectation and reality, where the actual outcome or meaning is the exact opposite of what is expected.
Or - The Opposite of expectations
Examples:The Opposite of expectations
- A fire station burning down.
- A swimming coach being afraid of water.
- A traffic police officer getting a speeding ticket.
10. Symbolism
Definition: The use of a concrete object, person, or color to represent a deeper, abstract idea.
Or
- When a real object or color represents a much bigger, deeper idea
Examples:
- A Red Rose = Love.
- A Crying Baby = Innocence or helplessness.
- A White Dove representing peace.
- A Red Rose representing love.
- An Olive Branch representing friendship.
11. Allusion
Definition: A brief, indirect reference to a famous person, place, historical event, or literary work.
Or
- A quick, indirect hint to a famous person, place, story, or historical event that everyone already knows.
Examples:
-
- "He is the Romeo of our class." (Allusion to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, meaning he is romantic)
- Don't be such a Scrooge!
- He met his Waterloo.
- She thinks she is Cinderella.
12. Analogy
Definition: A logical comparison between two different things to explain a complex concept or relationship.
Or
- A longer, logical comparison between two different things to explain a complex idea simply.
Examples:
"Life is like a game of chess; every move you make has a consequence, and you must plan ahead to win."
- Just as a sword is the weapon of a soldier, a pen is the weapon of a writer.
- Books are to the mind what exercise is to the body.
- The heart is like a pump that circulates blood.
13. Rhyme Scheme
Definition: The ordered pattern of rhymes at the end of the lines of a poem, which is labeled using letters of the alphabet (A, B, C, etc.).
Examples:
Example 1 (ABAB)
The way a crow (A)
Shook down on me (B)
The dust of snow (A)
From a hemlock tree (B)
(From "Dust of Snow" by )
Example 2 (AABB)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star (A)
How I wonder what you are (A)
Up above the world so high (B)
Like a diamond in the sky (B)
Example 3 (ABCB)
Whose woods these are I think I know (A)
His house is in the village though (A)
He will not see me stopping here (B)
To watch his woods fill up with snow (A)
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