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Mar 20, 2020 · A literary device is a writing technique that writers use to express ideas, convey meaning, and highlight important themes in a piece of text. A metaphor, like we mentioned earlier, is a famous example of a literary device. These devices serve a wide range of purposes in literature.
Concise definitions, usage tips, and lots of examples for 136 literary devices and terms.
Ever feel a bit lost when other writers start flinging literary terms around? Don't stress. We've got a list of the must-know terminology, with crystal-clear definitions, examples, and even a few tips for putting these concepts to work in your own writing.
- Abi Wurdeman
- Metaphor. Metaphors, also known as direct comparisons, are one of the most common literary devices. A metaphor is a statement in which two objects, often unrelated, are compared to each other.
- Simile. Similes, also known as indirect comparisons, are similar in construction to metaphors, but they imply a different meaning. Like metaphors, two unrelated objects are being compared to each other.
- Analogy. An analogy is an argumentative comparison: it compares two unalike things to advance an argument. Specifically, it argues that two things have equal weight, whether that weight be emotional, philosophical, or even literal.
- Imagery. Is imagery a literary device? Absolutely! Imagery can be both literal and figurative, and it relies on the interplay of language and sensation to create a sharper image in your brain.
- Allegory. A literary work in which nearly all of the characters, events, settings, and other literal elements of the story have a second, symbolic meaning.
- Alliteration. The repetition of an initial consonant sound in words that are close together, such as within a single sentence or line of poetry. The third stanza of Emily Dickinson’s “A narrow Fellow in the Grass” uses alliteration in both the second and third lines
- Allusion. An indirect reference to something outside the text, usually a person, place, thing, or idea that is generally familiar to the intended audience.
- Anachronism. An historically inaccurate detail in a literary work, included by the author either unintentionally or deliberately. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the characters refer to a clock striking three.
Browse through our list of literary devices and literary terms with definitions, examples, and usage tips. Explore each device in depth through literature.
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This list will help you master the most common literary devices used today. Anthropomor. A type of narrative that uses characters and plot to exemplify abstract ideas and themes. In an allegorical story, events and characters tend to represent more than they appear to on the surface.
