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- Literal usage confers meaning to words, in the sense of the meaning they have by themselves, outside any figure of speech. It maintains a consistent meaning regardless of the context, with the intended meaning corresponding exactly to the meaning of the individual words.
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Jul 20, 2024 · Literal language uses words exactly according to their conventionally accepted meanings or denotation. Figurative (or non-literal ) language uses words in a way that deviates from their conventionally accepted definitions in order to convey a more complicated meaning or heightened effect.
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Jan 4, 2021 · Learning basic literary terms is something anyone can do, even kids! Find out how fun and easy learning literary language is with this list of examples.
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- Allegory
- Alliteration, Assonance, and Consonance
- Allusion
- Analogy
- Anthropomorphism
- Aside
- Caricature
- Connotation and Denotation
- Dialect and Diction
- Double Entendre
In an allegory, the writer uses one thing to stand in for another. In other words, what seems like a simple tale has a much deeper, hidden meaning. Allegories are often used for political or moral commentary. Example: George Orwell’s Animal Farmappears to be a story about farm animals rebelling against the farmer. But Orwell was actually writing ab...
Source: The Hyperbolit School These examples of literary devices all refer to the sounds of words. In alliteration, all or most of the words begin with the same sound (usually a consonant), while in assonance, they use the same vowel sound throughout. Consonance is the repeated use of similar sounds throughout words—think tongue twisters! Examples:...
An allusion is a way to call something to mind without stating it directly. It requires the reader to have shared background knowledge with the writer. Allusions are often historical, mythological, literary, or religious in nature. Example: “He never wants to spend money on anything. He’s such a Scrooge!” This allusion requires the reader to be fam...
An analogy shows how two seemingly dissimilar things are actually alike, to help illustrate a larger point. It’s similar to a metaphor or simile, but usually more complex. Writers often use an analogy to help a reader understand a difficult topic by relating it to something they already know. Example: Perhaps the easiest analogy for students to und...
When an author uses anthropomorphism, they give human characteristics to non-human beings or objects. It’s similar to personification, but in anthropomorphism, the being or object generally actually acts like a human. Examples: Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, is the story of a horse’s life, narrated by the horse just a like a person writing their aut...
When a character shares their thoughts directly with the audience, that’s known as an “aside.” (This is sometimes known as “breaking the fourth wall” since the character is acknowledging that the audience exists.) This is most commonly used in plays, but you’ll also find it in third-person narration, when the narrator expresses an opinion about the...
You’re probably familiar with a caricature drawing, in which a person’s most identifying (and often worst) qualities or features are emphasized. In writing, caricature is similar. A writer emphasizes a character’s qualities, often for humorous effect. Example: Many Disney villains are caricatures, such as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. Gaston is p...
Source: Storyboard That These examples of literary devices refer to a word’s meaning. A denotation is the dictionary definition of a word, while connotation refers to the cultural and emotional associations of a word. Words can have positive and negative connotations. Example: Wall Street’s denotation is a street in lower Manhattan where the New Yo...
Two more examples of literary devices that are often taught together are dialect and diction. Dialect is the word usage, syntax, and grammar of a specific group of people, while diction refers to the way they pronounce words. These groups could be by region (Southern American English), class (British cockney), or other cultural differences. Use of ...
This French phrase (pronounced “ahn-TAHN-druh”) translates to “double meaning,” and it describes a word or phrase that has just that—more than one meaning. These can often be a little risqué or off-color. Example: In the short story “The Most Dangerous Game,” the title itself is a double entendre. “Game” can refer to both the creature being hunted ...
Aug 9, 2024 · Kids Encyclopedia Facts. This glossary of literary terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts used in the discussion, classification, analysis, and criticism of all types of literature, such as poetry, novels, and picture books, as well as of grammar, syntax, and language techniques.
- 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.
Simply put, figurative language is defined as a creative way to use words and phrases beyond their literal definition to explain something more abstract or heighten the emotional power of that word or phrase.
Concise definitions, usage tips, and lots of examples for 136 literary devices and terms.
