Literary Devices

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two different things in an interesting

way. The object of a simile is to spark an interesting connection in a reader's or listener's
mind. A simile is one of the most common forms of figurative language. Examples of similes
can be found just about anywhere from poems to song lyrics and even in everyday
conversations.
In everyday speech, they can be used to convey meaning quickly and effectively, as many
commonly used expressions or idioms are similes. For example, when someone says "He
is as busy as a bee," it means he is working hard, as bees are known to be extremely
busy. If someone says "I am as snug as a bug in a rug," they mean that they feel very
comfortable and cozy or are tucked up tight in bed.

A metaphor is the two things being compared have a trait or two in common.
Metaphor example: You are my sunshine, she has a heart of stone, he kicked the bucket,
time is money, life is a roller coaster.

A personification is when you assign the qualities of a person to something that isn't
human or that isn't even alive, like nature or emotions. The non-human objects are
portrayed in such a way that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings.

Ex. The wind whispered through dry grass.

An apostrophe is a figure of speech in which some absent or non-existent person or

thing is addressed as if present and capable of understanding. Apostrophe serves to further
poetic imagery and often emphasizes the emotional weight of objects in our everyday world.
It is more convenient for readers to relate themselves to abstract emotions when they observe
them in their natural surroundings. In addition, the use of apostrophe motivates readers to
develop a perspective that is fresh, as well as creative
Example: “Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.”
 Metonymy is a figure of speech that replaces the name of a thing with the name of
something else with which it is closely associated. We can come across examples of metonymy
both from literature and in everyday life.
“I’ll give my crown to the next winner”
For example, the word “crown” is used to refer to power or authority is a metonymy.

A paradox is often used to make a reader think over an idea in innovative way.
Ex. Wise fool and “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two opposite ideas are joined to create an
effect. The common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an adjective proceeded by
a noun with contrasting meanings.
Ex. “cruel kindness,” or “living death.”

Hyperbole, derived from a Greek word meaning “over-casting,” is a figure of speech that
involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.

Ex. My grandmother is as old as hills.

Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended
meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words.

Situational Irony-where actions or events have the opposite result from what is expected
or what is intended
Verbal Irony-where someone says the opposite of what they really mean or intend;
sarcasm is a particularly biting form of verbal irony
Dramatic Irony-occurs when the audience or reader of a text knows something that the
characters do not

In simple words, it is a difference between appearance and reality.

Ex. I posted a video on YouTube about how boring and useless YouTube is.
 Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of
historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the
person or thing to which it refers.

Ex. “Don’t act like a Romeo in front of her.” – “Romeo” is a reference to Shakespeare’s
Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet, in “Romeo and Juliet.”

Antithesis, which literally means “opposite,” is a rhetorical device in which two

opposite ideas are put together in a sentence to achieve a contrasting effect.
Ex. So, the sun may be the antithesis to the moon, the devil may be the antithesis to
God, and a conservative may be the antithesis to a liberal.
Ex. In Paradise Lost by John Milton, he writes that it is "better to reign in Hell, than
serve in Heav'n.

Litotes, the Greek word for "simple," is a member of the figurative

language family tree. Since it's not an English word, don't be fooled by the fact that it
ends in S. Litotes is a singular noun.
“simple,” is a figure of speech that employs an understatement by using double
negatives or, in other words, a positive statement expressed by negating its opposite
expressions.
Ex. The ice cream was not too bad,
Ex. “I am not unaware how the productions of the Grub Street brotherhood have of late
years fallen under many prejudices.”
Ex. Your comments on politics are not useless.