Rhetorical Devices refers to language that is intended to
have an effect or desired reaction on its audience. Both
literary elements and literary techniques can rightly be
called rhetorical devices. *RD
*A Word on Writing Strategies: A writing strategy is simply
a method that a writer employs to get his or her point across
in a text. Writing Strategies include:
Literary Elements refers to particular identifiable
characteristics of a whole text. They are not “used,” per se, by
authors; they represent the elements of storytelling which
are common to all literary and narrative forms. For example,
every story has a theme, every story has a setting, every story
has a conflict, every story is written from a particular pointof-view, etc.
Literary Techniques refers to any specific, deliberate
constructions or choices of language which an author uses
to convey meaning in a particular way. An author’s use of a
literary technique usually occurs with a single word or
phrase, or a particular group of words or phrases, at one
single point in a text. Unlike literary elements, literary
techniques are not necessarily present in every text; they
represent deliberate, conscious choices by individual
authors.
Allegory – a work of literature in which people, objects, and
events stand for abstract qualities such as evil, compassion,
or greed. An allegory is written not only to entertain but to
teach a lesson or moral principle. *RD
Alliteration – the repetition of initial sounds in neighboring words.
Ex: sweet smell of success, a dime a dozen. *RD
Allusion—A figure of speech which makes brief, even casual
reference to a historical or literary figure, event, or object to create
a resonance in the reader or to apply a symbolic meaning to the
character or object of which the allusion consists. *RD
Anaphora (uh NAF uh ruh) - the repetition of a word, phrase, or
clause at the beginning of word groups occurring one after the
other. Examples: (1) Give me wine, give me women and give me
song. *RD
Antagonist – a character that is against the main character or
protagonist. Antagonists are usually villains, but an antagonist may
also be a force of nature, a set of circumstances, an animal, or other
force that is in conflict with the protagonist.
Antihero—Protagonist of a literary work who does not embody the
traditional qualities of a hero (e.g., honor, bravery, kindness.)
Aphorism - short, often witty statement presenting an observation
or a universal truth; an adage. Example: Many hands make light
work.–John Heywood. *RD
Aside - words an actor speaks to the audience which other actors
to life through characterization. An author creates and develops
characters by describing physical appearance gestures, thoughts
and feelings, speech and behavior, and interactions with other
characters. The author may state characteristics directly through
the words used, or indirectly through words, actions or responses of
other characters. Fiction has different types of characters who
relate and interact with each other.
a. Main Characters – around whom the plot revolves. These
characters tend to be more complex or ROUND. They are referred
to as DYNAMIC and often change as a result of their experiences.
on the stage cannot hear. Sometimes the actor cups his mouth
b. Minor Characters – interact with main character or play a key
serves to reveal a character's thoughts or concerns to the audience
referred to as STATIC as they often remain the same with things
toward the audience or turns away from the other actors. An aside
without revealing them to other characters in a play.
Assonance – the repetition of vowel sounds but not
consonant sounds. Ex: John met his fate by the lake. *RD
Bildungsroman—A novel or story whose theme is the moral or
role. These characters are often one-dimensional or FLAT. They are
happening to them but not within them.
Chiasmus—Figure of speech by which the order of the terms in the
first of parallel clauses is reversed in the second. “Has the Church
failed mankind, or has mankind failed the Church?”
psychological growth of the main character. *RD
Cliché – a widely overused expression. Ex: Saying that something
Characterization – describes a writer’s revelations of a character’s
possible in your writing.
personality traits. Authors bring an imaginary person or creature
cost “An arm and a leg”. *Clichés should be avoided whenever
Climax: The turning point in a story, at which the end result
Denotation- the literal or primary meaning of a word, in
terribly wrong; the “dramatic high point” of a story. (Although
suggests.
becomes inevitable, usually where something suddenly goes
it is technically a literary element, the term is only useful for
identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of structure; it
cannot generally be analyzed by itself.)
Colloquial—Ordinary language; the vernacular of a particular
place. *RD
Conflict: A struggle between opposing forces which is the
driving force of a story. The outcome of any story provides
a resolution of the conflict(s); this is what keeps the reader
reading. Conflicts can exist between individual characters,
between groups of characters, between a character and
society, etc., and can also be purely abstract (i.e.,
conflicting ideas).
Connotation--an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to
its literal or primary meaning (what is implied by a word.) *RD
Denouement (day-noo-man) – the final outcome of the main
complication in a play or a story. It literally means the action of
untying.
contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word
Dialect is a writing strategy (literary device) in which the author
captures the language used by the people of a specific area, class
district or any other group of people. The term dialect involves the
spelling, sounds, grammar and pronunciation used by a particular
group of people and it distinguishes them from other people around
them.
Dialogue—conversation between two or more people as a
feature of a book, play, or movie.
Diction— An author’s choice of words to convey a tone or
effect. *RD
Dystopian Novel - An anti-utopian novel where, instead of a
paradise, everything has gone wrong in the attempt to create a
perfect society. Ex: Orwell’s 1984, Huxley’s Brave New World. See
Utopian novel.
Epiphany—A sudden or intuitive insight or perception into the
reality or essential meaning of something usually brought on by a
simple or common occurrence or experience. *RD
Euphemism – a word or phrase that softens the hard reality of the
truth, such as senior citizen for old person, passed away for died,
misstatement for lie. *RD
Flashback – when characters go back in time.
that a character in the literature does not know. Situational Irony is
a discrepancy between the expected result and the actual result.
