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Literary devices are techniques that writers use to create a special and pointed effect in their writing, to convey information, or to help readers understand their writing on a deeper level. Often, literary devices are used in writing for emphasis or clarity.
- Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical devices and literary devices can both be used to...
- Complete List of Crucible Characters
Thomas Putnam is husband to Ann Putnam and father of the...
- Assonance
Think of literary devices like tools in a toolbox. Each...
- Points of View
Usually writers will use second person in sections of their...
- Tone Words
Many writers confuse tone and voice or use the two terms...
- Money and Materialism
The description of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of...
- The Most Important Themes in This Play
Why do certain characters seem to be blind to the irony of...
- Green Light in The Great Gatsby
The green light is a permanently lit electric lamp that...
- Rhetorical Devices
- Cliffhanger
- Dramatic Irony
- Foreshadowing
- Hyperbole
- Oxymoron
Bring the kind of suspense you see in a 2-hour movie flick to writing with a cliffhanger. Besides marking the end in a section of a story, cliffhangers are great for keeping your audience engaged in a story.
Effective in works for literature, film, and television, dramatic irony is where an audience already knows the fate of characters in a story, but the character don’t know the fate of each other.
Foreshadowing is a powerful literary device that somewhat indicates the future in an anecdote. Like flashback, this literary device creates tension, suspense, and sometimes both at the same time. Since foreshadowing makes your readers crave for more of what’s yet to come, it’s such a powerful literary device to use if you want to keep them glued to...
Hyperbole is an exaggeration of a statement, which gives more significance on the meaning of that very statement. For example, telling a friend that you haven’t gone to the movies in a coon’s age is a hyperbole.
In its very form, an oxymoron is a figurative approach to language where authors use a combination of words in a non-literal sense to come up with new words or phrases with completely new meanings.
- 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”).
May 7, 2021 · Literary devices are techniques writers use to convey a deeper meaning in their works. Literary devices are concerned about how sentences sound, how they are described and how the plot and themes of a literary work are conveyed to the reader.
- 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.
Sep 4, 2024 · Literary devices are not just abstract literary terms. They are vital to writing, guiding how readers perceive and interpret a text. Whether you use them to evoke emotion, emphasize a theme, or add rhythm to prose, these tools are essential for effective communication in literature.
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Simply put, literary devices are specific techniques or tools you can use to convey meaning, create an impact, and enhance the overall quality of your writing. They’re essential for adding depth and texture, allowing you to engage their readers on multiple levels.
