Literary Devices, Elements
& Techniques
Literary Devices
• Literary devices are common structures in
writing that make up the components of
literature. We use these devices to help us
interpret and analyze literary works.
• The names of literary devices may also be
called literary terms. Literary devices include
both literary elements and literary techniques.
Literary Elements
• Literary elements are the essential parts of
storytelling that are found in almost all types
of literary and narrative writing.
• The following are all literary elements: plot,
character, conflict, setting, theme and point of
view.
Plot
• The plot is how the author arranges events to
develop his basic idea. It is the sequence of
events in a story or play. The plot is a planned,
logical series of events having a beginning,
middle, and end.
• The short story usually has one plot so it can be
read in one sitting. There are five essential parts
to the plot: introduction, rising action, climax,
falling action, and resolution.
Plot
A.) Introduction - The beginning of the story where
the characters and the setting are revealed. The
introduction can also be called the exposition.
B.) Rising Action - This is the part of the story were
a conflict is revealed (called the inciting force)
and becomes more pronounced as the story
progresses. The rising action is all the events
between the introduction and the climax.
Plot
C.) Climax - This is the highest point of interest, the
turning point of the story or the moment of greatest
suspense. The reader wonders what will happen next;
will the conflict be resolved or not?
D.) Falling Action - At this point the events and
complications begin to resolve themselves. The falling
action is all of the events between the climax and
resolution.
E.) Resolution - This is the final outcome or untangling of
events in the story. The resolution may also be called
the denouement.
Plot Diagram
Character
• The plot can only exist with characters. The main
character is placed in a situation that contains a
problem he or she must overcome; therefore,
conflict exists.
• Most stories also have minor characters who
either help or hinder the main character's
attempt to solve the conflict. There can be many
different types of characters within a story.
Character
A.) Protagonist - The main or central character.
B.) Antagonist - This character opposes the protagonist.
Often, he or she is an opponent to the main character.
C.) Round (Dynamic) Characters - A character affected by
the events of the story. These characters are usually
fully developed in terms of personality. They are
described in more detail and their personalities emerge
more fully. Round characters usually become
enlightened, learn, grow, or deteriorate by the end of
the story.
Character
D.) Flat Character - A character who doesn't go
through a change. These characters are usually
one-dimensional.
E.) Stereotyped Characters - A character who is so
well known that little has to be said about
him/her. These characters are immediately
recognizable because of the role he/she plays.
Examples - the strong silent gunfighter, the nerd,
the beautiful international spy, the mad scientist.
We Learn About a Character in 5
Different Ways:
1.) What the character says.
2.) What the character thinks.
3.) What the character does.
4.) What is said about him or her by other
characters and the narrator.
5. ) What the author says about the character.
Conflicts
• Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict,
there is no plot. Conflict does not involve just
arguments, but rather it is any form of
opposition that faces the main character.
• Within a short story there may be only one
central struggle, or there may be one
dominant struggle with many minor ones.
Conflicts can either be internal or external.
Conflicts
• External - A struggle with a force outside one's
self. For example, an issue with another
person, a complication of circumstances, or a
struggle with the ideals of society.
• Internal - A struggle within the character’s
self. For example, a decision has to be made,
pain has to be overcome, anger has to be
overcome, or temptation has to be resisted.
There are 4 Different Types of Conflicts:
1.) Character vs. Person - The leading character
struggles with his or her physical strength
against other characters, forces of nature, or
animals.
2.) Character vs. Circumstances - The leading
character struggles against fate, or the
circumstances of life facing him/her.
Types of Conflicts:
3.) Character vs. Society - The leading character
struggles against ideas, practices, or customs
of other people.
4.) Character vs. Self - The leading character
struggles with himself/herself; with his/her
own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical
limitations, choices, etc.
Setting
• The time (when) and location (where) in which a story takes place is
called the setting. For some stories the setting is very important,
while for others it is not. There are several aspects of a story's
setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a
story (some, or all, of these aspects may be present in a story).
A.)Place - Geographical location. Where is the action of the story
taking place?
B.)Time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of
day, year,)
C.)Weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
D.) Social conditions – What is the character's daily life like? Is the
character influenced by particular customs or mannerisms of a
place?
E.) Mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning
of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
Theme
• A theme is the author's underlying meaning, message
or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme
may be the author's thoughts about a topic such as life,
society or his/her view of human nature. Themes often
explore timeless and universal ideas and may be
implied rather than stated explicitly. The title of the
story usually points to the theme.
• Some examples of themes from literature include:
- Things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover
Point of View
• Point of view is the angle from which the story is told.
Although every story has a point of view, the type used
is up to the author. The person or voice telling the story
is called the narrator and there are two common ways
to tell a short story:
• First person narration - The story is told by the
protagonist or another character who is part of the
action (using I, me, we, etc).
• Third person narration - The story is told by someone
who is not part of the action (using he, she, it, they etc).
A narrator, 1st or 3rd person, can be:
• Limited narration - The narrator only knows what
he/she experiences or learns about in some way the narrator's knowledge grows as the story
unfolds; at times, the reader may know more
than the narrator.
• Omniscient narration - The "all knowing"
narrator knows all of the details about events,
characters, etc. and reveals them to the reader as
the story unfolds.
Literary Techniques
• Literary techniques are tools that an author
may choose to use to enhance their writing
and to convey meaning in a certain way.
