Literary Devices
Literary devices are used to:
 call attention to the important parts of
a story
 make the writing style memorable
 add to the characterization, setting,
plot, and theme
Foreshadowing
• hints and clues that the author gives the
reader about what will happen later in the
story
• used to build anticipation in the reader
Example: “…as though he waited for some beast
of the woods to come within the range of his
vision…” (Munro 11).
Personification
• giving human characteristics to an object or
creature that is not human
Examples:
The sun smiled down on us.
The leaves danced in the breeze.
Hyperbole
• extreme exaggeration used to make a point
Examples:
I have a million things to do today.
He is as old as the hills.
These books weigh a ton.
Onomatopoeia
• the naming of an object or action by a vocal
imitation of the sound associated with it
Examples:
buzz, hiss, swish, bang, clap
Alliteration
• the repetition of initial consonant sounds in
words
Example: “The rest of Harrison’s appearance
was Halloween and hardware. Nobody had ever
worn heavier handicaps” (Vonnegut 7).
Symbol:
• a person, place, object, or image that represents
another idea, feeling, or belief
• a symbol has its own meaning, but also stands for
something beyond itself
Examples:
wine in “The Interlopers”
handicaps in “Harrison Bergeron”
cigarettes in The Fault in Our Stars
Symbolism:
• the author’s use of symbols adds meaning to a
story
• General symbols  stand for universal ideas
Examples: heart for love, skull for death
• Constructed symbols  created by an author to
represent an important idea in a particular story
Examples: ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz,
handicaps in “Harrison Bergeron”
Allusion = a brief reference to a wellknown person, place, historical
event, literary work, or work of art
Types of Allusions:
•
•
•
•
Biblical
Historical
Classical (mythology)
Literary (fairy tales often become allusions 
Prince Charming, Big Bad Wolf, Sleeping
Beauty, Rapunzel)
• Shakespeare allusions are common
• Popular culture/ sports
Allusions:
• Why do authors/ artists/ musicians use
“allusion”?
- helps create a certain mood quickly, without
a lot of explanation
- connects author/ artist/ musician to the
reader or audience
Imagery
The use of descriptive and/or figurative
language to create “word pictures” in the
mind of the reader
Imagery
Figurative language includes 
• Metaphor
• Simile
• Hyperbole
• Personification
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia