Familiar Literary Devices
Symbolism
when an object or things represents a larger and more complex idea
Simile
comparison using “like” or “as"
Tick-tock, tick-tock
Onomatopoeia
a person or force opposing the protagonist in a narrative
Antagonist
writer’s word choice
Diction
Hyperbole
exaggeration or overstatement
giving human-like qualities or nonhuman things
The child bounced the ball at the backyard barbeque.
Alliteration
a vagueness of meaning; lack of clarity
Ambiguity
a reference to a person, place, event or literary work that a writer EXPECTS the reader to recognize
Allusion
Allegory
a tale in verse or prose where characters, actions and/or setting represent abstract or moral qualities; literal and symbolic meaning
Theme
the universal message conveyed in a narrative that can be applied to other narratives
She was beautiful, but he knew she was nothing but a forbidden fruit.
Allusion
attempting to show life as it really is
Realism
the literal, dictionary definition of a word
Denotation
Motif
a recurring feature or idea in a work of art, music, or literature
Verbal Irony
contrast between what is said and what is really meant; sarcasm
Passive Aggressive
Oxymoron
artistic; concerning the appreciation of beauty or “good” taste
Aesthetic
speech that is the characteristic of a particular group or geographic region
Dialect
Connotation
the emotions/feelings associated with the word
Juxtaposition
things placed side by side to compare are/or contrast
The cat is out of the bag!
Idiom
category of artistic composition marked by a distinctive style
Genre
a statement that contradicts itself
Paradox