The literary term for comparing two things is a crucial element in literature, enhancing understanding and creating vivid imagery, and compare.edu.vn is here to clarify and explore this concept. Mastering the art of literary comparisons, including figures of speech, adds depth and richness to any writing, offering a robust framework for detailed literary analysis. Discover diverse comparison techniques, explore rhetorical devices, and refine your writing skills for captivating storytelling.
1. What Are Literary Devices?
Literary devices are techniques that elevate writing beyond its literal interpretation, guiding readers on how to engage with a piece. These devices, including rhetorical figures, establish connections to encourage new perceptions.
At their core, literary devices emphasize connection, fostering relationships between elements that encourage readers to perceive and interpret the world anew.
One prevalent connection form is comparison, with metaphors and similes being prime examples. A metaphor directly equates two objects—for instance, “the night is a black cat.” A simile makes an indirect comparison, using “like” or “as,” such as “the night is like a black cat.” In both cases, the night is linked with something beyond its literal essence, a black cat.
Other literary devices create connections differently. Imagery uses vivid descriptions to connect writing richly with sensory experiences. Alliteration employs the sounds of words to forge literary connections, like “silent stars.”
By fostering new connections beyond literal details, literary devices imbue literature with its potency.
These devices create layers of sound, sense, emotion, and meaning, surpassing the literal and distinguishing literature, thus making it uniquely powerful.
2. Common Literary Devices List: An Overview
This section highlights literary devices common in both poetry and prose, complete with examples and exercises for creative writing, enriching literary texts.
There’s an extensive range of literary devices, each meriting individual examples and analyses. We’ll begin by concentrating on those found in both poetry and prose. Each device includes literary examples and creative writing exercises.
Following this, we’ll list additional literary devices frequently seen in poetry, prose, dialogue, and rhetoric.
2.1. Metaphor
Metaphors, or direct comparisons, are fundamental literary devices where two unrelated objects are compared.
Metaphor Example: “The internet is an information superhighway.”
Clearly, the internet isn’t a physical highway. By stating it is a superhighway, the reader understands it as vast and accessible. Using “information superhighway” conveys that the internet is a quick, crucial route for information.
Metaphors allow writers to convey multiple descriptions in a concise sentence. A metaphor has more impact than a straightforward description. Describing the internet as “a large network for quick access to information” lacks the metaphor’s depth.
2.2. Simile
Similes, or indirect comparisons, resemble metaphors but differ in meaning. Like metaphors, they compare unrelated objects using “like” or “as.”
Simile Example: “The internet is like an information superhighway.” Or: “The internet acts as an information superhighway.”
2.2.1. Simile vs. Metaphor: Key Differences
The distinction lies in using “like” or “as” for similes, absent in metaphors.
Additionally, “like” or “as” creates separation between the device’s elements. A simile implies the internet isn’t a literal highway, but the comparison serves as a description, not a core element.
Metaphors are best as central devices, encompassing the core idea, while similes serve as supporting devices.
Does that mean metaphors are superior? Not necessarily. Consider this line from Sylvia Plath’s Ariel: “And I a smiling woman. I am only thirty.” Here, Plath uses a metaphor to describe herself as “only thirty”. The simile supports Plath in communicating the central emotion of the poem.
2.2.2. Simile and Metaphor Writing Exercise: Tenors and Vehicles
Most metaphors and similes comprise the tenor and the vehicle. The tenor is the subject, while the vehicle is the descriptive image.
In “the internet is an information superhighway,” the internet is the tenor, and “information superhighway” is the vehicle.
Practice writing metaphors and similes by creating lists. On paper, make two lists. The first contains “concept words”—intangible words like love, hate, peace, war, happiness, and anger.
The second list contains concrete objects—trees, clouds, the moon, Jupiter, brownstones, sapphires, etc.
Concepts are tenors, and objects are vehicles. Randomly link one from each list and explain your metaphor/simile, such as:
“Peace, like an uncut sapphire, gleams with labor.”
