Literary Devices Review

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A made-up story that is based on a real time and place in history, so fact is mixed with fiction.

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History fiction: A genre that blends historical facts with fictional elements.

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Comparison of two things essentially different but with some commonalities; does not use 'like' or 'as'.

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Metaphor: A figure of speech that implies a comparison between two unlike things.

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A figure of speech in which two seemingly opposing and contradictory elements are juxtaposed (side-by-side).

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Oxymoron: A combination of contradictory or incongruent words (e.g., 'deafening silence').

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A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art to enrich the reading experience by adding meaning.

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Allusion: An indirect reference to something well-known.

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Techniques a writer uses to create and develop a character by what he/she does or says, other characters say about him/her, or how they react to him/her, and how the author reveals directly or through a narrator.

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Characterization: The process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

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A comparison using 'like' or 'as'.

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Simile: A figure of speech that directly compares two different things.

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A word that imitates the sound it represents.

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Onomatopoeia: A word that phonetically resembles the sound it describes (e.g., 'buzz', 'sizzle').

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A phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning.

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Idiom: A common expression that does not make sense if taken literally (e.g., 'kick the bucket' means to die).

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A narrative technique in which the author gives hints about what will happen later in the story.

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Foreshadowing: A literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.

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A recurring theme, subject, or idea in a literary work.

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Motif: A repeated element that has symbolic significance in a story.