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| 2803273500 | Allegory | An allegory is a symbolism device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract, concept is conveyed with the aid of a more corporeal object or idea being used as an example. Usually a rhetoric device, an allegory suggests a meaning via metaphoric examples. | 0 | |
| 2803274732 | Allusion | An allusion is a figure of speech whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing reference. It is up to the reader to make a connection to the subject being mentioned. | 1 | |
| 2803275280 | Anastrophe | Anastrophe is a form of literary device wherein the order of the noun and the adjective in the sentence is exchanged. In standard parlance and writing the adjective comes before the noun but when one is employing an anastrophe the noun is followed by the adjective. This reversed order creates a dramatic impact and lends weight to the description offered by the adjective. | 2 | |
| 2803275821 | Anthropomorphism | Anthropomorphism can be understood to be the act of lending a human quality, emotion or ambition to a non-human object or being. This act of lending a human element to a non-human subject is often employed in order to endear the latter to the readers or audience and increase the level of relativity between the two while also lending character to the subject. | 3 | |
| 2803276264 | Antithesis | An antithesis is used when the writer employs two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another. Whether they are words or phrases of the same sentence, an antithesis is used to create a stark contrast using two divergent elements that come together to create one uniform whole. An antithesis plays on the complementary property of opposites to create one vivid picture. The purpose of using an antithesis in literature is to create a balance between opposite qualities and lend a greater insight into the subject. | 4 | |
| 2803276551 | Archetype | An archetype is a reference to a concept, a person or an object that has served as a prototype of its kind and is the original idea that has come to be used over and over again. Archetypes are literary devices that employ the use of a famous concept, person or object to convey a wealth of meaning. Archetypes are immediately identifiable and even though they run the risk of being overused, they are still the best examples of their kind. | 5 | |
| 2803276873 | Assonance | Assonance refers to repetition of sounds produced by vowels within a sentence or phrase. In this regard assonance can be understood to be a kind of alliteration. What sets it apart from alliterations is that it is the repetition of only vowel sounds. Assonance is the opposite of consonance, which implies repetitive usage of consonant sounds. | 6 | |
| 2803277017 | Authorial intrusion | Authorial Intrusion is an interesting literary device wherein the author penning the story, poem or prose steps away from the text and speaks out to the reader. Authorial Intrusion establishes a one to one relationship between the writer and the reader where the latter is no longer a secondary player or an indirect audience to the progress of the story but is the main subject of the author's attention. | 7 | |
| 2803277256 | Bildungsroman | This is a very popular form of storytelling whereby the author bases the plot on the overall growth of the central character throughout the timeline of the story. As the story progresses, the subject undergoes noticeable mental, physical, social, emotional, moral, and often spiritual advancement and strengthening before the readers' eyes. It has often been seen that the protagonist begins with views, aims and dreams that are in contrast to the other character's in the story and then fights his or her way through to achieve them. | 8 | |
| 2803277418 | Cacophony | A cacophony in literature refers to the use of words and phrases that imply strong, harsh sounds within the phrase. These words have jarring and dissonant sounds that create a disturbing, objectionable atmosphere. | 9 | |
| 2803277669 | Circumlocution | Circumlocution is a form of writing where the writer uses exaggeratedly long and complex sentences in order to convey a meaning that could have otherwise been conveyed through a shorter, much simpler sentence. Circumlocution involves stating an idea or a view in an indirect manner that leaves the reader guessing and grasping at the actual meaning. | 10 | |
| 2803278134 | Deus ex Machina | Deus ex Machina is a rather debatable and often criticized form of literary device. It refers to the incidence where an implausible concept or character is brought into the story in order to make the conflict in the story resolve and to bring about a pleasing solution. The use of Deus ex Machina is not recommended as it is seen to be the mark of a poor plot that the writer needs to resort to random, insupportable and unbelievable twists and turns to reach the end of the story. | 11 | |
| 2803278359 | Diction | Diction is the distinctive tone or tenor of an author's writings. Diction is not just a writer's choice of words it can include the mood, attitude, dialect and style of writing. Diction is usually judged with reference to the prevailing standards of proper writing and speech and is seen as the mark of quality of the writing. It is also understood as the selection of certain words or phrases that become peculiar to a writer | 12 | |
| 2803278688 | Doppelganger | The term is derived from the German language and literally translates into 'double walker'. It refers to a character in the story that is actually a counterfeit or a copy of a genuine character. Doppelgangers of the main characters usually bear the ability to impersonate the original but have vastly different spirits and intentions. The doppelganger usually has a different appearance but an earthly soul and supernatural hoodwinking abilities that allow it to fool other | 13 | |
| 2803279075 | Euphony | The literary device "euphony" refers to the use of phrases and words that are noted for possessing an extensive degree of notable loveliness or melody in the sound they create. The use of euphony is predominant in literary prose and poetry, where poetic devices such as alliterations, rhymes and assonace are used to create pleasant sounds. Euphony is the opposite of cacophony, which refers to the creation of unpleasant and harsh sounds by using certain words and phrases together. This literary devices is based on the use and manipulation of phonetics in literature. | 14 | |
| 2803279374 | Foil | A foil is another character in a story who contrasts with the main character, usually to highlight one of their attributes. | 15 | |
| 2803279577 | Hyperbole | A hyperbole is a literary device wherein the author uses specific words and phrases that exaggerate and overemphasize the basic crux of the statement in order to produce a grander, more noticeable effect. The purpose of hyperbole is to create a larger-than-life effect and overly stress a specific point. Such sentences usually convey an action or sentiment that is generally not practically/ realistically possible or plausible but helps emphasize an emotion. | 16 | |
| 2803279821 | Internal Rhyme | in literature the internal rhyme is a practice of forming a rhyme in only one lone line of verse. An internal rhyme is also known as the middle rhyme because it is typically constructed in the middle of a line to rhyme with the bit at the end of the same metrical line. | 17 | |
| 2803280589 | Inversion | The term 'inversion' refers to the practice of changing the conventional placement of words. It is a literary practice typical of the older classical poetry genre. In present day literature it is usually used for the purpose of laying emphasis this literary device is more prevalent in poetry than prose because it helps to arrange the poem in a manner that catches the attention of the reader not only with its content but also with its physical appearance; a result of the peculiar structuring | 18 | |
| 2803283231 | Irony | The use of irony in literature refers to playing around with words such that the meaning implied by a sentence or word is actually different from the literal meaning. Often irony is used to suggest the stark contrast of the literal meaning being put forth. The deeper, real layer of significance is revealed not by the words themselves but the situation and the context in which they are placed. | 19 | |
| 2803283396 | Juxtaposition | Juxtaposition is a literary device wherein the author places a person, concept, place, idea or theme parallel to another. The purpose of juxtaposing two directly or indirectly related entities close together in literature is to highlight the contrast between the two and compare them. This literary device is usually used for etching out a character in detail, creating suspense or lending a rhetorical effect. | 20 | |
| 2803284032 | Malapropism | The misuse of words ridiculously, especially by the confusion of words that are similar in sound | 21 | |
| 2803284033 | Metaphor | A comparison of two unlike things without using like or as | 22 | |
| 2803284185 | Mood | The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting | 23 | |
| 2803284411 | Motif | A recurring important idea or image. A motif differs from a theme in that it can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase, while a theme usually must be expressed as a complete sentence. | 24 | |
| 2803284783 | Negative Capability | The use of negative capability in literature is a concept promoted by poet John Keats, who was of the opinion that literary achievers, especially poets, should be able to come to terms with the fact that some matters might have to be left unsolved and uncertain. Keats was of the opinion that some certainties were best left open to imagination and that the element of doubt and ambiguity added romanticism and specialty to a concept. | 25 | |
| 2803285051 | Onomatopoeia | Where sounds are spelled out as words; or, when words describing sounds actually sound like the sounds they describe | 26 | |
| 2803285726 | Metonymy | Metonymy in literature refers to the practice of not using the formal word for an object or subject and instead referring to it by using another word that is intricately linked to the formal name or word. It is the practice of substituting the main word with a word that is closely linked to it. | 27 | |
| 2803286590 | Oxymoron | A contradiction in terms | 28 | |
| 2803286591 | Paradox | Where a situation is created which cannot possibly exist, because different elements of it cancel each other out | 29 | |
| 2803286966 | Parallelism | Use of similar or identical language, structures, events or ideas in different parts of a text | 30 | |
| 2803287101 | Periodic Structure | In literature, the concept of a periodic structure refers to a particular placement of sentence elements such as the main clause of the sentence and/or its predicate are purposely held off and placed at the end instead of at the beginning or their conventional positions. In such placements, the crux of the sentence's meaning does not become clear to the reader until they reach the last part. While undeniably confusing at first, a periodic structure lends a flair of drama and romanticism to a sentence and is greatly used in poetry. | 31 | |
| 2803287300 | Periphrasis | The term 'periphrasis' refers to the use of excessive language and surplus words to convey a meaning that could otherwise be conveyed with fewer words and in more direct a manner. The use of this literary device can be to embellish a sentence, to create a grander effect, to beat around the bush and to draw attention away from the crux of the message being conveyed. | 32 | |
