If you are passionate about writing and knowing different styles of crafting papers, then you must have come across a few literary devices. The most common ones which include personification, simile, and metaphors are often used in poetry, drama, myths, and legends to bring richness to the content. Writing quality academic content is all about using the right choice of words. For example, if you want to persuade the professor, then the use of rhetoric question is an art that you must master.
How many times has a student read a piece of writing only to get bored or worse fall asleep a few minutes? This is because the author failed to use words that can impress the professor. To enjoy what has been written, your teacher needs to connect with the characters in the story and literary terms can help do that. Using these unique terms or phrases, a storyline can capture attention and take the professor to the mystical or futuristic time, which works to make the content relevant.
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For these devices to be captivating, you need a well-written narrative or a specific story element such as a character, symbol, setting, theme and any other item that can help you convey the message you want. In this guide, you will learn more about how to use common literary devices. This guide also contains an impressive list of several devices which can quickly turn any dull writing into a fun piece.
Literary Devices Definition and Its Importance
For a student to craft impressive work that will improve their academic performance, they must know what are literary devices. Any aspect of literature needs devices to enhance the content, convey the intended meaning, and create a deeper level of understanding that your professor will enjoy. Often, these devices work to emphasize or for clarity purposes. The most crucial function of devices is helping the tutor connect strongly with the story of specific characters.
So why is it important to know literary techniques? Aside from helping you improve your academic performance, you get to understand the motive behind the author's use of words. For example, symbols in a story can help your teacher figure out certain qualities of a character or the significance of specific events and plot. These techniques also make the content more interesting to read. The chances are high that if a particular book lacked any devices, you might not understand the deeper meaning of the story. Examples of such techniques include:
- Apostrophe
- Imagery
- Hyperbole
- Oxymoron
- Allegory
- Irony
- Foreshadowing
- Dialogue
- Analogy
When a writer comes up with a specific storyline most times, they only have a draft of what they are going to include. By including narrative techniques, they can add tone, texture, and passion to the plot. Now that we have covered literary devices definition and its importance, the next step is to learn about the different devices that you can use to enrich your writing free essay.
Apostrophe Literary Device and How to Use It
An apostrophe is one of the most difficult to use mostly because it can be confused with a punctuation mark of the same name. However, an apostrophe is a rhetoric device that authors use to address a character that is not present in that particular scene. It can also be used by a character to address an idea, personification, or an inanimate object.
Once you understand the apostrophe literary definition, identifying and using it in any piece of writing will be easy. An apostrophe, which is a figure of speech, is used to address a nonexistence person or thing. But it has to be addressed as if it is present or capable of understanding.
They are often used in poetry, and a good example is a poem called The Star written by Jane Taylor. Nowadays, this poem is a popular nursery rhyme. In this poem "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!" the apostrophe speaks about an inanimate object-the star and personifies it.
Other literary devices examples where the apostrophe is used include:
- In the Christmas carol "O Christmas tree"
The author used the apostrophe in this Christmas carol to sing to a holiday as if it was living.
- Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2 Line 132-134
"O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world."
Shakespeare's work has various examples of devices, and in this case, the character addresses a spiritual being, which is absent in that particular scene.
- In common statements
When you say "Oh math's why do you have to be such a pain in my life," you are using an apostrophe to talk to an inanimate object which in this case is mathematics. Another example of usage of an apostrophe is when an individual says, "Oh cold sweet vanilla ice-cream. What would I do without you" or "my beautiful chiffon scarf, how amazing you look on my neck!"
Apostrophe literary device has a vital role in enabling the storyteller to express feelings that have been brought forth by an abstract concept or inanimate object. By addressing an object or person who is not present, a character can convey emotion and clearly show his current state.
Next time you listen to a song or when watching a movie, try to see if you can spot any usage of the apostrophe as it is common in the various figure of speech. This device helps actors to convey intended messages and help a professor better understand the plot or theme.
Common Literary Devices That You Can Use to Enhance Your Writing
There are several types of literary devices. The one to choose depends on your purpose and intended meaning. Make sure to include at least one of these devices in your writing as they play a vital role.
