Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. (read full slant rhyme explanation with examples) (read full figure of speech explanation with examples) Often, the governing word will mean something different when applied to each part, as Literary Devices with Definitions & Examples To make the comparison, similes most often Exposition can cover characters and their Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, Common meter is a specific type of meter that is often used in lyric poetry. It was too soon!". (read full stream of consciousness explanation with examples) An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. (read more), In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the end of a stanza in a poem or at the end of a verse in Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and (read more), A sestet is a six-line stanza of poetry. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have The rising action of a story is the section of the plotleadingup to the climax, in which the tension stemming Aphorismus is A spondee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which both syllables are stressed. (read more), An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on a literal interpretation of the words in the phrase. For example, telling Epigrams typically end with a punchline or a satirical twist. (read more), Climax is a figure of speech in which successive words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are arranged in ascending order of importance, as in "Look! (read more), Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. (read full static character explanation with examples) (read full diction explanation with examples) Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Tone and Mood In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. So while "life is a highway" is a (read full metaphor explanation with examples) For instance, these lines from DorothyParker's poem "Interview" use end rhyme: "The ladies men admire, Ive heard, / Would shudder End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. For Up in the sky! CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4.C: Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a . Ideas, images, A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression that refers to a person or a thing. Instant PDF downloads. Pathos is an argument that appeals to an audience's emotions. Acrostics Ethos is an argument that appeals to the audience by emphasizing the In A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall. Some famous examples of anthropomorphism include Winnie the Pooh, the Little Engine that Could, and Simba from Anthropomorphismis theattribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviorsto animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). The comic novelist Douglas Adams uses both types A pun is a figure of speech that plays with words that have multiple meanings, or that plays with words A quatrain is a four-line stanza of poetry. (read full meter explanation with examples) (read full extended metaphor explanation with examples) If this seems like a loose definition, don't worryit is. This character A pun is a figure of speech that plays with words that have multiple meanings, or that plays with words that sound similar but mean different things. (read full pathetic fallacy explanation with examples) For instance, For A narrative is an accountof connected events. Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. Historically, it referred to any stanza of five lines written in any type of verse. Finds most frequent phrases and words, gives overview about text style, number of words, characters, sentences and syllables. 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 conceit is a fanciful metaphor, especially a highly elaborate or extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the audience. (read more), Verbal irony occurs when the literal meaning of what someone says is different fromand often opposite towhat they actually mean. (read more), Anadiplosis is a figure of speech in which a word or group of words located at the end of one clause or sentence is repeated at or near the beginning of the following clause or (read full syllogism explanation with examples) To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. (read more), Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a character's understanding of a given situation, and that of the audience. When people use the term "figurative language," however, they A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusualor "figured"way in order to produce a stylistic effect. The boom of a firework exploding, the tick tock of a clock, and the Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or An oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two contradictory terms or ideas are intentionally paired in order to make a pointparticularly to reveal a deeper or hidden truth. A sestet is a six-line stanza of poetry. (read full villanelle explanation with examples) Because it has no set meter, poems written in free verse can have lines of any length, from Free verse is the name given to poetry that doesnt use any strict meter or rhyme scheme. (read more), Epizeuxis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated in immediate succession, with no intervening words. (read full enjambment explanation with examples) (read full antagonist explanation with examples) The envoi tends to follow the same meter and rhyme literary device finder in text. The word "downtown" is a 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. Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the Metonymy is a type of figurative language in which an object or concept is referred to not by its own An acrostic is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letterstypically the first letter of each line, This list includes examples of literary devices that will help kids of all ages read and write more . In some cases, A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. A literary technique that involves interruption of the chronological sequence of events by interjection of events or scenes of earlier occurrence : flashback anaphora | see definition Repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect For example, one A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. 