Literary devices: Difference between revisions
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Literary devices or literary techniques | Literary devices or literary techniques | ||
* similar to [[Rhetorical devices]] but about literature whereas rhetorical devices regard persuasion | * similar to [[Rhetorical devices]] but about literature whereas rhetorical devices regard persuasion | ||
== Purpose of literary devices == | |||
* When we express a literal thought, the intended idea is directly stated | |||
** ex. ''The rainstorm is dropped two inches of rain.'' | |||
*** = just the facts, ma'am | |||
* figurative language expands the meaning beyond the literal | |||
** ex. | |||
*** ''The violent rainstorm pounded on the roof all night'' | |||
**** can a storm be violent? can it "pound" on a roof? | |||
***** < not literally, but such was the effect and experience of the storm | |||
*** ''It rained cats and dogs'' | |||
**** well, not literally, we hope | |||
=== imagery and figurative language conveys emotions as well as thoughts === | |||
* when we express ourselves figurativey or through imagery, we convey (deliver, carry to) more than just the thought, we help the listener or reader also experience the idea, or carry the idea into his or her own experiences | |||
* for this reason, the purpose of "figurative language" is "rhetorical effect" | |||
** ''rhetorical'' = of or from use of language | |||
** ''rhetorical effect'', then, means an effect or experience created by language | |||
** rhetorical effect comes in a variety of ways, per below | |||
== Figurative language == | == Figurative language == | ||
[[File:Basic_human_drawing.png|thumb|285x285px|Basic “stick figure” representation of a person, with a circle for the head and lines for the torso, arms, and legs.]] | |||
* figures of speech | * or "figures of speech" | ||
* "figure" (noun) means a representation of something | |||
** thus a "stick figure" is a representation of a person using sticks (thin pieces of wood) | |||
** "to figure" (verb) means to decipher or decode the meaning of something | |||
* thus "figurative language" is language through representations | |||
** these representations can be images, references, metaphors, word games, etc. that "represent" one thing through another | |||
== Literary approaches == | == Literary approaches == | ||
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=== point of view === | === point of view === | ||
=== climax === | |||
=== detail === | === detail === | ||
=== diction === | === diction === | ||
=== sequence === | === sequence === | ||
=== structure === | === structure === | ||
=== syntax === | === syntax === | ||
=== tension & resolution === | |||
=== tone === | === tone === | ||
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== List of literary devices == | == List of literary devices == | ||
The fundamental literary devices are ''plot, setting, character, theme and style.'' | |||
<div style="column-count:3"> | |||
* allegory | * allegory | ||
* alliteration | * alliteration | ||
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* antithesis | * antithesis | ||
* archetype | * archetype | ||
<ul><li>{{#tip-text:characterization| also called "character development"; the direct or indirect narrative development of a character's qualities, motives, actions, appearance, etc.; note that | |||
"character" as a distinct literary technique is a modern development; ancient texts focused on archetypes and mythological character "types" to represent larger ideas, whereas modern character development is focused on the characters themselves}}</ul></li> | |||
* colloquialism | * colloquialism | ||
* comedy | |||
* counter-argument | |||
<ul><li>{{#tip-text:direct characterization| explicit character development or display through explicit descriptions or development of a characters traits; ex. "His hair was messy. He was sullen, tired, ill-disposed"}}</ul></li> | |||
* ellision | * ellision | ||
* epistrophe | |||
* euphemism | * euphemism | ||
* figurative | * figurative | ||
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* foreshadowing | * foreshadowing | ||
* hyperbole | * hyperbole | ||
* hypothetical argument (rhetorical situation) | |||
* imagery | * imagery | ||
<ul><li>{{#tip-text:indirect characterization| implicit character development or display through descriptions or development of a characters through their actions and interactions with other characters; ex. "She decided upon intervening herself in the affair, interjecting her words despite their rejection"}}</ul></li> | |||
* irony | * irony | ||
* juxtaposition | * juxtaposition | ||
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* point of view | * point of view | ||
* repetition | * repetition | ||
* rhetorical | * rhetorical question | ||
* rhetorical situation | |||
<ul><li>{{#tip-text:setting| the place and time that serves as a narrative "backdrop" or "mood", i.e. where the narrative happens, what is around it, and what "mood" does it evoke; setting is a primary literary device}}</ul></li> | |||
* simile | * simile | ||
* symbolism | * symbolism | ||
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* tragedy | * tragedy | ||
* tragicomedy | * tragicomedy | ||
</div> | |||
* see | * see | ||
** [https://literarydevices.net/ Literary Devices and Literary Terms - The Complete List] | ** [https://literarydevices.net/ Literary Devices and Literary Terms - The Complete List] | ||
| Line 76: | Line 123: | ||
==== metaphor and simile ==== | ==== metaphor and simile ==== | ||
* both are figures of speech | * both are figures of speech that evoke meaning of one thing through a comparison to another | ||
** simile is a subset (sub-category) or form of a metaphor | |||
* metaphor | * metaphor adopts (becomes) the comparative meaning: | ||
** | ** ''the heart of the issue'' | ||
*simile compares the meaning directly | |||
**''raining like cats and dogs'' | |||
*to summarize: | |||
** metaphor makes a non-literal direct comparison or parallel connection | |||
** analogy makes a literal (actual) comparison via the words ''as, like'' | |||
==== analogy and metaphor ==== | ==== analogy and metaphor ==== | ||
* analogy | * '''analogy''' | ||
** draws a direct comparison in order to make a point about both ends of the comparison | |||
** analogy makes a | ** analogy explains or makes a point through the comparison | ||
** | ** generally, the analogy is literal: | ||
*** ex. ''The kid ate through his entire birthday cake faster than a dog devouring a juicy bone'' | |||
**** i.e. the cake was as enjoyable to the kid as a juicy bone to a dog | |||
** however, an analogy may also imply a figurative meaning of both sides of the comparison | |||
*** ex. ''Taking that test, I may as well have tried cleaning my room.'' | |||
**** i.e., both activities are useless | |||
* | * metaphor: | ||
** | ** draws a comparison to illuminate one thing through a known other | ||
** | *** i.e, the metaphor ''is'' that thing | ||
* metaphor | **** in other words, the metaphor uses a known image or comparison to illuminate another | ||
** | ** uses emphasis and imagery | ||
* both can be emotional (feelings) or rational (conceptual) | ** is abstract | ||
** both can be emotional (feelings) or rational (conceptual) | |||
** ex. ''The test was a cake walk except for that last question which led me off a cliff'' | |||
See: | See: | ||
Latest revision as of 13:54, 12 November 2024
Literary devices or literary techniques
- similar to Rhetorical devices but about literature whereas rhetorical devices regard persuasion
Purpose of literary devices[edit | edit source]
- When we express a literal thought, the intended idea is directly stated
- ex. The rainstorm is dropped two inches of rain.