Enjoy creating interesting literary devices and incorporating them into future works!
2.3. Analogy
An analogy is an argumentative comparison arguing that two unalike things have equal weight. It can be considered a form of metaphor because it operates on comparison.
For example:
“Finding a job is as easy as one, two, three.”
This analogy argues that job hunting and counting upwards are equally easy, using the common “A is as B” or “A is to B” structure.
Another structure is “A is to B as C is to D,” like:
“A chef is to cooking as an artist is to painting.”
These constructions suit argumentative works. Lawyers and essayists often use analogies. In creative writing, analogies are less formulaic but potent.
“A book by any other cover would still contain the same story.”
This means “a book is what is written between the covers, not the cover itself.” The name “book” does not affect the words inside the cover.
2.3.1. Analogy Writing Exercise
Analogies are some of the most common literary devices, alongside similes and metaphors. Try this exercise to write your own.
On paper, list the first four nouns that come to mind, using concrete, visual nouns, followed by a verb. If you struggle, use an online word generator.
Two of your four nouns should perform the verb. A dog can swim, but it can’t fly an airplane.
Your list might be:
Verb: Soar Nouns: Bird, clouds, airplane, ground
An analogy might be: “The bird soars through the clouds how an airplane soars from the ground.”
Your analogy may be silly or poetic, but by connecting disparate items, you hone the skills of effective writing.
2.4. Imagery
Is imagery a literary device? Absolutely! Imagery can be both literal and figurative, relying on language and sensation interplay to sharpen images in your brain.
Imagery uses figurative language to describe something. Previous devices showcased imagery: describing the internet as a “superhighway” evokes size and accessibility.
However, imagery includes all five senses, creating a vibrant world for readers to inhabit.
Let’s describe the internet using imagery.
Sight imagery: The internet spread its vast, interconnected threads. Sound imagery: The digital space hummed with constant activity and data flow. Touch imagery: The screen felt smooth as glass, yet capable of transporting you anywhere. Taste imagery: The access to information tasted rich and varied. Smell imagery: The digital realm was a crisp and ever changing landscape.
There are two other, less discussed types of imagery: organic and kinesthetic imagery. Organic imagery refers to descriptions of internal sensations—things happening within the body. Kinesthetic imagery is imagery of motion and movement—think of the sensations one might feel when running against the wind.
Organic imagery: The server felt its systems strained by heavy traffic.
Kinesthetic imagery: The data rushed through networks, pushing information forward.
These examples use metaphors and similes, demonstrating how literary devices often overlap, allowing for endless analysis. Because imagery depends on likeness, it supports the idea that literary devices equate to comparison.
2.4.1. Imagery Writing Exercise
Describe an object as this article describes the internet. Choose an object, image, or idea, and describe it using the five senses. (“This biscuit has the tidy roundness of a lady’s antique hat.” “The biscuit tastes of brand-new cardboard.” and so on!)
Combine these images until the object is clear in the reader’s head.
Imagery is one of the most essential common literary devices. To learn more about imagery, or to find more imagery writing exercises, take a look at our article Imagery Definition: 5+ Types of Imagery in Literature.
2.5. Symbolism
Symbolism combines ideas from metaphor and imagery. A symbol uses an object to represent a concept, similar to a concise metaphor.
Symbols are prevalent, often used unconsciously in speech and design. Common examples include:
- “Peace” represented by a white dove
- “Love” represented by a red rose
- “Conformity” represented by sheep
- “Idea” represented by a light bulb switching on
These symbols are so widely used they might seem cliché. Yet, they remain effective, symbolizing their concepts so well they’ve become ubiquitous, requiring you to add originality.
Symbols are contextually specific. For instance, a Welsh lovespoon signifies a unique bond. In Western cultures, a diamond ring represents the same bond.
Symbolism makes the core ideas of your writing concrete.
Symbolism makes the core ideas of your writing concrete and allows you to manipulate them. If a rose represents love, what does a wilted or burning rose represent?
2.5.1. Symbolism Writing Exercise
Symbols are often commonly understood, but not always. Invent your own symbols to capture imagination!
Write a poem or story centered around a symbol. Choose a random object to represent something, such as a blanket representing loneliness.
Pair an object with a concept and center your piece around that symbol:
The down blanket lay crumpled, unused, on the empty side of our bed.
Make it clear you’re associating the object with the concept. Make the reader feel the same about your symbol!
2.6. Personification
Personification is giving human attributes to nonhuman objects, fostering empathy in readers.
Personification gives human attributes to nonhuman objects, fostering empathy in your readers.
Think of personification as a specific type of imagery. Describe a nonhuman object through the five senses, giving it human descriptions and imputing thoughts and emotions. This time, we’ll personify a computer.
Personification (using sight): The computer stared blankly at the user.
Personification (using sound): The computer whined, struggling to keep up.
Personification (using touch): The keyboard was cold and unyielding.
Personification (using taste): The circuits tasted the sharp electricity.
Personification (using smell): The wires needed a cold shower.
Personification (using mental events): The computer fondly remembered its first owner.
Notice how we don’t directly say the computer is like a human—we merely describe it using human behaviors. Personification exists at a unique intersection of imagery and metaphor, making it a powerful literary device that fosters empathy and generates unique descriptions.
2.6.1. Personification Writing Exercise
Try writing personification yourself! Choose a random object and personify it through the five senses.
Here are two examples:
The old, threadbare rug was clearly tired of being stepped on.
My phone issued notifications with the grimly efficient extroversion of a sorority chapter president.
Now start writing your own! Your descriptions can be active or passive, but the goal is to foster empathy in the reader’s mind by giving the object human traits.
2.7. Hyperbole
Hyperbole exaggerates descriptions or statements, allowing emotions to be compared to something extreme, giving readers a sense of intensity.
You know that one friend who describes things very dramatically? They’re probably speaking in hyperboles. Hyperbole is just a dramatic word for being over-dramatic—which sounds a little hyperbolic, don’t you think?
Basically, hyperbole refers to any sort of exaggerated description or statement. We use hyperbole all the time in the English language, and you’ve probably heard someone say things like:
- I’ve been waiting a billion years for this
- I’m so hungry I could eat a horse
- I feel like a million bucks
- You are the king of the kitchen
None of these examples should be interpreted literally: there are no kings in the kitchen, and I doubt anyone can eat an entire horse in one sitting. This common literary device allows us to compare our emotions to something extreme, giving the reader a sense of how intensely we feel something in the moment.
This is what makes hyperbole so fun! Coming up with crazy, exaggerated statements that convey the intensity of the speaker’s emotions can add a personable element to your writing. After all, we all feel our emotions to a certain intensity, and hyperbole allows us to experience that intensity to its fullest.
2.7.1. Hyperbole Writing Exercise
To master hyperbole, express emotions as extremely as possible. Instead of writing that you’re thirsty, write that you could drink the entire ocean. If you’re homesick, write that your homeland feels as far as Jupiter.
Try writing a poem or short piece about something mundane, using more and more hyperbolic language with each line or sentence:
It was a brutally hot 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The April spring sun boiled blood and sent birds exploding. I’m sorry that I’m mowing my lawn on THE SURFACE OF THE SUN. (…and so on!)
A well-written hyperbole helps focus the reader’s attention on your emotions and allows you to play with new images, making it a fun, chaos-inducing literary device.
2.8. Irony
Irony describes something using opposite language, highlighting the difference between “what seems to be” and “what is,” which is used incorrectly often.
Is irony a literary device? Yes—but it’s often used incorrectly. People often describe something as being ironic, when really it’s just a moment of dark humor. So, the colloquial use of the word irony is a bit off from its official definition as a literary device.