*RD
Jargon - vocabulary understood by members of a profession or
trade but usually not by other members of the general public.
Foil – a character that contrasts with another character, usually the
Litotes - Creation of a positive or opposite idea through negation.
main character’s personality. *RD
small problem. (3) I'm not forgetful that you served me well.–John
protagonist. In doing this, the foil highlights various facets of the
Foreshadowing – When a narrator hints at events that will occur
later in the story.
Hyperbole – an exaggeration or overstatement. Ex: I’m so hungry I
could eat a horse. *RD
Imagery - language which describes something in detail, using
words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation. The two most
common types of imagery are visual and sound, but imagery may
also appeal to our sense of taste and touch. *RD
Irony – an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is
meant: Verbal Irony is when an author says one thing and means
another. Dramatic Irony is when an audience perceives something
Examples: (1) I am not unaware of your predicament. (2) This is no
Milton.
Metaphor - a comparison of two unlike things without using the
words “like” or “as”. Ex: He is a pig.
Metonymy - substitution of a word or phrase to stand for a word or
phrase similar in meaning. Examples: Wall Street welcomes the
reduction in interest rates. ("Wall Street" represents investors.)
Sweat, not wealth, earned her the respect of her peers. ("Sweat"
stands for hard work.)
Mood—The feeling resulting from the tone of a piece as well as the
writer/narrator’s attitude and point-of-view. *RD
Motif—A recurrent device, formula, or situation that often serves as
a signal for the appearance of a character or event. *RD
Onomatopoeia – a word that imitates the sound it represents. Ex:
splash, wow, gush, buzz, crash, whirr, hush, boom
Oxymoron – when two contradictory words are placed side by side.
Ex: honest lawyer, jumbo shrimp, same difference. *RD
c. Third person (omniscient) – When the narrator knows all the
facts. An example of this is when a narrator makes a statement like
“little did he know” or “Harold thought”. This shows that the
narrator has all the information on a character’s thought processes,
etc.
Paradox – an assertion that reveals a kind of truth which at first
d. Second person – Rarely used; when the narrator refers to the
of times”. *RD
pronouns such as “you”. Ex: (narrator speaking to character) “You
seems contradictory. Ex: “It was the best of times; it was the worst
Personification – treating abstractions or inanimate objects as
human by giving them human attributes, powers, or feelings. Ex:
protagonist or another main character by using second person
are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time
of the morning.”
Nature wept; the wind whispered many truths to me.
Protagonist – the main character whose actions are the primary
Point of View – the perspective from which the narrator tells the
Sarcasm – a type of irony; it is praise that is really an insult.
story.
a. First person – When the narrator uses “I” and is a character in the
focus of a story.
Sarcasm generally involves malice, the desire to put someone down.
Ex: This is my brilliant son, who dropped out of college. *RD
story.
Satire – a literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice
b. Third person (limited) – When the narrator is a storyteller that
subject of the satiric attack. *RD
does not know everything. The narrator is outside of the story and
tells the story from only one character’s view.
or weakness, often with the intent of correcting, or changing, the
Setting - the total environment for the action of a work. Setting
pursued the bank robbers from Maine to Florida. ("Law" stands for
downtown Warsaw), and the time in history (such as during the
Theme – a universal message that unifies and controls an entire
includes time period (such as the 1890's), the place (such as
World War II). The setting is usually established
Simile – a comparison of two unlike things using the words “like” or
“as”. Ex: Tough as leather; pretty as a picture.
Soliloquy - recitation in a play in which a character reveals his
police.)
literary work.
Tone – the attitude that a writer takes towards a subject or
character: serious, humorous, sarcastic, ironic, satirical, tongue-incheek, solemn, objective. *RD
thoughts to the audience but not to other characters in the play.
Tragedy - where a story ends with a negative or
Stream of Consciousness – when the character’s thoughts and
caused by a flaw in the central character’s personality. Tragedy
feelings are presented by the narrator (a type of point-of-view).
Symbolism - the use of specific objects or images to represent ideas.
A symbol must be something tangible or visible, while the idea it
symbolizes must be something abstract or universal. In other
words, a symbol must be something you can hold in your hand or
draw a picture of, while the idea it symbolizes must be something
unfortunate outcome which was essentially avoidable, usually
is really more of a dramatic genre than a literary element; a
play can be referred to as a tragedy, but tragic events in a story
are essentially part of the plot, rather than a literary device in
themselves. When discussing tragedy, or analyzing a story as
tragic, look to the other elements of the story which combine to
make it tragic.
you can’t hold in your hands or draw a picture of.
Tragic hero/tragic figure - a protagonist who comes to a bad
Synecdoche - substitution of a part to stand for the whole, or the
personality disorder or character flaw. (Although it is
whole to stand for a part. Examples: (1) The Confederates have eyes
in Lincoln's government. (The word "eyes" stands for spies.) (2) Jack
bought a new set of wheels. ("Wheels" stands for a car.) (3) The law
end as a result of his own behavior, usually cased by a specific
technically a literary element, the term is only useful for
identification, as part of a discussion or analysis of character; it
cannot generally be analyzed by itself.)
Tragic flaw - the single characteristic (usually negative) or
personality disorder which causes the downfall of the
protagonist.
Utopian Novel - a novel that presents an ideal society
where problems like poverty, greed, and crime have been
eliminated.