- = just the facts, ma'am
- ex. The rainstorm is dropped two inches of rain.
- figurative language expands the meaning beyond the literal
- ex.
- The violent rainstorm pounded on the roof all night
- can a storm be violent? can it "pound" on a roof?
- < not literally, but such was the effect and experience of the storm
- can a storm be violent? can it "pound" on a roof?
- It rained cats and dogs
- well, not literally, we hope
- The violent rainstorm pounded on the roof all night
- ex.
imagery and figurative language conveys emotions as well as thoughts[edit | edit source]
- when we express ourselves figurativey or through imagery, we convey (deliver, carry to) more than just the thought, we help the listener or reader also experience the idea, or carry the idea into his or her own experiences
- for this reason, the purpose of "figurative language" is "rhetorical effect"
- rhetorical = of or from use of language
- rhetorical effect, then, means an effect or experience created by language
- rhetorical effect comes in a variety of ways, per below
Figurative language[edit | edit source]
- or "figures of speech"
- "figure" (noun) means a representation of something
- thus a "stick figure" is a representation of a person using sticks (thin pieces of wood)
- "to figure" (verb) means to decipher or decode the meaning of something
- thus "figurative language" is language through representations
- these representations can be images, references, metaphors, word games, etc. that "represent" one thing through another
Literary approaches[edit | edit source]
- narration
- narrator
- person
- point of view
Literary techniques[edit | edit source]
point of view[edit | edit source]
climax[edit | edit source]
detail[edit | edit source]
diction[edit | edit source]
sequence[edit | edit source]
structure[edit | edit source]
syntax[edit | edit source]
tension & resolution[edit | edit source]
tone[edit | edit source]
vignette[edit | edit source]
Narrative modes[edit | edit source]
action[edit | edit source]
dialogue[edit | edit source]
description[edit | edit source]
exposition[edit | edit source]
interiority[edit | edit source]
List of literary devices[edit | edit source]
The fundamental literary devices are plot, setting, character, theme and style.
- allegory
- alliteration
- allusion
- analogy
- anaphora
- anthropomorphism-
- antithesis
- archetype
- characterization
- colloquialism
- comedy
- counter-argument
- direct characterization
- ellision
- epistrophe
- euphemism
- figurative
- flashback
- foreshadowing
- hyperbole
- hypothetical argument (rhetorical situation)
- imagery
- indirect characterization
- irony
- juxtaposition
- malapropism
- metaphor
- meter
- mood
- motif
- onomatopoeia
- oxymoron
- paradox
- parallelism
- personification
- point of view
- repetition
- rhetorical question
- rhetorical situation
- setting
- simile
- symbolism
- tone
- tragedy
- tragicomedy
- see
the difference between...[edit | edit source]
metaphor and simile[edit | edit source]
- both are figures of speech that evoke meaning of one thing through a comparison to another
- simile is a subset (sub-category) or form of a metaphor
- metaphor adopts (becomes) the comparative meaning:
- the heart of the issue
- simile compares the meaning directly
- raining like cats and dogs
- to summarize:
- metaphor makes a non-literal direct comparison or parallel connection
- analogy makes a literal (actual) comparison via the words as, like
analogy and metaphor[edit | edit source]
- analogy
- draws a direct comparison in order to make a point about both ends of the comparison
- analogy explains or makes a point through the comparison
- generally, the analogy is literal:
- ex. The kid ate through his entire birthday cake faster than a dog devouring a juicy bone
- i.e. the cake was as enjoyable to the kid as a juicy bone to a dog
- ex. The kid ate through his entire birthday cake faster than a dog devouring a juicy bone
- however, an analogy may also imply a figurative meaning of both sides of the comparison
- ex. Taking that test, I may as well have tried cleaning my room.
- i.e., both activities are useless
- ex. Taking that test, I may as well have tried cleaning my room.
- metaphor:
- draws a comparison to illuminate one thing through a known other
- i.e, the metaphor is that thing
- in other words, the metaphor uses a known image or comparison to illuminate another
- i.e, the metaphor is that thing
- uses emphasis and imagery
- is abstract
- both can be emotional (feelings) or rational (conceptual)
- ex. The test was a cake walk except for that last question which led me off a cliff
- draws a comparison to illuminate one thing through a known other
See: