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Jul 30, 2024 · Literary devices used in writing include allegory, allusion, cliffhanger, dramatic irony, satire, personification, simile, motif, imagery, flashbacks, and symbolism. In this guide, we’ll look at what literary devices are, learn why they’re important, and give you detailed examples that you can incorporate into your writing to make your ...
- Allegory. Allegory is a literary device used to express large, complex ideas in an approachable manner. Allegory allows writers to create some distance between themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially when those issues are strong critiques of political or societal realities.
- Allusion. An allusion is a popular literary device used to develop characters, frame storylines, and help create associations to well-known works. Allusions can reference anything from Victorian fairy tales and popular culture to the Bible and the Bard.
- Anachronism. Imagine reading a story about a caveman who microwaves his dinner, or watching a film adaptation of a Jane Austen novel in which the characters text each other instead of writing letters.
- Cliffhanger. It’s a familiar feeling: You’re on minute 59 of an hour-long television episode, and the protagonist is about to face the villain—and then episode cuts to black.
- 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.
- Alliteration: Repetition of the same consonant sounds in nearby words (e.g., slippery snake).
- Allusion: A reference to another work of literature, person, or event (e.g., “He’s a real Romeo”).
- Anadiplosis: Repeating the last word of one phrase or sentence at the beginning of the next.
- Anaphora: Repeating a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences (e.g., “Be bold. Be brave. Be happy”).
- Reading the text and identifying literary devices. The first step is to carefully read the text(s) and take initial notes. As you read, pay attention to the things that are most intriguing, surprising, or even confusing in the writing—these are things you can dig into in your analysis.
- Coming up with a thesis. Your thesis in a literary analysis essay is the point you want to make about the text. It’s the core argument that gives your essay direction and prevents it from just being a collection of random observations about a text.
- Writing a title and introduction. To start your literary analysis paper, you’ll need two things: a good title, and an introduction. The title. Your title should clearly indicate what your analysis will focus on.
- Writing the body of the essay. The body of your essay is everything between the introduction and conclusion. It contains your arguments and the textual evidence that supports them.
Sep 4, 2024 · A literary device to present events that occurred before the story’s current timeline, providing background or context. As she walked through the old neighborhood, she had a vision of her childhood days spent playing in the park. The soldier remembered his first day of training as he prepared for battle. 15. Allegory.
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Literary devices are the techniques writers use to help them communicate their ideas more colorfully, more meaningfully, and most effectively. They often involve the use of figurative language and things like metaphors, similes, symbols, exaggeration, irony, assonance, and alliteration. All great writers use literary devices, whether in poetry ...
