(read full metonymy explanation with examples) For instance, Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969 In a traditional "good vs. evil" story (like manysuperhero movies) (read full trochee explanation with examples) LitCharts Teacher Editions. Acrostics An acrostic is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letterstypically the first letter of each line, An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaningusually moral, spiritual, or politicalthrough the use of symbolic characters and events. In this narrower definition, figurative language refers For instance, the following lines Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. (read more), An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaningusually moral, spiritual, or politicalthrough the use of symbolic characters and events. An example An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and", "or", and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importanceare omitted. An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and", "or", and "but" A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. A cacophony is a combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they pack a lot of Typically, flat characters can be easily (read full exposition explanation with examples) Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or (read more), Blank verse is the name given to poetry that lacks rhymes but does follow a specific metera meter that is almost always iambic pentameter. Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. (read full chiasmus explanation with examples) (read more), Anthropomorphismis theattribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviorsto animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). (read more), Traditionally, slant rhyme referred to a type of rhyme in which two words located at the end of a line of poetry themselves end in similarbut not identicalconsonant sounds. For instance, if a novel set in Medieval England featured a trip to a movie-theater, that would be an anachronism. A single stanza is usually set A character is said to be "static" if they do not undergo any substantial internal changes as a result of the story's major plot developments. John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. (read more), Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or cannot respond in reality. Often, the governing word will mean something different when applied to each part, as A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" (read full flat character explanation with examples) (read more), A cacophony is a combination of words that sound harsh or unpleasant together, usually because they pack a lot of percussiveor "explosive" consonants (like T, P, or K) into relatively little space. A famous example of antanaclasis is Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. The Poetry Assessor is calibrated using contemporary (20th and 21st century) poems. (read more), A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. Blank verse is the name given to poetry that lacks rhymes but does follow a specific metera meter that is The comparison in a metaphor can be stated explicitly, as in the sentence "Love is John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you (read full falling action explanation with examples) Alliteration Hearkening back to the days when poetry was mostly sung or read out loud, this literary device uses repeating opening sounds at the start of a series of successive words, giving them a lovely musical quality. The Joy of Poetry: A Beginner-Friendly Workshop with Joy Roulier Sawyer In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Whether you're studying poetry or prose, recognizing different literary devices can help you understand and appreciate what you're reading -- or watching. (read more), Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). (read full alliteration explanation with examples) Elegies are defined In prose writing, lines of dialogue are typically identified by the use of quotation marks (read more), A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs. Two writers describing the same set of events might craft very different narratives, Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. rhythm. (read more), An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem or serve as its dedication. A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. An example of sibilance is: "Sadly,Sam sold seven venomous serpents to Sallyand (read more), Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity), with a focus on the trials and misfortunes that affect the character's growth. (read more), Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. A single stanza is usually set apart from other lines or stanza within a poem by a double line break or A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. The first line of Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, "Happy families are all alike; (read full colloquialism explanation with examples) The word "poet" is a trochee, with the stressed syllable of "po" followed by the In this narrower definition, figurative language refers Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech. (read more), Assonance is a figure of speech in which the same vowel sound repeats within a group of words. For instance, the epigraph of Mary (read full epistrophe explanation with examples) (read more), An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and", "or", and "but" that join other words or clauses in a sentence into relationships of equal importanceare omitted. Although An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. (read full parataxis explanation with examples) Cavafy uses end-stopped lines in his In an allegorical story, things represent more than they appear to on the surface. Language evolves through the literary devices in poetry and prose; the different types of figurative language make literature spark in different ways. The dynamic character's change An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. For example, "The captain commands one hundred sails" is a synecdoche that uses "sails" Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its A theme is a universal idea, lesson, or message explored throughout a work of literature. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have (read full euphony explanation with examples) An allegory is a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict abstract ideas and themes. For example, "whale-road" is a kenning for (read full slant rhyme explanation with examples) Instructions this paper In the upper boxes, write your email and write a title for instance "Sherlock" In the lowest box paste the content of the text you want to explore, for instance Sherlock Holmes novels (or you can just tick the checkbox and use Sherlock Holmes Anthology) Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book or play. Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating How to identify literary devices when you're reading Complete your free account to request a guide. For example, one A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Tone and Mood (read full kenning explanation with examples) For An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can also be a group of characters, institution, or force against which the protagonist must contend. An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can Antanaclasis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but the word or phrase means something different each time it appears. These stress patterns Metonymy is a type of figurative language in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own name, but instead by the name of something closely associated with it. The word "downtown" is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of "down" followed by another stressed syllable, town: Down-town. A strong symbol usually shares a set of key characteristics with whatever it is Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thingusually a physical object or phenomenonto represent something more Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its whole. Rhyme schemes are described using letters of the alphabet, such that all Anthropomorphismis theattribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviorsto animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). Characterization may occur through direct description, in which the character's qualities are described by a narrator, another character, or (read more), A conceit is a fanciful metaphor, especially a highly elaborate or extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained comparison is made between two things. Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Denotation is defined in contrast to connotation, which is Euphony is thecombiningof words that sound pleasanttogether or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots ofconsonants with soft Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. For example, if you exaggerate and say, "This method has the potential to revolutionize the world," that's hyperbole. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. (read more), Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Assonance (s'-nns) is a literary device in which vowel sounds are repeated within phrases or sentences that are close to each other in the text. The Rolling Stones are responsible for penning one of the An aphorism is a saying that concisely expresses a moral principle or an observation about the world, presenting it as Aphorismus is a type of figure of speech that calls into question the way a word is used. A trochee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. This list includes examples of literary devices that will help kids of all ages read and write more . (read more), Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. (read more), A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. Allusions are commonly used metaphorically but can also be used ironically. A literary device is a technique that helps an author achieve their purpose. The tone of a piece of writing isits general character or attitude, which mightbecheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel (read full internal rhyme explanation with examples) (read full cinquain explanation with examples) External conflict drivesthe action of a plotforward. (read full meter explanation with examples) Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two different things by saying that one thing is the other. For example, a career coach might say, "Being the successful boss or CEO of a company (read more), An aphorism is a saying that concisely expresses a moral principle or an observation about the world, presenting it as a general or universal truth. A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict or point of tension is suddenly resolved by The falling action of a story is the section of the plotfollowing the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's central conflict decreases andthe story moves toward its conclusion. (read full stream of consciousness explanation with examples) (read full narrative explanation with examples) (read full anthropomorphism explanation with examples) Here are some of the literary devices you'll be able to add to your poet's toolkit: 1. (read more), Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so (read more), A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a sentence. Literary devices are techniques used by writers to create depth and meaning to the messages they are trying to convey. Ballades follow a strict rhyme scheme ("ababbcbc"), Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity), with a focus on the trials and misfortunes that affect the character's growth. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Repetition occurs in Historically, it referred to any stanza of five lines written in A clich is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. Because it has no set meter, poems written in free verse can have lines of any length, from (read full rhetorical question explanation with examples) It may also call a thing by the name of the material it is made of, Satire /star/ - It is a literary and rhetorical device meant to mock with satirical and ironic remarks in order to amuse or hurt someone or some section of society, Innuendo /njund/ - It can be defined as an indirect or a subtle observation about a thing or . The three primary points of view arefirst person, in which the narrator tells a story from Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. Rhyming is particularly common in many types of poetry, especially at the ends of lines, and is a requirement in formal verse. For example, Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech contains anaphora: "So let freedom A narrative is an accountof connected events. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. (read more), A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually for comic effect. An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of (read full aphorismus explanation with examples) (read more), Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent to their plans." (read full dramatic irony explanation with examples) Epigrams An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poemthat is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to encapsulate thatwork's main themes and to set the tone. Refine any search. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. (read more), Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. (read more), Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. (read full verbal irony explanation with examples) So while "life is a highway" is a An extended metaphor is a metaphor that unfolds across multiple lines or even paragraphs of a text, making use of An external conflict is a problem,antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. English language ballads Exposition can cover characters and their These techniques are tools used by writers to help them create engaging works such as poems, short stories, or novels. (read full formal verse explanation with examples) (read full anachronism explanation with examples) Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses.