Common Literary Devices

Front

A main character with legendary actions central to a culture, often larger than life, possibly supernatural, defeats villains, and has a tragic flaw.

Back

Epic hero

Front

A literary device that uses the same word or phrase repeatedly.

Back

Repetition

Front

An idea, symbol, or pattern in a story that recurs across cultures and represents universal human experiences.

Back

Archetype

Front

Struggle or tension between opposing forces in literature, internal or external.

Back

Conflict

Front

A long simile used to emphasize a point.

Back

Epic simile

Front

Feeling or idea a word conveys (not the dictionary definition).

Back

Connotation

Front

Language authors use to appeal to the senses.

Back

Imagery

Front

Descriptive term for someone or something

Back

Epithet

Front

Emotional response the text evokes.

Back

Mood

Front

When an author mentions a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or art

Back

Allusion