As a literature major, I loved reading novels and poetry for literary devices. Unfortunately, I bought into what all of our literature teachers taught us. Authors INTENTIONALLY put these items into literature. This is far from the truth. While we might look for metaphors for bigger themes, we as authors DO NOT sit down and thing today, we are going to put into our writing a literary device. These items just show up.
Consider the following: This is what many believe authors are INTENTIONALLY putting into their writing. I am putting this in BLUE so just scan down to the bottom and I will pick it up back in black (no that is not an inter- textual reference to an AC/DC song).
*These terms and definitions should be studied and well known by the second six weeks. Below are terms you will use voraciously both to analyze literary fiction and to answer discussion questions, seminar questions, writing prompts, and in-class timed essays.
act: a major unit of action in a drama or play. Each act can be further divided into smaller sections called scenes.
allegory: a story in which people, things and actions represent an idea about life; allegories often have a strong moral or lesson.
alliteration (a-LIT-uh-RAY-shuhn): the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (tongue twisters)
allusion (a-LOO-zhuhn): a reference in a literary work
to a person, place, or thing in history or another work of literature.
Allusions are often indirect or brief references to well-known characters or
events.
analogy:
a comparison of two or more like objects
that suggests if they are alike in certain respects, they will probably be
alike in other ways as well.
anecdote:
a brief account of an interesting
incident or event that usually is intended to entertain or to make a point.
antagonist (an-TAG-uh-nist): see character
aside: an actor’s speech, directed to the audience, that is not supposed to be heard by other actors on stage. An aside is used to let the audience know what a character is about to do or what he or she is thinking.
assonance: repetition of vowel sounds within a line of poetry.
audience: the particular group of readers or viewers that the writer is addressing. A writer considers his or her audience when deciding on a subject, a purpose for writing and the tone and style in which to write.
author: the writer of a book, article or other text.
author’s purpose: an author’s purpose is his or her reason for creating a particular work. The purpose can be to entertain, explain or inform, express an opinion, or to persuade.
autobiography: a form of nonfiction in which a person tells the story of his or her life.
biography: the story
of a person’s life that is written by someone else.
blank
verse: unrhymed iambic pentameter (see meter)
caesura: a pause or a sudden break in a line of poetry
cause and effect: two events are related as cause and effect when one event brings about or causes the other. The event that happens first is the cause; the one that follows is the effect.
character:
a person who is responsible for the thoughts and actions within a story, poem,
or other literature. Characters are extremely important because they are the
medium through which a reader interacts with a piece of literature. Every
character has his or her own personality, which a creative author uses to
assist in forming the plot of a story or creating a mood.
Terms
Associated with Characterization:
1. antagonist (an-TAG-uh-nist): a character
in a story or poem who deceives, frustrates, or works against the main
character, or protagonist, in some way. The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have
to be a person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any challenge that
prevents the main character from living “happily ever after."
2. caricature: a picture or imitation of
a person’s habits, physical appearance or mannerisms exaggerated in a comic or
absurd way.
3. foil: a character who serves as a
contrast or a conflict to another character
4. hero/heroine: a character whose
actions are inspiring or noble; often the main character in a story.
5. main characters: the characters
who are central to the plot of a story; main characters are usually dynamic and
round.
6. minor characters: a less
important character who interacts with the main characters, helping to move the
plot along and providing background for the story. Minor characters are
usually static and flat.
7. novel, play, story,
or poem. He or she may also be referred to as the "hero" of a
work.
characterization:
all of the techniques that writers use to
create characters.
Terms Associated with Characterization:
1.
character trait: a character’s
personality; a trait is not a
physical description of a character.
2.
direct characterization: the author
directly states a character’s traits or makes direct comments about a
character’s nature.
3.
dynamic character: a character who
changes throughout the course of the story.
4.
flat character: a character about
whom little information is provided.
5.
indirect characterization: the
author does not directly state a character’s traits; instead the reader draws
conclusions and discovers a character’s traits based upon clues provided by the
author.
6.
round character: is a character who
is fully described by the author (several character traits, background
information, etc.)
7.
static character: a character who
does not change or who changes very little in the course of a story.
chorus:
see refrain
chronological
order: the order in which events
happen in time.
clarifying:
the reader’s process of pausing
occasionally while reading to quickly review what he or she understands.
By clarifying as they read, good readers are able to draw conclusions about
what is suggested but not stated directly.
cliché:
a type of figurative
language containing an overused expression or a saying that is no
longer considered original.
climax:
see plot
comedy:
a dramatic work that is light and often
humorous in tone and usually ends happily with a peaceful resolution of the
main conflict.
comparison:
the process of identifying similarities.
concrete poetry: a type of poetry that
uses its physical or visual form to present its message.
conflict: the tension or problem in
the story; a struggle between opposing forces.
Terms Associated With Conflict:
1. central conflict: the dominant
or most important conflict in the story.
2. external conflict: the problem
or struggle that exists between the main character and an outside force.
(ex: person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature, person vs.
the supernatural, person vs. technology, etc.)
3. internal conflict: the problem
or struggle that takes place in the main character’s mind (person vs. self).
connecting:
a reader’s process of relating the
content of a literary work to his or her own knowledge and experience.
connotation (KAH-nuh-TAE-shun): the idea and feeling associated
with a word as opposed to its dictionary definition or denotation.
consonance:
the repetition of consonant sounds
anywhere within a line of poetry. Alliteration
is a specific type of consonance.
context
clues: hints or suggestions that
may surround unfamiliar words or phrases and clarify their meaning.
contrast:
the process of pointing out differences
between things.
couplet (KUP-let): a rhymed pair of lines in a poem. One of William Shakespeare’s trademarks was to end a sonnet with a couplet, as in the poem “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day”:
So long as men can breathe
or eyes can see,
So long as lives this, and this gives life to thee.
So long as lives this, and this gives life to thee.
denotation
(DEE-no-TAE-shuhn) is the opposite of connotation
in that it is the exact or dictionary meaning of a word.
denouement (day-noo-mon): see plot
dialect: a form of language that is spoken in a particular place or by a particular group of people.
dialogue (di-UH-log): The conversation between characters in a drama or narrative. A dialogue occurs in most works of literature.
drama: a drama or play is a form of literature meant to be performed by actors before an audience. In a drama, the characters’ dialogue and actions tell the story. The written form of a play is known as a script.
drawing conclusions: combining several pieces of information to make an inference is called drawing a conclusion.
dramatic monologue (dra-MA-tik mon'-O-lôg): a literary device that is used when a character reveals his or her innermost thoughts and feelings, those that are hidden throughout the course of the story line, through a poem or a speech. This speech, where only one character speaks, is recited while other characters are present onstage. This monologue often comes during a climactic moment in a work and often reveals hidden truths about a character, their history and their relationships.
elegy (EL-e-je): a type of literature defined as a song or
poem that expresses sorrow or lamentation, usually for one who has died.
enjambment:
in poetry, the running over of a line or
thought into the next of verse
epigram (ep-e-gram): a short poem or verse that seeks to
ridicule a thought or event, usually with witticism or sarcasm.
epic:
a long narrative poem about the
adventures of a hero whose actions reflect the ideals and values of a nation or
group.
epiphany: a sudden moment of understanding that causes a
character to change or to act in a certain way.
epitaph:
a short poem or verse written in memory
of someone
essay: a short work of nonfiction that deals with a single
subject.
Various Types of Essays
1. descriptive essay is one that
describes a particular subject.
2. expository essay is one whose purpose
is to explain and give information about a subject.
3. formal essay is highly organized and
thoroughly researched.
4. humorous essay is one whose purpose is
to amuse or entertain the reader.
5. informal essay is lighter in tone and
usually reflects the writer’s feelings and personality.
6. narrative essay is an essay that tells
a story.
7. persuasive essay attempts to convince
a reader to adopt a particular option or course of action.
evaluating:
the process of judging the value of
something or someone. A work of literature can be evaluated in terms of
such criteria as entertainment, believability, originality, and emotional
power.
exaggeration:
see hyperbole
exposition:
see plot
extended
metaphor: a figure of speech that
compares two essentially unlike things in great length.
external conflict: see conflict
fable: a brief tale that teaches a lesson about human nature.
Fables often feature animals as characters.
fact
and opinion: a fact is a statement
that can be proved. An opinion, in contrast, is a statement that reflects the
writer’s or speaker’s belief, but which cannot be supported by proof or
evidence.
falling
action: see plot
fantasy:
a work of literature that contains at
least one fantastic or unreal element.
fiction:
prose writing that tells an imaginary
story. Fiction includes both short stories and novels.
figurative
language or figure of speech: expressions that are not literally
true. see simile, metaphor,
hyperbole,
understatement,
irony, oxymoron,
cliché, metonymy
first
person point of view: see point
of view
flashback: an interruption of the chronological sequence (as in a film or literary work) of an event of earlier occurrence. A flashback is a narrative technique that allows a writer to present past events during current events, in order to provide background for the current narration.
foil: see character
folklore: traditions, customs and stories that are passed down within a culture. Folklore contains various types of literature such as legends, folktales, myths, and fables.
folktale: a simple story that has been passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. Folktales are told primarily to entertain rather than to explain or teach a lesson.
foot: a unit of meter within a line of poetry
foreshadowing: when the writer provides clues or hints that suggest or predict future event in a story.
free verse: poetry without regular patterns of rhyme and rhythm. Often used to capture the sounds and rhythms of ordinary speech.
genre (ZHAHN-ruh): a type or category of literature.
The four main literary genres include: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and
drama. \
haiku: a traditional form of Japanese poetry, usually dealing with nature. A haiku has three lines and describes a single moment, feeling or thing. The first and third lines contain five syllables and the second line contains seven syllables.
hero
or heroine: see character
heroic
couplet or closed couplet: a couplet consisting
of two successive rhyming lines that contain a complete thought.
historical
fiction: fiction that explores a
past time period and may contain references to actual people and events of the
past.
horror
fiction: fiction that contains mysterious
and often supernatural events to create a sense of terror.
humor:
the quality that provokes laughter or
amusement. Writers create
humor through exaggeration, sarcasm, amusing descriptions, irony, and witty
dialogue.
hyperbole
(hi-per-bo-lee): a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for
emphasis or humorous effect.
iambic pentameter: see meter
iambic pentameter: see meter
idiom: a phrase or expression that means something different from what the words actually say (for example, using the phrase “over his head” instead of “He doesn’t understand”).
imagery: the use of words and
phrases that appeal to the five senses. Writers use sensory details to
help readers imagine how things look, feel, smell, sound, and taste.
inference:
is a logical guess based on evidence
based on evidence in the text.
internal
conflict: see conflict
interview:
a meeting in which one person asks
another about personal matters, professional matters or both.
irony (i-RAH-nee): a contrast between what is expected
and what actually exists or happens. Irony spices up a literary work by adding
unexpected twists and allowing the reader to become more involved with the
characters and plot.
There are many types of
irony, including:
1. verbal irony: occurs when the speaker
means something totally different than what he or she is saying and often
times the opposite of what a character is saying is true.
2.
dramatic irony: occurs when facts
are not known to the characters in a work of literature but are known by the
audience.
3.
cosmic irony: suggests that some
unknown force brings about dire and dreadful events.
4.
irony of situation: the
difference between what is expected to happen and the way events actually work
out.
legend: a
story handed down from the past about a specific person, usually someone of
heroic accomplishments.
limerick: a short humorous poem
composed of five lines that usually has the rhyme scheme aabba, created by two rhyming
couplets followed by a fifth line that rhymes with the first couplet. A
limerick typically has a sing-song rhythm.
literal
meaning: the actual meaning of a word or
phrase.
lyric (LEER-ick) poetry:
a song-like poem written mainly to express the feelings or emotions of a single
speaker.
main
idea: the most important point that
a writer wishes to express.
memoir:
a specific type of autobiography; like
autobiography, a memoir is about the author’s personal experiences. However, a
memoir does not necessarily cover the author’s entire life.
metaphor (met-AH-for): a type of figurative
language in which a comparison is made between two things that are
essentially unalike but may have one quality in common. Unlike a simile,
a metaphor does not contain an explicit word of comparison, such as “like” or
“as”.
meter:
the regular pattern of accented and
unaccented syllables. Although all poems have rhythm, not all poems have
regular meter. Each unit of meter is known as a foot. The conventional
symbols used to identify accented and unaccented syllables are: “/” to indicate
an accented syllable; and an “X” or a small symbol shaped like a “U” to
indicate an unaccented symbol. The metrical foot
is the basic unit of meter. The most common metrical feet and their patterns of
stressed and unstressed syllables are as follows:
·
iamb: X /
·
trochee: / X
·
anapest: X X /
·
dactyl: / X X
·
spondee: / /
·
pyrrhic: X X
The meter of a poem is determined by the predominant metrical foot, and by the number of feet per line that predominates in the poem. The following terms indicate the number of feet per line:
·
monometer: one foot per line
·
dimeter: two feet per line
·
trimeter: three feet per line
·
tetrameter: four feet per line
·
pentameter: five feet per line
·
hexameter: six feet per line
·
heptameter: seven feet per line
·
octameter: eight feet per line
A poem written in
predominantly iambic meter, with five feet per line, would be called "iambic pentameter." One written
in primarily trochaic meter, with four feet per line, would be "trochaic
tetrameter." One written in anapestic meter, with three feet per line,
would be "anapestic trimeter."
metonymy: the metaphorical substitution of one word or phrase
for another related word or phrase. Example: “The pen is mightier than the
sword.” The word “pen” is used in place of “words” and the word “sword”
is used to represent the idea of fighting or war.
minor
character: see character
mood: a mood or atmosphere is the feeling that a literary work conveys to readers. Mood is created through the use of plot, character, the author’s descriptions, etc.
moral: a lesson that a story teaches. A moral is often stated directly at the end of a fable.
motif (moh-TEEF): a recurring object, concept, or structure in a work of literature. A motif may also be two contrasting elements in a work, such as good and evil. A motif is important because it allows one to see main points and themes that the author is trying to express, in order that one might be able to interpret the work more accurately.
motivation: the reason why a character acts, feels or thinks in a certain way.
myth (mith): a traditional story that attempts to explain how the world was created or why the world is the way that it is. Myths are stories that are passed on from generation to generation and are of unknown authorship. Also see folklore.
narrative (na-RAH-tiv): any writing that tells a story. Most
novels and short stories are placed into the categories of first-person and
third-person narratives, which are based on who is telling the story and from
what perspective.
Terms that relate to "narrative”
1. narrative poetry: poetry that tells a
story. A narrative poem can come in many forms and styles, both complex and
simple, short or long, as long as it tells a story. Like fiction, narrative
poetry contains characters, settings and plots.
2. narrator: one who tells a story; the
speaker or the “voice” of an oral or written work. The narrator is not usually
the same person as the author. The narrator is the direct window into a piece
of work. Who the author chooses to narrate establishes the point
of view in the story.