Figurative language and sound devices are
examples of literary techniques.
Figurative Language
• Figurative language is the use of figures of
speech, which are words or phrases that depart
from everyday literal language in order to
compare or to add emphasis and clarity.
• Authors use figurative language to add interest
and to evoke certain feelings in their readers.
There are many different types of figurative
language that authors may choose to use in their
writing.
Figurative Language
• Allusion is a reference within a work to
something famous outside it, such as a wellknown person, place, event, story, or work of art.
Example: My love of sweets is my Achilles heel.
• An Apostrophe is when an absent or dead person
or thing is spoken to as if it is present and able to
understand. Example: Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Figurative Language
• A cliché is a word or phrase that has become
overly familiar or commonplace.
Example: No pain, no gain.
• Hyperbole is an exaggeration or overstatement.
Example: I have a million things to do today!
Figurative Language
• Idioms are an expression that does not mean
what it literally says. Example: It is raining cats
and dogs outside!
• Imagery is the use of vivid descriptive language,
usually rich in sensory words that evokes one or
all of the five senses (seeing, hearing, tasting,
smelling, touching), to create pictures, or images,
in the reader's mind. Example: The crisp white
snow floated down through the dark night sky.
Figurative Language
• Irony refers to some sort of inconsistency between what is expected
and what actually happens. There are three different types of irony:
• Verbal irony occurs when the opposite is said from what is really
intended (sarcasm) Example: "Wasn't that a smart move!”
• Dramatic irony occurs when there is a contrast between what a
character says and what the reader knows to be true.
• Situational irony occurs when the outcome of a situation is
significantly different from what is expected or considered
appropriate.
Figurative Language
• A metaphor is a comparison of two unlike
things using the verb "to be" (am, are, was,
were). Example: That test was a breeze.
• Metonymy is substituting a word for another
word closely associated with it. Example: The
pen is mightier than the sword.
Figurative Language
• An oxymoron is a figure of speech that
combines two opposing or contradictory
ideas. Example: Jumbo Shrimp, organized
chaos, same difference.
• A paradox is a statement which is selfcontradictory, unreasonable, or illogical.
Example: Nobody goes to that restaurant; it is
too crowded.
Figurative Language
• Personification is giving human qualities to
animals or objects. Example: The wind
whistled as it blew throughout the forest.
• A simile is the comparison of two unlike things
using like or as. Example: The girl was as
bright as the sun.
Figurative Language
• Synecdoche is a statement that selects a part
of a group to explain a whole group. Example:
The alphabet is often referred to as the ABC’s.
• An understatement is a figure of speech in
which a writer or a speaker deliberately makes
a situation seem less important or serious
than it is. Example: Saying "It's just a scratch,"
when there is a huge dent.
Sound Devices
• Sound devices are techniques or tools that
writers can use to add meaning and emphasis
to writing through the use of sound. There are
a number of different types of sound devices.
Sound Devices
• Alliteration is the repetition of the initial
letters or sounds in a series of words.
Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
peppers.
• Assonance is a repetition of vowel sounds in
words or phrases that create a rhythm.
Example: The man with the tan was a great
fan.
Sound Devices
• Consonance is the repetition of the same
consonant two or more times in a line.
Example: Pitter patter went the feet of the little
animals.
• Dissonance is the use of harsh-sounding or
unusual words that create a disturbing effect and
catches the reader's attention by interrupting the
rhythm of words. Example: I hate being sick
because causes are usually unknown.
Sound Devices
• Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the
sound of the word as it is read. Example: buzz,
thump, pop, hiss, gush, kerplunk.
• A pun is a play on words that relies on a word
having more than one meaning or sounding
like another word. Example: I wondered why
the ball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.
Other Literary Techniques Include:
• Diction - Refers to an author’s word choice. Word choice
can be formal, informal, colloquial or slang.
A.) Formal diction is usually found in academic texts,
academic papers and formal discussion.
B.) Informal diction is relaxed conversation and is found in
writing that has a lighter tone and is sometimes humorous.
C.) Colloquial diction or jargon is the everyday usage of a
particular group of people. Example: the word choice of
people from a certain profession or area.
D.) Slang is defined as a newly coined word not accepted for
formal usage yet, and is usually not found in the dictionary.
More Techniques
• Flashback - Is when an author reveals an event
that took place in the past.
• Foil - Is a character who is meant to represent
characteristics, values or ideas which are
opposite to another character (usually the
protagonist).
• Foreshadowing - Is a when the author gives hints
or clues to suggest what will happen as the story
progresses.
More Techniques
• Symbolism - Symbolism refers to when a
symbol, such as an object, color, person or
place, is used to represent an abstract idea or
concept. A red rose for example, is not just a
rose but a symbol of love and beauty. A dove
is not just a bird, but also a symbol of peace.
More Techniques
• Motif - Is a recurring important idea, structure
or image. it is different from a theme because
it can be expressed as a single word or phrase.
For example, comparing a person’s stages of
life to seasons of the year.
• Tone - Refers to the general atmosphere
created in a story, or the author’s or narrator’s
attitude toward the story or the subject.
Literary Devices
Structures in Literature
Literary Elements
Literary Techniques
Essential
Optional
Plot
Figurative Language
Characters
Sound Devices
Conflict
Diction & Tone
Setting
Flashback
Theme
Foreshadowing
Point of View
Symbolism & Motif