This list of literary devices which also contains examples is arranged in no particular alphabetic order so choose that which fits your academic paper.
Imagery
Do you want to draw a vivid picture in your professor’s mind? Then use imagery and add it to your literary terms list. This device also serves to help express the moods and emotion of characters. The imagery used has to appeal to our five senses (hearing, smell, touch, sight, and taste) and create a strong mental visual picture. Example of the use of imagery can be seen in the poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Wordsworth.
“The waves beside them danced, but they out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought what wealth the show to me had brought.”
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is another literary device that you can use to make your writing exceptional. Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement which in most cases should not be taken literally. Its purpose is to emphasize the context or add a comedic effect. A good example of hyperbole is when someone says, "Am so late, my dad is going to kill me!" In literature, a great case of hyperbole is from Paul Bunyan's folktale called Babe the Blue Ox where he says "Well now, one winter it was so cold that all the geese flew backward and all the fish moved South, and even the snow turned blue. Late at night, it got so frigid that all spoken words froze solid before they could be heard."
Oxymoron
While in an apostrophe literary term, the speaker tends to speak to an inanimate object, an oxymoron, the author uses words with a conflicting definition. The contradicting elements, when used comically, works to give a good laugh and spice up what can otherwise be a boring read. The confusing phrases in this figure of speech can also challenge your lecturer and motivate them to think beyond logic.
An excellent example of a funny oxymoron is a quote from Anthony Haden-Guest that says, "Of course I can keep secrets. It's the people I tell them that can't keep them."
Another example of an oxymoron can be found in Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet, "O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave? Beautiful tyrant! Fiend angelical!”
If you need more examples of literary devices such as oxymoron or any other, then a simple search will give you a long list. Choose the device that fits your purpose.
Allegory
Do you want to show an abstract idea, teach about vices or virtues? Then use an allegory. Its primary function is to teach a specific lesson or convey a hidden meaning. A good example of an allegory is the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. The story is about animals who start a revolution against the human government and then run the farm by themselves. However, the hidden meaning is about a Russian revolution.
Irony
Creating an ironic effect in a piece of writing is about using specific words to express something different from its literal meaning. Through irony, the author uses an event or object to create a meaning that is different from reality. In most instance, irony has a negative connotation. As a student, you are likely to encounter three types of irony:
- Verbal irony
- Situational irony
- Dramatic irony
Writers often use irony to create unexpected twists. Unlike dramatic irony, which usually ends in a tragic, verbal irony tends to be funny. An example of the usage of irony is from Shakespeare's work Othello and in Romeo and Juliet.
Foreshadowing
A literary techniques list would be incomplete without including foreshadowing as it adds suspense to a story. By giving hints, foreshadowing functions to illustrate a relevant event that is going to happen, which builds up suspense and expectations. A popular example of foreshadowing is in Little Red Riding Hood, where the mother foresees the danger in the form of a big bad wolf.
Dialogue
List of literary elements such as tone, conflict, plot, characterization, setting, and theme keep the storyline running smoothly. In a dialogue, these elements play a crucial role in creating interest from the introduction to the conclusion. It also allows the characters to communicate, which helps show their traits and how they feel, especially between an antagonist and a protagonist.
Analogy
This language device shows the relationship between the two concepts. Its purpose is to give a better understanding of the object being discussed. It can also function to create a flashback and emphasize a thesis statement in an academic paper.
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Hopefully, this literary list will help you understand better how to spice up your stories or content. Whether you are a student or a renowned author, you can benefit from using any of the elements in this literary devices list. However, not everyone has excellent writing skills needed to craft quality work. Place your order today, and we will enrich your writing with various literacy elements to ensure that your professor is captivated from the first sentence to the last.
Hopefully, this literary list will help you understand better how to spice up your stories or content. Whether you are a student or a renowned author, you can benefit from using any of the elements in this literary devices list. However, not everyone has excellent writing skills needed to craft quality work. Place your order today, and we will enrich your writing with various literacy elements to ensure that your professor is captivated from the first sentence to the last.