(read full rhetorical question explanation with examples) Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the events of the story. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. In a traditional "good vs. evil" story (like manysuperhero movies) Antimetabole is a figure of speech in which a phrase is repeated, but with the order of words reversed. Common meter has two key traits: it alternates between lines of eight syllables and lines of six syllables, and it (read full cinquain explanation with examples) (read full plot explanation with examples) Traditionally, the fourteen lines of a sonnet consist of an octave (or two quatrains making up a stanza of 8 lines) and a sestet (a stanza of A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and," "or," and "but" that join other words It was too soon!" 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), Consonance is a figure of speech in which the same consonant sound repeats within a group of words. (read full anaphora explanation with examples) 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. (read more), 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. Denotation is defined in contrast to connotation, which is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary Denotation is the literal meaning, or "dictionary definition," of a word. Articles will also use literary devices to get readers up connect . (read more), An iamb is a two-syllable metrical pattern in poetry in which one unstressed syllable is followed by a stressed syllable. Repetition occurs in so many different forms that it is usually not thought of as a single figure 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 full foreshadowing explanation with examples) (read more), The word cinquain can refer to two different things. 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) Instant PDF downloads. For example, Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech contains anaphora: "So let freedom Anaphora is a figure of speech in which words repeat at the beginning of successive clauses, phrases, or sentences. (read full connotation explanation with examples) 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), The protagonist of a story is its main character, who has the sympathy and support of the audience. 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. (read full juxtaposition explanation with examples) Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as Writers commonly use literary devices in poetry to help make their points memorable or their language more evocative. Research the structure of your text. A clich is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. An idiom is a phrase that conveys a figurative meaning that is difficult or impossible to understand based solely on (read full motif explanation with examples) (read more), A clich is a phrase that, due to overuse, is seen as lacking in substance or originality. (read full consonance explanation with examples) (read full static character explanation with examples) Formal verse is the name given to rhymed poetry that uses a strict meter (a regular pattern of stressed and (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. (read full flat character explanation with examples) A ballad is a type of poem that tells a story and was traditionally set to music. Characterization is the representation of the traits, motives, and psychology of a character in a narrative. Connotation is the array of emotions and ideas suggested by a word in addition to its dictionary definition. 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. For instance, the epigraph of Mary An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poemthat is placed at the beginning of another piece of writing to Epistrophe is a figure of speech in which one or more words repeat at the end of successive phrases, clauses, or sentences. (read more), 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. For A soliloquy is a literary device, most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, Literary Elements vs. Whether you're studying poetry or prose, recognizing different literary devices can help you understand and appreciate what you're reading -- or watching. (read full parody explanation with examples) A villanelle is a poem of nineteen lines, and which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets (three-line Irony is a Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. (read full enjambment explanation with examples) For instance, Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969 The where can be a real place like the Sibilance is a figure of speech in which a hissingsound is created within a group of words through the repetition of "s" sounds. (read full hamartia explanation with examples) The word "poet" is a trochee, with the stressed syllable of "po" followed by the The word "downtown" is a spondee, with the stressed syllable of "down" followed by another stressed syllable, town: Down-town. Writers commonly allude to An anachronism is a person or a thing placed in the wrong time period. (read more), A paradox is a figure of speech that seems to contradict itself, but which, upon further examination, contains some kernel of truth or reason. (read full protagonist explanation with examples) A parody is a work that mimics the style of another work, artist, or genre in an exaggerated way, usually Because it has A figure of speech is a literary device in which language is used in an unusualor "figured"way in order to Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective (read more), A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. An acrostic is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letterstypically the first letter of each line, word, or paragraphspells out a word or phrase with special significance to the text. It's a bird! 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. For example, the poet John Donne uses enjambment in his poem "The Good-Morrow" when he continues the opening sentence across the line Enjambment is the continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break. 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. Most commonly, the term A sestet is a six-line stanza of poetry. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Exposition can cover characters and their Here's a good one: Literary Devices | Literary Terms. A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. An epigram is a short and witty statement, usually written in verse, that conveys a single thought or observation. Writers use a wide variety of literary devices across different genres. (read full aporia explanation with examples) Ethos is an argument that appeals to the audience by emphasizing the Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective 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 Euphony is thecombiningof words that sound pleasanttogether or are easy to pronounce, usually because they contain lots ofconsonants with soft Exposition is the description or explanation of background information within a work of literature. 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. An antagonist is usually a character who opposes the protagonist (or main character) of a story, but the antagonist can (read more), A sonnet is a type of fourteen-line poem. Authorial intrusion is a literary device in which the author directly addresses the reader, interrupting the narrative flow of the text. An analogy is a comparison that aims to explain a thing or idea by likening it to something else. Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. (read full acrostic explanation with examples) An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. (read more), Meter is a regular pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables that defines the rhythm of some poetry. The envoi tends to follow the same meter and rhyme (read full slant rhyme explanation with examples) Literary Devices relates to the any technique that an author uses in communicate their gesamtkosten message at their audience. (read full chiasmus explanation with examples) For example, An asyndeton (sometimes called asyndetism) is a figure of speech in which coordinating conjunctionswords such as "and", "or", and "but" 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 full clich explanation with examples) We will explore the difference between literary elements and literary techniques, and look at examples and definitions of several popular literary terms. Round characters typically have fully fleshed-out and multi-faceted personalities, backgrounds, desires, and motivations. It can even occur within individual words. Knowing some of the more common literary devices can be important for understanding the things you read, and also for using in your own writing. (read full red herring explanation with examples) (read full external conflict explanation with examples) Typically, flat characters can be easily and accurately described using a single word (like "bully") or oneshort sentence (like "A naive A character is said to be "flat" if it is one-dimensionalor lacking in complexity. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which, most often, a part of something is used to refer to its Ballades follow a strict rhyme scheme ("ababbcbc"), and typically have three eight-line stanzas followed by a shorter four-line stanza called an envoi. A ballade is a form of lyric poetry that originated in medieval France. (read more), Polysyndeton 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 used several times in close A trope within a novel might be the recurring bird imagery or allusions. (read full epistrophe explanation with examples) You might find . An allegory is a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict abstract ideas and themes. To make the comparison, similes most often use the connecting words "like" or "as," but can also use other words that indicate A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. (read more), A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things. Anthropomorphismis theattribution of human characteristics, emotions, and behaviorsto animals or other non-human things (including objects, plants, and supernatural beings). For example, telling A single stanza is usually set apart from other lines or stanza within a poem by a double line break or (read full dnouement 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 full epigraph explanation with examples) Parallelism is a figure of speech in which two or more elements of a sentence (or series of sentences) have the same grammatical structure. Diction is a writer's unique style of expression, especially his or her choice and arrangement of words. (read more), Hyperbole is a figure of speech in which a writer or speaker exaggerates for the sake of emphasis. Literary devices, also known as literary elements, are techniques that writers use to convey their message more powerfully or to enhance their writing. (read full kenning explanation with examples) It can be any six-line stanzaone that is, itself, a whole poem, or one that makes up a part of a longer poem. Foreshadowing can be achieved directly or indirectly, by making explicit statements or leaving subtle A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a (read more), Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall. (read more), Chiasmus is a figure of speech in which the grammar of one phrase is inverted in the following phrase, such that two key concepts from the original phrase reappear in the second phrase in inverted Here are some of the literary devices you'll be able to add to your poet's toolkit: 1. (read more), An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, especially one mourning the loss of someone who died. Epigrams typically end with a punchline or a satirical twist. An example of consonance is: "Traffic figures, on July Fourth, to be tough.". A character is said to be "static" if they do not undergo any substantial internal changes as a result of Allegory. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worryit is. It allows users to apply a range of techniques to analyse and break down what they are seeing or hearing. A conceit is a fanciful metaphor, especially a highly elaborate or extended metaphor in which an unlikely, far-fetched, or strained The Rolling Stones are responsible for penning one of the 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. (read more), Ethos, along with logos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). For example, if a A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in which a question is asked for a reason other than to A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words. For instance, if a novel set in Medieval England featured a trip to a movie-theater, that would be an anachronism. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages the senses of touch, movement, 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 . 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. Villanelles use a specific rhyme scheme of ABA A villanelle is a poem of nineteen lines, and which follows a strict form that consists of five tercets (three-line A zeugma is a figure of speech in which one "governing" word or phrase modifies two distinct parts of a sentence.