Literary Devices

The term Literary Devices refers to:

• types of musical instruments
• tools and equipment used in construction
• methods for cooking a meal
• techniques and structures writers use to convey their message and enhance their writing

Literary devices can be treated as either:

• Literary Elements or Literary Techniques

• metaphorical or numerical
• symbolic or concrete
• allegorical or factual

Literary Elements have an:

• are irrelevant to the overall meaning and impact of a literary work
• no effect on the overall meaning and impact of a literary work
• only affect the grammar of a literary work
• inherent existence in literary work and are extensively employed by writers to develop a literary piece

Literary techniques are:

• types of cooking utensils
• structures usually a word or phrases in literary texts that writers employ to achieve not merely artistic ends but also help readers obtain greater understanding and appreciation of their literary works.

• varieties of musical instruments
• categories of sports equipment

Literary Elements examples:

• Math, science, history, and geography
• Love, hate, joy, and sadness
• Plot, setting, narrative structure, characters, mood, theme,

• Color, shape, size, and texture

Literary Techniques examples:

• Protagonist, antagonist, setting, plot
• Metaphor, simile, alliteration, hyperbole, allegory etc. 

• Comedy, drama, horror, romance
• Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division

Plot:

• Character development
• It is the logical sequence of events that develops a story. 

• Climax
• Setting

Setting:

• It refers to the time and place in which a story takes place.

• Underwater
• On a spaceship
• In a forest

Protagonist:

• Antagonist
• Sidekick
• Background character
• It is the main character of story, novel or a play e.g. Hamlet in the play Hamlet 

Antagonist:

• Main character in a story
• It is the character in conflict with the Protagonist e.g. Claudius in the play Hamlet 

• The climax of the story
• Friendly ally of the protagonist