Literary Devices/Terms/Elements

Allegory: Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolic, of something else, usually a larger abstract concept or important
historical/geopolitical event.
Lord of the Flies provides a compelling allegory of human nature, illustrating the three sides of the psyche through its sharply-defined main
characters.
Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds within close proximity, usually in consecutive words within the same sentence or line.
Antagonist: Counterpart to the main character and source of a storys main conflict. The person may not be bad or evil by any
conventional moral standard, but he/she opposes the protagonist in a significant way. !"lthough it is technically a literary element,
the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analy#ed by itself.$
Character: The people who inhabit and ta%e part in a story. When discussing character, as distinct from characterization, loo% to the
essential function of the character, or of all the characters as a group, in the story as a whole.
Golding uses his main characters to represent the different parts of the human psyche, to illustrate mankinds internal struggle between
desire, intellect, and conscience.
Characterization: The authors means of conveying to the reader a characters personality, life history, values, physical attributes, etc. "lso
refers directly to a description thereof.
Atticus is characterized as an almost impossibly virtuous man, always doing what is right and imparting impeccable moral values to his
children.
Climax: The turning point in a story, at which the end result becomes inevitable, usually where something suddenly goes terribly wrong& the
dramatic high point of a story. !"lthough it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a
discussion or analysis of structure; it cannot generally be analy#ed by itself.$
he story reaches its climax in Act !!!, when "ercutio and ybalt are killed and #omeo is banished from $erona.
Conflict: " struggle between opposing forces which is the driving force of a story. The outcome of any story provides a resolution of the
conflict!s$& this is what %eeps the reader reading. Conflicts can exist between individual characters, between groups of characters,
between a character and society, etc., and can also be purely abstract !conflicting ideas$.
he conflict between the "ontagues and %apulets causes #omeo and &uliet to behave irrationally once they fall in love.
"an-versus-nature is an important conflict in he 'ld "an and the (ea.
Dramatic irony: Where the audience or reader is aware of something important, of which the characters in the story are not aware.
"acbeth responds with disbelief when the weird sisters call him hane of %awdor) ironically, unbeknownst to him, he had been granted that
title by king *uncan in the previous scene.
Figurative language: "ny use of language where the intended meaning differs from the actual literal meaning of the words themselves.
There are many techni'ues which can rightly be called figurative language, including metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification,
onomatopoeia, verbal irony, and oxymoron. !(elated) figure of speech$
he poet makes e+tensive use of figurative language, presenting the speakers feelings as colors, sounds and flavors.
Foil: " character who is meant to represent characteristics, values, ideas, etc. which are directly and diametrically opposed to those of another
character, usually the protagonist. !"lthough it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a
discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analy#ed by itself.$
he noble, virtuous father "acduff provides an ideal foil for the villainous, childless "acbeth.

Foreshadowing: Where future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome, are suggested by the author before they happen. *oreshadowing can
ta%e many forms and be accomplished in many ways, with varying degrees of subtlety. +owever, if the outcome is deliberately and
explicitly revealed early in a story !such as by the use of a narrator or flashbac% structure$, such information does not constitute
foreshadowing.
,illys concern for his car foreshadows his eventual means of suicide.
Hyperbole: " description which exaggerates, usually employing extremes and/or superlatives to convey a positive or negative attribute&
hype.
he author uses hyperbole to describe "r. (mith, calling him -the greatest human being ever to walk the earth..
magery: ,anguage which describes something in detail, using words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including visual
imagery and sound imagery. "lso refers to specific and recurring types of images, such as food imagery and nature imagery. !-ot all
descriptions can rightly be called imagery& the %ey is the appeal to and stimulation of specific senses. .t is often advisable to specify
the type of imagery being used, to distinguish imagery from mere description.$
he authors use of visual imagery is impressive) the reader is able to see the island in all its lush, colorful splendor by reading Goldings
detailed descriptions.
rony !a.%.a. !ituational irony$: Where an event occurs which is unexpected, in the sense that it is somehow in absurd or moc%ing
opposition to what would be expected or appropriate. /ere coincidence is generally not ironic& nor is mere surprise, nor are any
random or arbitrary occurrences. !-ote) /ost of the situations in the "lanis /orissette song are not ironic at all.$ 0ee also Dramatic
irony; "erbal irony#
&em and (cout are saved by /oo #adley, who had ironically been an ob0ect of fear and suspicion to them at the beginning.
$etaphor: " direct relationship where one thing or idea substitutes for another.
(hakespeare often uses light as a metaphor for &uliet) #omeo refers to her as the sun, as -a rich 0ewel in an 1thiops ear,. and as a solitary
dove among crows.
$ood: The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece, within the setting. /ood refers to the general sense or feeling which the
reader is supposed to get from the text& it does not, as a literary element, refer to the authors or characters state of mind. !-ote that
mood is a literary element, not a techni'ue& the mood must therefore be described or identified. .t would be incorrect to simply state,
The author uses mood.$
he mood of "acbeth is dark, murky and mysterious, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty.
$otif: " recurring important idea or image. " motif differs from a theme in that it can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase,
while a theme usually must be expressed as a complete sentence.
/lood is an important motif in A ale of wo %ities, appearing numerous times throughout the novel.
%nomatopoeia: Where sounds are spelled out as words& or, when words describing sounds actually sound li%e the sounds they describe.
%xymoron: " contradiction in terms.
#omeo describes love using several oxymorons, such as -cold fire,. -feather of lead. and -sick health,. to suggest its contradictory nature.
&aradox: Where a situation is created which cannot possibly exist, because different elements of it cancel each other out.
