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Jan 24, 2017 · In fact, the literal definition of “waif” is a homeless and helpless person, especially a neglected or abandoned child. A classic example of the waif is Oliver Twist, arguably the most famous fictional orphan of all time. The waif can add to the plot of a story in several ways.
- Person vs. Person. Also called man vs. man and protagonist vs. antagonist, this is the most common type of external conflict. It is clear and universally understood as a good vs. evil story in which an unambiguous challenger opposes the main character.
- Person vs. Nature. This type of conflict counters a character against some force of nature, such as an animal or the weather. A classic example is Ernest Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea.
- Person vs. Society. When a novel sets a character against a tradition, an institution, a law, or some other societal construct, it is a Person vs. Society story.
- Person vs. Technology. When science moves beyond human control, conflicts of Person vs. Technology develop. Stories in this conflict type include: 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- Dashiell Hammett: "The Gray Man" (from "Red Harvest") Dashiell Hammett is a master of the "hardboiled" style of writing. The character he is describing (tagged as the "gray man") is a relatively minor player in "Red Harvest", but a great example of the hardboiled style which is fast-paced, earthy, vivid, and slangy.
- Megan Abbott: "Gloria Denton" (from "Queenpin") Continuing in the hardboiled style: Megan Abbott is a student of the form — in fact, she has a Ph.D in Literature, where her thesis was about hardboiled fiction, which she later used as the basis for her non-fiction book "The Street Was Mine".
- Zadie Smith: "Clara Bowden" (from "White Teeth") Moving on from 1940s and '50s America to 1970s London, the description of Clara Bowden from Zadie Smith's "White Teeth" uses a memorable tag which is also a great example of a "layer cake" (something unexpected): Clara is described as "the most beautiful thing he had ever seen" and then ...
- Neil Gaiman: "Mr. Vandemar, Mr. Croup, and Mr. Ross" (from "Neverwhere") We're still in London, but the strange and magical London of Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere."
Sep 24, 2024 · Hyperbole in literature refers to a figure of speech where an author intentionally exaggerates details or situations to create a heightened effect or emphasize a point. Simply put, it’s when writers use over-the-top descriptions to make something stand out more than it would in real life.
- Allegory. An allegory is a story that is used to represent a more general message about real-life (historical) issues and/or events. It is typically an entire book, novel, play, etc.
- Alliteration. Alliteration is a series of words or phrases that all (or almost all) start with the same sound. These sounds are typically consonants to give more stress to that syllable.
- Allusion. Allusion is when an author makes an indirect reference to a figure, place, event, or idea originating from outside the text. Many allusions make reference to previous works of literature or art.
- Anachronism. An anachronism occurs when there is an (intentional) error in the chronology or timeline of a text. This could be a character who appears in a different time period than when he actually lived, or a technology that appears before it was invented.
Concise definitions, usage tips, and lots of examples for 136 literary devices and terms.
Aug 30, 2023 · Types of Conflict. 1. Man vs Self (Internal Conflict) Man vs self conflict is an internal struggle that a character experiences within themselves. This type of conflict arises when a character’s own actions, beliefs, emotions, or desires are in direct conflict with their moral or ethical values.