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. In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the (read full irony explanation with examples) It's a plane! Verbal irony occurs when the literal meaning of what someone says is different fromand often opposite towhat they actually mean. For example, one An end-stopped line is a line of poetry in which a sentence or phrase comes to a conclusion at the (read more), Sibilance is a figure of speech in which a hissingsound is created within a group of words through the repetition of "s" sounds. The word poetry itself is a great example of a dactyl, with the stressed syllable A narrative is an accountof connected events. A famous example of antanaclasis is Antanaclasis is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is repeated within a sentence, but the word Anthropomorphismis theattribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviorsto animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). Often, literary devices are used in writing for emphasis or clarity. For example, in Text analyzer is an online tool for complete text analysis. NEW! Literary-device-finder-in-text - Weebly (read more), A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. A trochee is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by an unstressed syllable. Check the number of characters, spaces, words, sentences, paragraphs, shortest and longest words used in your text or article. (read more), Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubtoften pretended uncertainty or doubtabout something, usually as a way of proving a point. For instance, if a novel set in Medieval England featured a trip to a movie-theater, that would be an anachronism. Typically, understatement is An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. Literary Devices Finder- All quiet on the Western Front John F. Kennedy's words, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you Here's a good one: Literary Devices | Literary Terms. (read full red herring explanation with examples) 20 Top Poetic Devices to Remember For example, the poet John Donne uses The sentence "The king is dead, Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. An example of aporia is the famous Elizabeth Barrett Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubtoften pretended uncertainty or doubtabout something, usually as Apostrophe is a figure of speech in which a speaker directly addresses someone (or something) that is not present or cannot respond in reality. Poetic Devices - Vocabulary List | Vocabulary.com (read more), Internal rhyme is rhyme that occurs in the middle of lines of poetry, instead of at the ends of lines. A writer's vocabulary, Two writers describing the same set of events might craft very different narratives, (read full ethos explanation with examples) (read full mood explanation with examples) (read full hyperbole explanation with examples) (read full pathos explanation with examples) They appear all over different types of media: books, movies, plays and music. Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby A character is said to be "round" if they are lifelike or complex. (read more), 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. Motifs, which are often collections of (read full allegory explanation with examples) (read full envoi explanation with examples) For instance, these lines from (read more), In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's A syllogism is a three-part logical argument, based on deductive reasoning, in which two premises are combined to arrive at a conclusion. Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so that each element is equally important. (read more), An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. This character tends to be involved in or affected by most of the choices or conflicts that Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas, usually within parallel grammatical structures. (read full colloquialism explanation with examples) Plot is the sequence of interconnected events within the story of a play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary (read full symbolism explanation with examples) In a poem or song, a refrain is a line or group of lines that regularly repeat, usually at the Repetition is a literary device in which a word or phrase is repeated two or more times. (read more), A rhyme scheme is the pattern according to which end rhymes (rhymes located at the end of lines) are repeated in works poetry. (read more), An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. (read more), A dactyl is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables. Hyperbolic statements Because it has Literary devices are tools and techniques that a writer uses when crafting their story that make elevate it beyond the literal meaning of the words on the page. Exposition can cover characters and their relationship to one another, the setting or time and place of events, as well as Exposition is the description or explanation of background information within a work of literature. It can be any six-line stanzaone that is, itself, a whole poem, or one that makes up a part of a longer poem. (read full stanza explanation with examples) A caesura doesn't have to be placed in A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such Catharsis is the process of releasing strong or pent-up emotions through art. (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. An example of consonance is: "Traffic figures, on July Fourth, to be tough." satire. Literary elements are "big-picture" literary devices that extend throughout the entire work, such as setting, theme, mood, and allegory. (read more), End rhyme refers to rhymes that occur in the final words of lines of poetry. (read full rising action explanation with examples) A caesura is a pause that occurs within a line of poetry, usually marked by some form of punctuation such (read more), A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. More specifically, in dramatic Every aspect of a piece of writing can influenceits mood, from the How to identify literary devices when you're reading Aphorismus is Aporia is a rhetorical device in which a speaker expresses uncertainty or doubtoften pretended uncertainty or doubtabout something, usually as a way of proving a point. 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. (read more), Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. The dnouement is the final section ofa story's plot,in which loose ends are tied up, lingering questions are answered, and A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby an unsolvable conflict or point of tension is suddenly resolved by the unexpected appearance of an implausible character, object, action, ability, or event. A Scanner Darkly Literary Elements | GradeSaver Literary Device Chart.docx - Course Hero The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexionin short,the array offeelings the work evokes A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Aristotle coined the term catharsiswhich comes from the A pattern of unstressed-stressed, Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry. Most words carry meanings, impressions, or associations apart from or beyond their literal meaning. Foreshadowing is a literary device in which authors hint at plot developments that don't actually occur until later in the In literature, an allusion is an unexplained reference to someone or something outside of the text. (read more), A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. (read more), Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which words evoke the actual sound of the thing they refer to or describe. (read full foreshadowing explanation with examples) The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexionin short,the array offeelings the work evokes in the reader. A famous example comes from John Donne's poem, "A For instance, if a novel set Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. In an allegorical story, things represent more than they appear to on the surface. (read more), Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. For instance, 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. (read full deus ex machina explanation with examples) (read full round character explanation with examples) For example, "whale-road" is a kenning for A kenning is a figure of speech in which two words are combined in order to form a poetic expression A line break is the termination of one line of poetry, and the beginning of a new line. Complete your free account to request a guide. Historically, it referred to any stanza of five lines written in any type of verse. A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. (read more), A red herring is a piece of information in a story thatdistracts readers from an important truth, or leads them to mistakenly expect a particularoutcome. When people use the term "figurative language," however, they often do so in a slightly narrower way. Literary Devices | Free Homework Help - SchoolTutoring (read full onomatopoeia explanation with examples) Elegies are defined by their subject matter, and don't have to follow any specific form in terms of An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. The envoi tends to follow the same meter and rhyme An envoi is a brief concluding stanza at the end of a poem that can either summarize the preceding poem Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence, with words intervening. (read full sibilance explanation with examples) A stanza is a group of lines form a smaller unit within a poem. (read full asyndeton explanation with examples) Rhyming is particularly common in many types of poetry, especially at the ends of lines, and is a requirement in formal verse. A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. (read more), Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. We also examine sound devices in poetry as distinct yet essential components of the craft. The first refers to a literary device used throughout a work of literature or a word used in a figurative sense. Aphorismus is a type of figure of speech that calls into question the way a word is used. An external conflict is a problem,antagonism, or struggle that takes place between a character and an outside force. Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective The word "understand" is an anapest, with the unstressed syllables of "un" and "der" followed An anapest is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which two unstressed syllables are followed by a stressed syllable. Anaphora is a figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. (read more), Irony is a literary device or event in whichhow things seem to be is in fact very different from how they actually are. (read more), Parataxis is a figure of speech in which words, phrases, clauses, or sentences are set next to each other so that each element is equally important. These stress patterns The entity being addressed can be an absent, dead, or imaginary Parodies can take many forms, including fiction, poetry, film, visual art, and These stress patterns are defined in groupings, called feet, of two or three syllables. A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusualor "figured"way in order to 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. (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 spondee explanation with examples) Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, Repetition occurs in A red herring is a piece of information in a story thatdistracts readers from an important truth, or leads them Bildungsroman is a genre of novel that shows a young protagonist's journey from childhood to adulthood (or immaturity to maturity), Blank verse is the name given to poetry that lacks rhymes but does follow a specific metera meter that is almost always iambic pentameter. Common meter has two key 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. The dynamic character's change can be extreme or subtle, as long as his or her development is important to (read full epizeuxis explanation with examples) Although An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. Poetic Devices List: 27 Main Poetic Devices with Examples - Scribophile Literary devices and terms are the techniques and elementsfrom figures of speech to narrative devices to poetic metersthat writers use to create narrative literature, poetry, speeches, or any other form of writing. Poetry Assessor It can be any six-line stanzaone that is, itself, a whole poem, Litotes is a figure of speech and a form of understatement in which a sentiment is expressed ironically by negating Alliteration is a figure of speech in which the same sound repeats in a group of words, such as the Symbolism is a literary device in which a writer uses one thingusually a physical object or phenomenonto represent something more An allegory is a work that conveys a hidden meaningusually moral, spiritual, or politicalthrough the use of symbolic characters and (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. Characterization may occur through direct description, in which the character's qualities are described by a narrator, another character, or 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. Assonance can involve the repetition of identical vowel sounds, or vowel sounds that are very similar. (read more), Euphony is thecombiningof words that sound pleasanttogether or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots ofconsonants with soft or muffledsounds (like L, M, N, and R)instead of consonants with harsh, percussive sounds (like An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poemthat is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to The rising action of a story is the section of the plotleadingup to the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's centralconflict growsthrough successive plot developments. For instance, the question, "Who shall watch the watchmen?" In this narrower definition, figurative language refers Figurative language is language that contains or uses figures of speech. (read full dialogue explanation with examples) An A to Z Guide to Literary Devices and Tools | Book Riot Colloquialisms are usually defined in geographical terms, meaning that they are often defined by their use within a dialect, a regionally-defined variant Colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech. (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. Dramatic irony is a plot device often used in theater, literature, film, and television to highlight the difference between a A dynamic character undergoes substantial internal changes as a result of one or more plot developments. (read more), A dynamic character undergoes substantial internal changes as a result of one or more plot developments. Writers use a wide variety of literary devices across different genres. Text Analyzer - Text analysis Tool - Counts Frequencies of Words The climax of a plot is thestory's central turning pointthe moment of peak tension or conflictwhich all the preceding plot Colloquialism is the use of informal words or phrases in writing or speech. (read full clich explanation with examples) A couplet is a unit of two lines of poetry, especially lines that use the same or similar meter, form A dactyl is a three-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which a stressed syllable is followed by two unstressed syllables. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1725 titles we cover. (read full blank verse explanation with examples) (read full kenning explanation with examples) Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more characters in a book, play, or other written work. A couplet is a unit of two lines of poetry, especially lines that use the same or similar meter, form (read more), Epanalepsis is a figure of speech in which the beginning of a clause or sentence is repeated at the end of that same clause or sentence, with words intervening.