What are literary devices

Often while reading a poem, it seems that the words are heart-touching, like you can totally relate to the poem. But how is this possible? Aren't they just words? Yeah! You are right. They are just words but with the magic of literary devices. [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type="show" ihc_mb_who="4" ihc_mb_template=3"] So let's figure out what these magical literary devices are? Well, a literary device is used to implement special effects in the piece of writing to become more effective and interesting and connect with the reader on a deeper level. It applies different styles of writing according to the requirement of the writer. It can be carried out on the whole piece of writing as well as on the sentence level. It has numerous benefits for a writer and also for the reader as the writing becomes more fun and interesting. Now you know what literary devices are. But why are they so important? 1) Literary devices convey emotions. Writing can become more relatable if you are able to feel the emotions of the writer only by reading. And this is where literary devices come into the picture. Literary devices convey the emotions of the writer so that the reader feels profoundly connected to them. 2) Literary devices highlight important concepts. When you want to emphasise something in your writing, literary devices can be of great help. They help in highlighting the patterns and concepts and can draw comparisons for a good emphasis. These are the common advantages of literary devices. But individually, a literary device can have more advantages. Let’s see twenty-six literary devices that will make your writing stand out. The first one is Allegory. It is a narrative in which characters, plots, or events are used to convey a broader message about real-world issues or occurrences. Let’s understand this with an example. The story of The Tortoise and the Hare is known widely. Through this story, we get the message that slow and steady wins the race. We get a life lesson from this simple story, and this is an example of Allegory. Simply saying, it’s a kind of a lucid story that points to a larger event or issue in the world. The second one is Alliteration. It is a repetition of letters or sounds at the start of words in close succession. It creates a rhyme and a smooth effect while reading. Examples of this are Peter Parker, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Paypal. The third is an Allusion. An allusion is an indirect reference to something or someone. It creates an effect of comparison in the piece of writing. If you want to show that your character is similar to Shakespeare, you can use allusion. For example: “You look like Mickey Mouse”, Jennie said while laughing. This is an allusion in which Jennie is referring to a character like Mickey Mouse. Fourth is Anastrophe Simply saying, Anastrophe is reversing a sentence. Usually, you write a subject, then a verb, and then an object. But in Anastrophe, you write an object, then a verb, and then a subject. Let’s take an example: “Ocean is vast.” It can be written as “Vast is ocean”. Fifth is Anthropomorphism In Anthropomorphism, the characteristics and behaviour of humans are given to inhuman things. You see, many anime and cartoons and children’s books have anthropomorphism. An example of this is The Beauty and the Beast. We can see the candles and tables have human characteristics. Number six is Aphorism. It is to state a universally true fact. It’s a proverb-like statement. An example of this is, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” or “Youth is a blunder; Manhood struggle; Old age a regret.” Simply saying, it is an expression of truth in a sure and effective way. Seventh is Chiasmus In this, words or grammatical constructions are repeated in reverse order. It creates a greater effect as compared to a simple statement. An example of this is the famous statement by Winston Churchill, “We shape our buildings, and afterwards, our buildings shape us.” The eighth one is Colloquialism. Colloquialism is using informal language which is familiar in conversation. An example of this is using words such as “ain’t” and “gonna” or sentences like “Knock yourself out.” Ninth is Euphemism Euphemism is a way to state things that can be harsh in an indirect way. You can see rather than saying that he is dead, people say that he is no more or he passed away. The tenth is Foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is like giving a hint of a future event so that when it occurs, it all makes sense. “The leaves fell early that year.” This line in the opening of Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms foreshadows an early death. Number eleven is Hyperbole. Hyperbole is an exaggeration of a sentence. We see this mostly when people exaggerate their greatness. An example of this is, “Her smile was a mile wide.” Number twelve is Hypophora. Hypophora is also referred to as anthypophora and antipophora. It is basically a question that is answered immediately after being asked. An example of this is, “Do you agree? Well, I do.” Number thirteen is Imagery. Imagery is the use of figurative language using which you can draw a picture through words. Sometimes when you listen to a story or part of a story, the words used are so descriptive and perfect that you can imagine the whole picture. Let’s take an example: ‘The autumn leaves are a blanket on the ground.’ Number fourteen is Irony. Irony expresses the contrast between how things seem and how they are in reality. It is mostly used to create a humorous effect while stating a true and miserable fact. There are basically three types of irony: Dramatic irony: It is often referred to as tragic irony. Here the author talks about the consequences even before they happen, and it fills the audience with dread for what they know is coming. An example of this is Romeo and Juliet. Each young lover takes poison, thinking that the other one is already dead. Comic irony: This is used to create a comedic effect. An example of this is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. She opens the novel with a line implying that men are the ones that hunt for a wife, but in the whole story, she makes it clear that actually, it is the other way. Verbal Irony: This figure of speech is used when a speaker tells one thing but means another. An example of this is, let’s say if a dog bit someone and he said, “ Wow, dogs are so nice!”. Number fifteen is a Juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is placing two contrasting things, such as ideas, places, and characters, close together. This is done to create an interesting effect and to show the difference. Examples of this are ‘light and darkness’, ‘acceptance and isolation’, and ‘youth and experience’. Number sixteen is a Metaphor. Metaphor is one of the most commonly used literary devices. It describes something with the help of comparison. Unlike simile, metaphor indirectly compares things or characters. It can be easily found in any book. An example of this is students saying, “That test was torture.” or say ‘The world is a stage.’ Number seventeen is Motif. The motif is a repetition of an idea, picture, place, or event that has significance in a literary work. An example of this is the recurring occurrence of an evil character who misplaces things in a story. Next is Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like what it is. It is used to describe the actual sounds. Its examples are Meow-meow, ding dong, boom, buzz, and zip. It is usually seen in children's books or poems. Number nineteen is an Oxymoron. An oxymoron is placing two opposite words together. It's like a juxtaposition. Let’s take an example. ‘Small crowd’, ‘old news', ‘living dead’. Number twenty is Paradox. The paradox is a statement that seems contradictory, but when investigated, it may prove to be true. An example of this is sentences like, ‘Save money by spending it’ or ‘This is the beginning of the end’. Next is Personification This is a literary device that can be seen a lot in literature. It’s like anthropomorphism. With personification, human characteristics are described through non-human things. It doesn’t mean that they have those traits, but it is just a description of them. Common examples of personification are ‘The wind howled at night.’ , ‘Lightning danced across the sky.’ Remember not to use too much personification because it can cause melodrama and mislead the actual theme. Number twenty-two is Point of View. The point of view is the way in which the story is narrated. There are three types of points of view. First Person If the story is narrated by a character in it and uses ‘I’ in it, then it is known as the first-person point of view. It is limited to the perspective of that character and tells only what the character’s views are. Second Person The second-person point of view is structured around ‘you’ and hence is not usually used in novels. Third Person If the author is narrating the story and uses ‘he/she’, then it is known as a third-person point of view. Unlike the first-person point of view, it is not limited to some characters’ perspectives. Next is Polysyndeton Polysyndeton is the repeated use of coordinating conjunctions to connect different items in a sentence. An example of polysyndeton is the postal creed. ” Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays on these couriers.” Next is Satire Satire is making fun of humanity or society through exaggeration, ridicule, or irony. An example of satire is political cartoons. Next is Simile A simile compares two things and is much like a metaphor. But simile uses the words ‘like’, ‘as’ and ‘such as’ while comparing. It is one of the most commonly used literary devices. An example of a simile is, ‘As bright as sun’, ‘As sly as a fox’. And the last one is Symbolism. Symbolism is much like a metaphor, but unlike metaphor, it only gives one half of its part; it needs to be interpreted further. Symbolism uses people, places, marks, or locations as a symbol to represent abstract ideas. For example, ‘A butterfly can symbolise great transformation’ or ‘A dog is a symbol of loyalty and devotion’. These are some literary devices that can make your writing stand out. Here are some tips to keep in mind while using literary devices: Remember to keep the words short and easy to understand. Don’t complicate things because that will cause the reader to lose interest while reading. If you are writing an informative article, make sure you don’t overuse literary devices and get to the point quickly. Now you know everything about what literary devices are, why they are important, and what types of literary devices are followed by some tips. Keep learning with Skilloma for your bright future!! Citations : [citationic styles="apa,mla,chicago,harvard,vancouver,ieee"] Power Words : Convey Proverb Figurative Recurring Irony Devotion Emotions Regret Autumn Howled Interpreted Complicate Profoundly Hint Miserable Creed Abstract Emphasis Exaggeration Consequences Ridicule Loyalty Critical thinking challenge question : Write a short story or a non-fiction writing using at least 10 literary devices from this lesson. Write a speech using at least 5 literary devices from this lesson. Are you ready to solve the puzzle? Start Puzzle [/ihc-hide-content] Hashtags : #GPSforLifeAndCareer #ConsciousIntelligence #Kidswiki #MindInTheMaking #RelevanceInEducation #MeaningfulLearning #RealWorldSkills #SafeContent #360DegreeDevelopment #Skillioma #BeyondCurriculum #SkillsBeyondSchool

What are literary devices

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