!n 2345, -doublethink. refers to the paradox where history is changed, and then claimed to have never been changed.
A ale of wo %ities opens with the famous paradox, -!t was the best of times, it was the worst of times..
&ersonification '( Where inanimate ob1ects or abstract concepts are seemingly endowed with human self2awareness& where human
thoughts, actions, perceptions and emotions are directly attributed to inanimate ob1ects or abstract ideas. !-ot to be confused with
anthropomorphism.$
"alamud personifies 6obbs bat, giving it a name, ,onderboy, and referring to it using personal pronouns) for e+ample, -he went hungry.
during 6obbs batting slump.
&ersonification '( Where an abstract concept, such as a particular human behavior or a force of nature, is represented as a person.
he Greeks personified natural forces as gods) for e+ample, the god 7oseidon was the personification of the sea and its power over man.
&lot: 0e'uence of events in a story. /ost literary essay tas%s 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 and analy#e its structure,
rather than simply recapitulate what happens.
&oint)of)view: The identity of the narrative voice& the person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story. /ay be third2person
!no narrator& abstract narrative voice, omniscient or limited$ or first2person !narrated by a character in the story or a direct observer$.
3oint2of2view is a commonly misused term& it does not refer to the authors or characters feelings, opinions, perspectives, biases,
etc.
hough it is written in third-person, Animal Farm is told from the limited point-of-view of the common animals, unaware of what is really
happening as the pigs gradually and secretively take over the farm.
,riting the story in first-person point-of-view enables the reader to e+perience the soldiers fear and uncertainty, limiting the narrative to
what only he saw, thought and felt during the battle.
&rotagonist: The main character in a story, the one with whom the reader is meant to identify. The person is not necessarily good by any
conventional moral standard, but he/she is the person in whose plight the reader is most invested. !"lthough it is technically a
literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be
analy#ed by itself.$
*epetition: Where a specific word, phrase, or structure is repeated several times, usually in close proximity, to emphasi#e a particular idea.
he repetition of the words -,hat if8. at the beginning of each line reinforces the speakers confusion and fear.
!etting: The time and place where a story occurs. The setting can be specific !e.g., -ew 4or% City in 5678$ or ambiguous !e.g., a large urban
city during economic hard times$. "lso refers directly to a description thereof. When discussing or analy#ing setting, it is generally
insufficient to merely identify the time and place& an analysis of setting should include a discussion of its overall impact on the story
and characters.
he novel is set in the (outh during the racially turbulent 239:s, when blacks were treated unfairly by the courts.
,ith the island, Golding creates a pristine, isolated and uncorrupted setting, in order to show that the boys actions result from their own
essential nature rather than their environment.
!imile: "n indirect relationship where one thing or idea is described as being similar to another. 0imiles usually contain the words li%e or
as, but not always.
he simile in line 2: describes the lunar eclipse; -he moon appeared crimson, like a drop of blood hanging in the sky..
he characters gait is described in the simile; -(he hunched and struggled her way down the path, the way an old beggar woman might
wander about..
!pea+er: The voice of a poem& not to be confused with the poet him/herself. "nalogous to the narrator in prose fiction.
!ymbolism: The use of specific ob1ects or images to represent abstract ideas. This term is commonly misused, describing any and all
representational relationships, which in fact are more often metaphorical than symbolic. " symbol must be something tangible or
visible, while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal. !.n other words, a symbol must be something you can
hold in your hand or draw a picture of, while the idea it symboli#es must be something you cant hold in your hand or draw a picture
of.$
Golding uses symbols to represent the various aspects of human nature and civili<ation as they are revealed in the novel. he conch
symbolizes order and authority, while its gradual deterioration and ultimate destruction metaphorically represent the boys
collective downfall.
,heme: The main idea or message conveyed by the piece. " theme should generally be expressed as a complete sentence& an idea expressed
by a single word or fragmentary phrase is usually a motif#
'rwells theme is that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
he idea that human beings are essentially brutal, savage creatures provides the central theme of the novel.
,one: The apparent emotional state, or attitude, of the spea%er/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the language of the piece.
Tone refers only to the narrative voice& not to the author or characters. .t must be described or identified in order to be analy#ed
properly& it would be incorrect to simply state, The author uses tone.
he poem has a bitter and sardonic tone, revealing the speakers anger and resentment.
he tone of Gullivers narration is unusually matter-of-fact, as he seems to regard these bi<arre and absurd occurrences as ordinary or
commonplace.
,ragedy: Where a story ends with a negative or unfortunate outcome which was essentially avoidable, usually caused by a flaw in the central
characters personality. ragedy 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. When discussing tragedy, or
analy#ing a story as tragic, loo% to the other elements of the story which combine to ma%e it tragic.
,ragic hero-tragic figure: " protagonist who comes to a bad end as a result of his own behavior, usually cased by a specific personality
disorder or character flaw. !"lthough it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a
discussion or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analy#ed by itself.$
,illy Loman is one of the best-known tragic figures in American literature, oblivious to and unable to face the reality of his life.
,ragic flaw: The single characteristic !usually negative$ or personality disorder which causes the downfall of the protagonist.
'thellos tragic flaw is his 0ealousy, which consumes him so thoroughly that he is driven to murder his wife rather than accept, let alone
confirm, her infidelity. !"lthough it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for identification, as part of a discussion
or analysis of character; it cannot generally be analy#ed by itself.$
"erbal irony: Where the meaning of a specific expression is, or is intended to be, the exact opposite of what the words literally mean.
!!arcasm is a tone of voice that often accompanies verbal irony, but they are not the same thing.$
'rwell gives this torture and brainwashing facility the ironic title, -"inistry of Love..