Irony is when the writer describes something by using opposite language. As a real-life example, if someone is having a bad day, they might say they’re doing “greaaaaaat“, clearly implying that they’re actually doing quite un-greatly. Or a story’s narrator might write:
Like most bureaucrats, she felt a boundless love for her job, and was eager to share that good feeling with others.
In other words, irony highlights the difference between “what seems to be” and “what is.” In literature, irony can describe dialogue, but it also describes ironic situations: situations that proceed in ways that are elaborately contrary to what one would expect. A clear example of this is in The Wizard of Oz. All of the characters already have what they are looking for, so when they go to the wizard and discover that they all have brains, hearts, etc., their petition—making a long, dangerous journey to beg for what they already have—is deeply ironic.
2.8.1. Irony Writing Exercise
For verbal irony, write a sentence giving something the exact opposite qualities that it has:
The triple bacon cheeseburger glistened with health and good choices.
For situational irony, write a plot for a sitcom, starting with “Ben lost his car keys and can’t find them anywhere.” What’s the most ironic resolution? (Are they sitting in plain view on Ben’s desk… at the detective agency he runs?) Have fun with it!
2.9. Juxtaposition
Juxtaposition places contrasting ideas next to each other for ironic or thought-provoking effects.
Juxtaposition refers to the placement of contrasting ideas next to each other, often to produce an ironic or thought-provoking effect. Writers use juxtaposition in both poetry and prose, though this common literary device looks slightly different within each realm of literature.
In poetry, juxtaposition builds tension or highlights contrasts. Kenneth Burke’s poem “A Juxtaposition” juxtaposes nation & individual, treble & bass, and loudness & silence, condemning the paradox of a citizen trapped in their own nation.
These juxtapositions are also examples of antithesis, where the writer juxtaposes completely opposite ideas. Juxtaposition doesn’t have to be completely contrarian, but in this poem, it is.
Juxtaposition accomplishes something similar in prose. A famous example comes from the opening A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of time.” Dickens opens his novel by situating his characters into a world of contrasts, which is apt for the extreme wealth disparities pre-French Revolution.
2.9.1. Juxtaposition Writing Exercise
One great thing about juxtaposition is that it can dismantle something that appears to be a binary. For example, black and white are often assumed to be polar opposites, but when you put them next to each other, you’ll probably get some gray in the middle.
To really master the art of juxtaposition, try finding two things that you think are polar opposites. They can be concepts, such as good & evil, or they can be people, places, objects, etc. Juxtapose your two selected items by starting your writing with both of them—for example:
Across the town from her wedding, the bank robbers were tying up the hostages.
I put the box of chocolates on the coffee table, next to the gas mask.
Then write a poem or short story that explores a “gray area,” relationship, commonality, or resonance between these two objects or events—without stating as much directly. If you can accomplish what Dickens or Burke accomplishes with their juxtapositions, then you, too, are a master!
2.10. Paradox
A paradox is a juxtaposition of contrasting ideas revealing a deeper truth, challenging the reader’s beliefs, which is one of the trickier literary devices.
A paradox is a juxtaposition of contrasting ideas that, while seemingly impossible, actually reveals a deeper truth. One of the trickier literary devices, paradoxes are powerful tools for deconstructing binaries and challenging the reader’s beliefs.
A simple paradox example comes to us from Ancient Rome.
Catullus 85 (translated from Latin)
I hate and I love. Why I do this, perhaps you ask. I know not, but I feel it happening and I am tortured.
Often, “hate” and “love” are assumed to be opposing forces. How is it possible for the speaker to both hate and love the object of his affection? The poem doesn’t answer this, merely telling us that the speaker is “tortured,” but the fact that these binary forces coexist in the speaker is a powerful paradox. Catullus 85 asks the reader to consider the absoluteness of feelings like hate and love, since both seem to torment the speaker equally.
Another paradox example comes from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
“To be natural is such a very difficult pose to keep up.”
Here, “natural” and “pose” are conflicting ideas. Someone who poses assumes an unnatural state of being, whereas a natural poise seems effortless and innate. Despite these contrasting ideas, Wilde is exposing a deeper truth: to seem natural is often to keep up appearances, and seeming natural often requires the same work as assuming any other pose.
Note: paradox should not be confused with oxymoron. An oxymoron is also a statement with contrasting ideas, but a paradox is assumed to be true, whereas an oxymoron is merely a play on words (like the phrase “same difference”).
2.10.1. Paradox Writing Exercise
Paradox operates very similarly to literary devices like juxtaposition and irony. To write a paradox, juxtapose two binary ideas. Try to think outside of the box here: “hate and love” are an easy binary to conjure, so think about something more situational. Wilde’s paradox “natural and pose” is a great one; another idea could be the binaries “awkward and graceful” or “red-handed and innocent.”
Now, situate those binaries into a certain situation, and make it so that they can coexist. Imagine a scenario in which both elements of your binary are true at the same time. How can this be, and what can we learn from this surprising juxtaposition?
2.11. Allusion
Allusion refers to a literary reference, either direct or indirect, to another commonly-known work of art or literature.
If you haven’t noticed, literary devices are often just fancy words for simple concepts. A metaphor is literally a comparison and hyperbole is just an over-exaggeration. In this same style, allusion is just a fancy word for a literary reference; when a writer alludes to something, they are either directly or indirectly referring to another, commonly-known piece of art or literature.
The most frequently-alluded to work is probably the Bible. Many colloquial phrases and ideas stem from it, since many themes and images from the Bible present themselves in popular works, as well as throughout Western culture. Any of the following ideas, for example, are Biblical allusions:
- Referring to a kind stranger as a Good Samaritan
- Describing an ideal place as Edenic, or the Garden of Eden
- Saying someone “turned the other cheek” when they were passive in the face of adversity
- When something is described as lasting “40 days and 40 nights,” in reference to the flood of Noah’s Ark
Of course, allusion literary devices aren’t just Biblical. You might describe a woman as being as beautiful as the Mona Lisa, or you might call a man as stoic as Hemingway.
Why write allusions? Allusions appeal to common experiences: they are metaphors in their own right, as we understand what it means to describe an ideal place as Edenic.
Like the other common literary devices, allusions are often metaphors, images, and/or hyperboles. And, like other literary devices, allusions also have their own sub-categories.
2.11.1. Allusion Writing Exercise
See how densely you can allude to other works and experiences in writing about something simple. Go completely outside of good taste and name-drop like crazy:
Allusions (way too much version): I wanted Nikes, not Adidas, because I want to be like Mike. But still, “a rose by any other name”—they’re just shoes, and “if the shoe fits, wear it.”
From this frenetic style of writing, trim back to something more tasteful:
Allusions (more tasteful version): I had wanted Nikes, not Adidas—but “if the shoe fits, wear it.”
2.12. Allegory
An allegory is a story representing an abstract concept or idea, sometimes an extended allusion.
An allegory is a story whose sole purpose is to represent an abstract concept or idea. As such, allegories are sometimes extended allusions, but the two common literary devices have their differences.
For example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an allegory for the deterioration of Communism during the early establishment of the U.S.S.R. The farm was founded on a shared goal of overthrowing the farming elite and establishing an equitable society, but this society soon declines. Animal Farm mirrors the Bolshevik Revolution, the overthrow of the Russian aristocracy, Lenin’s death, Stalin’s execution of Trotsky, and the nation’s dissolution into an amoral, authoritarian police state. Thus, Animal Farm is an allegory/allusion to the U.S.S.R.:
Allusion (excerpt from Animal Farm):
“There were times when it seemed to the animals that they worked longer hours and fed no better than they had done in [Farmer] Jones’s day.”
However, allegories are not always allusions. Consider Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” which represents the idea of enlightenment. By representing a complex idea, this allegory could actually be closer to an extended symbol rather than an extended allusion.
2.12.1. Allegory Writing Exercise
Pick a major trend going on in the world. In this example, let’s pick the growing reach of social media as our “major trend.”
Next, what are the primary properties of that major trend? Try to list them out:
- More connectedness
- A loss of privacy
- People carefully massaging their image and sharing that image widely
Next, is there something happening at—or that could happen at—a much smaller scale that has some or all of those primary properties? This is where your creativity comes into play.
Well… what if elementary school children not only started sharing their private diaries, but were now expected to share their diaries? Let’s try writing from inside that reality:
I know Jennifer McMahon made up her diary entry about how much she misses her grandma. The tear smudges were way too neat and perfect. Anyway, everyone loved it. They photocopied it all over the bulletin boards and they even read it over the PA, and Jennifer got two extra brownies at lunch.
Try your own! You may find that you’ve just written your own Black Mirror episode.
2.13. Ekphrasis
Ekphrasis is a poem or story inspired by another piece of art, often describing it.
Ekphrasis refers to a poem or story that is directly inspired by another piece of art. Ekphrastic literature often describes another piece of art, such as the classic “Ode on a Grecian Urn”:
O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede Of marble men and maidens overwrought, With forest branches and the trodden weed; Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought As doth eternity: Cold Pastoral! When old age shall this generation waste, Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st, “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
Ekphrasis can be considered a direct allusion because it borrows language and images from other artwork. For a great example of ekphrasis—as well as a submission opportunity for writers!—check out the monthly ekphrastic challenge that Rattle Poetry runs.
2.13.1. Ekphrasis Writing Exercise
Try your hand at ekphrasis by picking a piece of art you really enjoy and writing a poem or story based off of it. For example, you could write a story about Mona Lisa having a really bad day, or you could write a black-out poem created from the lyrics of your favorite song.
Or, try Rattle‘s monthly ekphrastic challenge! All art inspires other art, and by letting ekphrasis guide your next poem or story, you’re directly participating in a greater artistic and literary conversation.
2.14. Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like the noise it describes, creating a sonic setting.
Flash! Bang! Wham! An onomatopoeia is a word that sounds like the noise it describes. Conveying both a playfulness of language and a serious representation of everyday sounds, onomatopoeias draw the reader into the sensations of the story itself.
Onomatopoeia words are most often used in poetry and in comic books, though they certainly show up in works of prose as well. Some onomatopoeias can be found in the dictionary, such as “murmur,” “gargle,” and “rumble,” “click,” and “vroom.” However, writers make up onomatopoeia words all the time, so while the word “ptoo” definitely sounds like a person spitting, you won’t find it in Merriam Webster’s.
Here’s an onomatopoeia example, from the poem “Honky Tonk in Cleveland, Ohio” by Carl Sandburg.
It’s a jazz affair, drum crashes and cornet razzes. The trombone pony neighs and the tuba jackass snorts. The banjo tickles and titters too awful. The chippies talk about the funnies in the papers. The cartoonists weep in their beer.
The onomatopoeias have been highlighted in bold. These common literary devices help make your writing fresh, interesting, and vivid, creating a sonic setting that the reader can fall into.
Learn more about onomatopoeias here!
2.14.1. Onomatopoeia Writing Exercise
Onomatopoeias are fun literary devices to use in your work, so have fun experimenting with them. In this exercise, take a moment to listen to the noises around you. Pay close attention to the whir of electronics, the fzzzzzzz of the heater, the rumbling of cars on the street, or the tintintintintin of rain on the roof.
Whatever you hear, convert those sounds into onomatopoeias. Make a list of those sounds. Try to use a mix of real words and made up ones: the way you represent noise in language can have a huge impact on your writing style.
Do this for 5 to 10 minutes, and when you have a comprehensive list of the sounds you hear, write a poem or short story that uses every single word you’ve written down.
2.15. Pun
A pun plays with the sounds and meanings of words for new, often humorous ideas.
If you built your political campaign off of wordplay, would you be punning for president?
A pun is a literary device that plays with the sounds and meanings of words to produce new, often humorous ideas. For example, let’s say you used too much butter in your recipe, and it ruined the dish. You might joke that you were “outside the margarine of error,” which is a play on the words “margin of error.”
Puns have a rich literary history, and famous writers like Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, as well as famous texts like The Bible, have used puns to add depth and gravity to their words.
2.15.1. Pun Writing Exercise
Jot down a word or phrase that you commonly use. If you’re not sure of what to write down, take a look at this list of English idioms. For example, I might borrow the phrase “blow off steam,” which means to let out your anger.
Take any saying, and play around with the sounds and meanings of the words in that saying. Then, incorporate the new phrase you’ve created into a sentence that allows for the double meaning of the phrase. Here’s two examples:
If I play with the sound of the words, I might come up with “blowing off stream.” Then, I would put that into a sentence that plays with the original meaning of the phrase. Like: “Did you hear about the river boat that got angry and went off course? It was blowing off stream.”
Or, I might play with the meanings of words. For example, I might take the word “blowing” literally, and write the following: “someone who cools down their tea when they’re angry is blowing off steam.”
Searching for ways to add double meanings and challenge the sounds of language will help you build fresh, exciting puns. Learn more about these common literary devices in our article on puns in literature.
3. Common Literary Devices in Poetry (16–27)
The following 12 devices apply to both poetry and prose writers, but they appear most often in verse.
- Anaphora
- Conceit
- Apostrophe
- Metonymy/Synecdoche
- Enjambment
- Zeugma
- Repetition
- Rhyme
- Alliteration
- Consonance/Assonance
- Euphony/Cacophony
- Meter
12 Literary Devices in Poetry: Identifying Poetic Devices
4. Common Literary Devices in Prose (28–37)
The following 10 devices show up in verse, but are far more prevalent in prose.
- Parallel Plot
- Foil
- Diction
- Mood
- Foreshadowing
- In Media Res
- Dramatic Irony
- Vignette
- Flashback
- Soliloquy
10 Important Literary Devices in Prose: Examples & Analysis
5. Repetition Literary Devices (38–49)
Though they have uncommon names, these common literary devices are all forms of repetition.
- Anadiplosis
- Anaphora (prose)
- Antanaclasis
- Antimetabole
- Antistrophe
- Chiasmus
- Epanalepsis
- Epimone
- Epizeuxis
- Polyptoton
- Symploce
- Motif
Repetition Definition: Types of Repetition in Poetry and Prose
6. Dialogue Literary Devices (50–58)
While these literary elements pertain primarily to dialogue, writers use euphemisms, idioms, and neologisms all the time in their work.
- Colloquialism
- Vernacular
- Dialect
- Slang
- Jargon
- Idiom
- Euphemism
- Proverb
- Neologism
How to Write Dialogue in a Story
7. Word Play Literary Devices (59–68)
The following literary devices push language to the limits. Have fun with these!
- Anthimeria
- Double Entendre
- Kenning
- Malapropism
- Metalepsis
- Oxymoron
- Palindrome
- Paraprosdokian
- Portmanteau
- Spoonerism
Word Play: Examples of a Play on Words
8. Parallelism Literary Devices (69–73)
Parallelism is a stylistic device where a sentence is composed of equally weighted items. In essence, parallel structure allows form to echo content.
- Grammatical parallelism
- Rhetorical parallelism
- Synthetic parallelism
- Antithetical parallelism
- Synonymous parallelism
Parallelism Definition: Writing With Parallel Structure
9. Rhetorical Devices (74–113)
Rhetorical devices are literary devices intended to persuade the reader of something.
- Kairos
- Ethos
- Logos
- Pathos
- Anacoluthon
- Antithesis
- Asyndeton
- Hypallage
- Hyperbaton
- Hypotaxis
- Parataxis
- Polysyndeton
- Synesis
- Accismus
- Anecdote
- Ant
