Literary Devices

a reference to something literary, mythological, historical, or biblical that the author assumes the reader will recognize

• connotation
• denotation
• allusion
• alliteration

the methods a writer uses to reveal the physical appearance and personality of a character

• flashback
• theme
• allusion
• characterization

a character who demonstrates complexity and who develops or changes over the course of a story

• main character
• dynamic character
• static character
• character motivation

a character who demonstrates a single quality and does not change over the course of a story

• main character
• dynamic character
• static character
• character motivation

a character's incentive or reason for acting in a certain manner

• main character
• dynamic character
• static character
• character motivation

the implied or associative meaning of a word

• connotation
• denotation
• allusion
• tone

the literal (dictionary) definition of a word

• connotation
• denotation
• allusion
• tone

the word choices made by a writer

• foreshadowing
• mood
• allusion
• diction

the insertion of an earlier event into the normal chronological order of a story. 

• flashback
• foreshadowing
• irony
• mood

a hint or presentation of material so that the reader is prepared for what is to come later in the story

• flashback
• foreshadow
• irony
• mood