3. unreliable narrator: one who gives his
or her own understanding of a story, instead of the explanation and
interpretation the author wishes the audience to obtain. This type of action
tends to alter the audience’s opinion of the conclusion.
narrative poem (nar-RAH-tiv po-EM): see narrative
narrator (nar-RAY-ter): see narrative
nonfiction: is prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people, places, objects or events. Some examples of nonfiction include autobiographies, newspaper articles, biographies, essays, etc.
novel: a work of fiction that is longer and more complex than a short story. In a novel, setting, plot and characters are usually developed in great detail.
ode: a lyric poem of some length, usually of serious or meditative nature and having an elevated style and formal structure.
onomatopoeia: the use of words whose sound suggest their meaning (ex. buzz, bang, hiss).
opinion: see fact and opinion
oral history: stories of people’s lives related by word of mouth. These histories usually include both factual material and personal reactions.
oxymoron: a form of figurative language combining contradictory words or ideas (ex. jumbo shrimp, bittersweet).
paradox: a statement that seems to contradict itself but is, nevertheless, true.
parallelism: the use of similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that are related or equal in importance. For example: The sun rises. The sun sets.
paraphrasing: the restatement of a text by readers in their own words or in another form.
parody: a literary or artistic work that imitates the characteristic style of an author’s work for comic effect or ridicule.
personification {PER-son-E-fih-ka-shEn): a figure of speech where animals, ideas or inanimate objects are given human characteristics.
perspective: see point of view
persuasion: persuasive writing is meant to sway readers’ feelings, beliefs, or actions. Persuasion normally appeals to both the mind and the emotions of readers.
play: see drama
plot: the sequence of related events that make up a story.
Terms Associated with Plot
1. exposition: introduces the characters and the conflicts they face.
2. inciting incident: occurs after the exposition and introduces the
central conflict within the story.
3. rising action: following the introduction of the central conflict;
complications arise as the characters struggle with the
conflict.
4. climax: the turning point, point of maximum interest, and
highest tension in the plot of a story, play, or film. The climax usually
occurs towards the end of story after the reader has understood the conflict
and become emotionally involved with the characters. At the climax, the
conflict is resolved, and the outcome of the plot becomes
clear.
5. falling
action: the end of the central
conflict in a story, when the action starts to wind
down.
6. resolution or
denouement: occurs after the climax
and is where conflicts are resolved and loose ends are tied up.
7. subplot: an additional minor plot that involves a secondary
conflict in the story; the subplot may or may not affect the main plot.
poetry: a type of literature in which ideas and feelings are expressed in compact, imaginative, and often musical language. Poets arrange words in ways designed to touch readers’ senses, emotions, and minds. Most poems are written in lines that may contain patterns of rhyme and rhythm. These lines may in turn be grouped in stanzas. See narrative, epic, ballad, lyric, haiku, limerick and concrete poetry.
point of view: perspective from which a story is told. Understanding the point of view used in a work is critical to understanding literature; it serves as the instrument to relay the events of a story, and in some instances the feelings and motives of the character(s).
Terms Associated with Point of View:
1.
first person point of view: the
person telling the story is one of the characters in the story. It is the
“I” point of view. It is
the most limited among the types because the narrator can only state what he or
she sees, feels, and hears. He or she cannot go into the minds of the other characters.
2.
second person point of view: refers
to the use of “you” in
explanations or arguments. It is not frequently used, but is appropriate in
certain circumstances. Most second person points of view occur within
instructions that are meant to be followed.
3.
third person limited or third person
objective: the person telling the story is not one of the
characters in the story. He or she is an outside observer. The
reader can only know what one character learns through interaction with other
characters or through overheard conversations. The narrator cannot supply
the thoughts or feelings of other characters in the
story.
4.
third person omniscient: the
narrator is not a character in the story, but the events in the story are seen
through the eyes of more than one of the characters. The narrator is
considered to be “all knowing” and cannot only see and hear everything that is
happening to all characters in the story, but can also enter their minds and
tell the reader what each is thinking and feeling. This is the least limited
point of view because the narrator has knowledge of all the
characters.
predicting: the process of gathering information and combining it with the reader’s own knowledge to guess what might occur in the story.
primary source: a first hand account of an event; primary sources include: diaries, journals, letters, speeches, news stories, photographs, and pieces of art.
propaganda: text that uses false or misleading information to present a slanted point of view.
prose: the ordinary form of spoken and written language; that is, language that lacks the special features of poetry. Examples of prose include: essays, stories, articles, speeches, etc.
protagonist (pro-TAG-eh-nist) see character
questioning: the
process of raising questions while reading in an effort to understand characters
and events.
realistic fiction: imaginative
writing set in the real, modern world. The characters act like real
people who use ordinary human abilities to cope with problems and conflicts
typical of modern life.
refrain: repetition
in literature of one or more lines at regular intervals; sometimes called the chorus.
repetition:
a technique in which a sound, word,
phrase, or line is repeated for effect or emphasis.
resolution:
see plot
rhyme (rime): repetition of an identical or similarly
accented sound or sounds in a work. Rhyme gives poems flow and rhythm,
helping the lyricist tell a story and convey a mood.
Some Terms Associated with Rhyme:
1.
end or terminal rhymes: words that
rhyme at the end of a verse-line.
2.
eye rhymes: are words that when written
appear to rhyme, but when spoken do not (ex: dog/fog, cough/enough/bough,
etc).
3.
internal rhyme: rhyme
found within a line of poetry (alliteration, assonance, and consonance).
4.
slant rhyme (slänt rime) is also
known as near rhyme, half rhyme, off rhyme, imperfect rhyme, oblique rhyme, or
pararhyme. A distinctive system or pattern of metrical structure and verse
composition in which two words have only their final consonant sounds and no
preceding vowel or consonant sounds in common. Instead of perfect or identical
sounds or rhyme, it is the repetition of near or similar sounds or the pairing
of accented and unaccented sounds that if both were accented would be perfect
rhymes (stopped and wept, parable and shell). Alliteration, assonance, and
consonance are accepted as slant rhyme due to their usage of sound combinations
(spilled and spoiled, chitter and chatter).
rhyme scheme:
the pattern of end rhyme used in a poem, generally indicated by matching
lowercase letters to show which lines rhyme. The letter "a" notes the
first line, and all other lines rhyming with the first line. The first line
that does not rhyme with the first, or "a" line, and all others that
rhyme with this line, is noted by the letter "b", and so on. The
rhyme scheme may follow a fixed pattern (as in a sonnet) or may be arranged
freely according to the poet's requirements.
rhythm (see also meter): refers to the pattern of flow of sounds created by the
arrangement of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. The
accented or stressed syllables are marked with:
stressed or accented syllables: /
unstressed or unaccented syllables: X or U
rising action: see plot
satire:
a literary technique in which ideas or
customs are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society.
scanning:
the process of searching through writing
for a particular fact or piece of information.
scene:
a section in a play presenting events
that occur in one place at one time.
science
fiction: prose writing in which a
writer explores unexpected possibilities of the past or the future by using
scientific data and theories as well as his or her imagination.
secondary source: a secondary source presents information compiled
from or based on other sources.
sensory details: words and phrases that help readers
see, hear, taste, feel, or smell what an author is describing.
sequence: the order in which events occur or in which ideas are
presented.
setting (set-ting): the time, place, physical details, and
circumstances in which a story occurs. Settings include the background,
atmosphere or environment in which characters
live and move, and usually include physical characteristics of the
surroundings.
Settings enables the reader
to better envision how a story unfolds by relating necessary physical details
of a piece of literature.
short
story: brief work of fiction that
generally focuses on one or two main characters who face a single problem or
conflict.
simile (sim-EH-lee): a simile is a
type of figurative
language that makes a comparison between two otherwise unlike
objects or ideas by connecting them with the words "like" or
"as."
soliloquy: a speech delivered by a character who is alone on
the stage.
sonnet (sonn-IT): a sonnet is a distinctive poetic style that uses a system or pattern of metrical structure and verse composition usually consisting of fourteen lines, arranged in a set rhyme scheme or pattern. There are two main styles of sonnet, the Italian sonnet and the English sonnet.
1.
The Italian or Petrarchan sonnet is usually written
in iambic pentameter. It consists first of an octave, or eight lines, which
asks a question or states a problem or proposition and follows the rhyme scheme
a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a. The sestet, or last six lines, offers an answer, or a
resolution to the proposed problem, and follows the rhyme scheme c-d-e-c-d-e.
2.
In the English or Shakespearean sonnet the octave and
sestet were replaced by three quatrains, each having its own independent rhyme
scheme typically rhyming every other line, and ending with a rhyme couplet.
Instead of the Italianic break between the octave and the sestet, the break
comes between the twelfth and thirteenth lines. The ending couplet is often the
main thought change of the poem, and has an epigrammatic
ending. It follows the rhyme scheme a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g.
sound devices: see alliteration, onomatopoeia, repetition, rhyme and rhythm.
speaker: the voice that talks to the reader in a poem, as the narrator does in a work of fiction. The speaker in the poem is not necessarily the poet.
speech: a talk given in public.
stage directions: the instructions to the actors, director and stage crew in the script of a play.
stanza: a grouping of two or more lines within a poem. A stanza is comparable to a paragraph in prose. Some common stanza forms include:
·
two line stanza: couplet
·
three line stanza: triplet or tercet
·
four line stanza: quatrain
·
five line stanza: cinquain or quintet
·
six line stanza: sestet or sextet
·
seven line stanza: septet
·
eight line stanza: octave
·
fourteen line stanza: sonnet
static character: see character
stereotype: a broad generalization or an oversimplified view that disregards individual differences.
story mapping: a visual organizer that helps a reader understand a work of literature by tracking setting, characters, events and conflicts.
style: how a writer says something; many elements contribute to style, including word choice, sentence length, tone and figurative language
subplot: see plot
summarizing: the process of briefly recounting the main ideas of a piece of writing in a person’s own words, while omitting unimportant details.
suspense: a feeling of growing tension and excitement. Writers create suspense by raising questions in readers’ minds about what might happen.
symbolism: using something specific to stand for something else, especially an idea. A symbol is a person, place, object or action that for something beyond itself. For example, a dove may represent peace. The dove can be seen and peace cannot.
synecdoche: a literary technique in which the whole is represented by naming one of its parts (genus named for species), or vice versa (species named for genus). Example: “You've got to come take a look at my new set of wheels.” The vehicle here is represented by its parts, or wheels.
tall tale: a humorously exaggerated story about impossible events.
theme: a common thread or repeated
idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work. A theme is a thought or
idea the author presents to the reader about life or human nature. Generally, a
theme has to be extracted as the reader explores the passages of a work. The
author utilizes the characters, plot, and other literary devices to assist the
reader in this endeavor. The author often intertwines the theme throughout the
work, and the full impact is slowly realized as the reader processes the text.
The ability to recognize a theme is important because it allows the reader to
understand part of the author’s purpose in writing the book.
third person point of view: see point
of view.
tone: the writer’s attitude or feeling about his or her
subject.
tragedy: a dramatic work that presents the downfall of a dignified
character or characters who are involved in historically or socially
significant events. The events in a tragic plot are set in motion by a
decision that is often an error in judgment. Succeeding events inevitably lead
to a disastrous conclusion, usually death.
trait: see characterization.
understatement: a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said; the opposite of hyperbole. Understatement is usually used for a humorous effect.
unreliable narrator: see narrative
urban legend: a
contemporary story that is told in many rumored versions that have little basis
in fact.
voice: an author or narrator’s distinctive style or manner of expression. Voice can reveal much about the author or narrator’s personality.
What I simply want to say is that literary devices DO NOT make your story better. Successful authors DO NOT stop their writing and say "I think if I make this metaphorical link to this obscure 13th Century Novel, writers will fully get this idea." OK... so there are a few very nerdy people out there who do this, but your every day writers do not.
When you write a story, tell a good story.
Focus on a character we can relate to
Show us a conflict that is worthy.
Show us character motivations that are believable.
Show us writer that NEEDS to be read.
This is GOOD writer. Not the supposed intentional use of literary devices.
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