LITERARY DEVICES

LITERARY DEVICES ENGLISH 9

METAPHOR • A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that describes a subject by asserting that it is, on some point of comparison, the same as another otherwise unrelated object. • Purpose? – used for rhetorical effect, thus highlighting the similarities between the two. • Example: America is a melting pot. • Example: He has a heart of gold. • The assignment was a breeze. • Her voice is music to his ears.

SIMILE • An indirect comparison between two things that are essentially unalike, using “like” or “as” to show the comparison. • Purpose? - used to make a description more emphatic or vivid • Examples: • In her beautiful wedding dress, she was as pretty as a picture. • Crazy like a fox; as brave as a lion • The boxer fell like a ton of bricks.

PERSONIFICATION • Giving human qualities (such as: emotions, desires, sensations, gestures, and speech) to something that is essentially non-human. Examples: • The sun smiled down on us on that lovely June day. • Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, Sighing, through all her works, gave signs of woe. - John Milton • Opportunity knocked on the door.

HYPERBOLE • An exaggeration. Examples: • She gave us a ton of homework. • We waited in line for a year! • I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse. • I told you a thousand times!

ALLITERATION • Repetition of a particular sound. Example: • The bloody watchman told a tale of torture and terror. • Don't dream it. Drive it. Jaguar – Advertising Slogan

ONOMATOPOEIA • When a word “sounds” like the sound it makes when spoken. Examples: • The owl hooted in the darkness. • The engine sputtered and died. Click to play video

PUN • A play on words. Example: • . . . and then there was the story about the dentist who joined the infantry because he liked to drill. • I fired my masseuse today. She just rubbed me the wrong way.

ALLUSION • Reference to a historical event, literary, political, psychological, or social person, place, thing, idea or event. Examples: • With all the D’s and F’s she received, she knew spelling was her Achilles heel. • Play Billy Joel Click to Play

SYMBOL • Something concrete that stands for something abstract. Example: • A rose may symbolize love, beauty, or perfection. Princess Diana was called England’s Rose. • A dove = peace, apple = sin, flag = nation, light bulb = idea, skull and cross bones = poison, etc.

IRONY • The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning; a statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Example: • In 1912 the Titanic was touted as "100% unsinkable,” and yet the ship sank on its maiden voyage.

OXYMORON • Contradictory words or phrases used to describe one thing. Examples: • Jumbo Shrimp • Great Depression, Known Secret, Pretty Ugly, Bitter Sweet, Deafening Silence • ‘I can resist anything, except temptation.’ – Oscar Wilde • ‘I am busy doing nothing’

LITERARY DEVICES