LITERARY DEVICES:  AN OVERVIEW 

 

*During the course of the school year, we will be speaking a lot about Author’s Intent and the literary devices they use.  These terms will appear on tests, quizzes and homework assignments so please keep this in your binder as a reference.

 

Alliteration:  The repetition of the initial consonants of words. 

Ex:  Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Ex: Frank phoned Philicia.

 

Climax:  The climax is the turning point of the story.  It is the point in which the rising action ends.

 

Conflict:  Struggle between opposing forces which drives the story.  Conflicts can exist between groups of characters (greasers and socs), individual characters (Ponyboy), or a character and society (people looked down on Pony because he was a greaser).

 

Foreshadowing: Where future events are suggested by the author before they happen.

 

Imagery:  Language that describes something in detail.  The author paints a scene with words.  (Root word= image)

 

Metaphor: Comparison of two things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’.  You are making a bold comparison.

Ex:  The man’s biceps were huge, he was a rock.

 

Simile: A comparison of two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’.  You are making a passive comparison.

Ex: The man’s biceps were huge, he was like a rock.

 

Protagonist: The main character in a story.  The character that the author wants us to identify with.

 

Repetition:  Where a specific word, phrase or structure is repeated several times to emphasize importance.

 

Hyperbole:  An extreme exaggeration.  Ex:  “I asked you a million times to do your homework!”