| 2803287596 | Personification | Where inanimate objects or abstract concepts are seemingly endowed with human self-awareness; where human thoughts, actions and perceptions are directly attributed to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. (Not to be confused with anthropomorphism.) | 33 | |
| 2803289105 | Plot | Sequence of events in a story. Most literary essay tasks will instruct the writer to "avoid plot summary;" the term is therefore rarely useful for response or critical analysis. When discussing plot, it is generally more useful to consider its structure, rather than simply "what happens." | 34 | |
| 2803289106 | Point-of-View | The identity of the narrative voice; the person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story. May be third-person (no narrator; omniscient or limited) or first-person (narrated by a character in the story). Point-of-view is a commonly misused term; it does not refer to the author's (or characters') feelings, opinions, perspectives, biases, etc. | 35 | |
| 2803289631 | Polyptoton | Polyptoton is a stylistic device that is a rhetorical repetition of the same root word, however, each time the word is repeated in a different way such as the words Iuppiter, lovi, lovis, lovem are derived from a root word "love". | 36 | |
| 2803289894 | Protagonist | The main character in a story, the one with whom the reader is meant to identify. The person is not necessarily "good" by any conventional moral standard, but he/she is the person in whose plight the reader is most invested. | 37 | |
| 2803290016 | Pun | A play on words wherein a word is used to convey two meanings at the same time | 38 | |
| 2803290263 | Repetition | Where a specific word, phrase, or structure is repeated several times, to emphasize a particular idea | 39 | |
| 2803290501 | Satire | the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose or criticize others' opinions | 40 | |
| 2803292224 | Sentimentality | Excessive tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia. In the past, sentimentality was intentionally used by some authors. Now we tend to see it as poor writing. | 41 | |
| 2803296802 | Setting | The time and place where a story occurs. The setting can be specific (e.g., New York City in 1930) or ambiguous (e.g., a large urban city during economic hard times). Also refers directly to a description thereof. | 42 | |
| 2803296803 | Simile | An indirect relationship where one thing or idea is expressed as being similar to another. Similes usually contain the words "like" or "as," but not always. | 43 | |
| 2803297157 | Situational Irony | Irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected. | 44 | |
| 2803299848 | Speaker | The "voice" of a poe, not to be confused with the poet him/herself. Analogous to the narrator in prose fiction. | 45 | |
| 2803300020 | Structure | The manner in which the various elements of a story are assembled | 46 | |
| 2803300021 | Subtext | A term denoting what a character means by what (s)he says when there is a disparity between diction and intended meaning. In verbal irony, a character may say one thing and mean something entirely different; the real meaning of the speech is the subtext. | 47 | |
| 2803300364 | Symbolism | The use of specific objects or images to represent abstract ideas. This term is commonly misused, describing any and all representational relationships, which in fact are more often metaphorical than symbolic. A symbol must be something tangible or visible, while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal. | 48 | |
| 2803301266 | Synesthesia | While the term synesthesia literally refers to a medical condition wherein one or many of the sensory modalities become joined to one another, in literature it refers to the depiction of a strong connection, link or bond between the different senses. Characters in literature are sometimes described to be experiences synesthesia. Synesthesia is the conflation of the senses. | 49 | |
| 2803301399 | Syntax | Syntax in literature refers to the actual way in which words and sentences are placed together in the writing. Usually in the English language the syntax should follow a pattern of subject-verb-object agreement but sometimes authors play around with this to achieve a lyrical, rhythmic, rhetoric or questioning effect. It is not related to the act of choosing specific words or even the meaning of each word or the overall meanings conveyed by the sentences. | 50 | |
| 2803301400 | Theme | The main idea or message conveyed by the piece. A theme is generally stated as a complete sentence; an idea expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase is a motif. | 51 | |
| 2803302136 | Tone | The apparent emotional state, or "attitude," of the speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the language of the piece | 52 | |
| 2803302647 | Tragedy | Where a story ends with a negative or unfortunate outcome which was essentially avoidable, usually caused by a flaw in the central character's personality. Tragedy is really more of a dramatic genre than a literary element; a play can be referred to as a tragedy, but tragic events in a story are essentially part of the plot, rather than a literary device in themselves | 53 | |
| 2803302865 | Tragic Hero / Tragic Figure | A protagonist who comes to a bad end as a result of his own behavior, usually caused by a specific personality disorder or character flaw | 54 | |
| 2803303307 | Tragic Flaw | The single characteristic (usually negative) or personality disorder which causes the downfall of the protagonist | 55 | |
| 2803303308 | Understatement | A statement in which the literal sense of what is said falls short of the magnitude of what is being talked about | 56 | |
| 2803303520 | Unreliable Narrator | A character whose telling of the story is not completely accurate or credible due to problems with the character's mental state or maturity | 57 | |
| 2803304068 | Verbal Irony | Where the meaning is intended to be the exact opposite of what the words actually mean | 58 |
