TEACHING POETRY

AND
DRAMATIC POETRY
THE LITERARY
DEVICES
• ALLUSION
An alusion is a literary device that references a person,
place, thing, or event in the real world. You can use this
to paint a clear picture or to even connect with your
readers.
Allusions are often used as literary elements that help
connect the reader to the works. By referencing
something the reader may be familiar with in the real
world, this invests them more than if you didn’t have any
connections.
• ALLITERATION

Alliteration is a literary device that uses the same letters

or sounds at the beginning of words in a sentence or
title. There are many nursery rhymes that use alliteration
but this is also useful for creating something memorable
within your writing.
Example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter
Piper picked?
• DICTION
Diction is a literary device that’s the choice of
words or style used by the writer in order to
convey their message. Basically, that’s a fancy
way of saying that diction is the way in which
the author wants to write to a specific audience.
• ALLEGORY
An allegory is a figure of speech where abstract ideas
are described using characters, events, or other
elements. That’s more of a fancy way of saying that
instead of being literal with an idea, you use characters,
events, or other elements in order to describe it in a way
the reader can better understand.
• COLLOQUIALISM
One way to increase the world building in your
book is to use colloquialisms. Colloquialisms are
expressions, words, and phrases that are used  in
informal, everyday speech, including slang.

Example:  I'm fixin' to go to the park. 

pop (soft drink, Coca-Cola)
nappies (diapers)
• EUPHEMISM
Euphemisms are actually any terms that refer to
something impolite or unpleasant. We create phrases or
other words in order to avoid using the actual term
because they’re impolite, rude, or indecent.
This is often why we think of sexual euphemisms when we
hear of this literary device. Most individuals would rather
make a much lighter comment when referring to
something as “indecent” as sex, but the same case is
made for when someone dies.
Example: He has passed away. (He has died)
She is between jobs. (She is unemployed)
• FLASHBACK
Flashbacks in literature are when the narrator goes back
in time for a specific scene or chapter in order to give
more context for the story. Oftentimes, we see
flashbacks in books where the past greatly impacts the
present or as a way to start a story off on an interesting
note. This is seen in Harry Potter whenever Harry gets to
see a memory of the past from Dumbledore or even
Snape.
• FORESHADOWING
Foreshadowing is when the author places elements within the
writing that gives clues about what will happen in the future of the
story.
They might even look back and realize that certain elements were
foreshadowing once they hit the climax or a big plot twist was
revealed. You can write a scene where there’s a conversation that
the reader can’t fully understand the meaning of until more is
revealed.
You can also write a scene that has symbolic elements that
foreshadow events, like placing a black crow in a scene that
foreshadows a death, as crows are symbolic of this.
• IMAGERY
This is one that we briefly touched on above
and also one you likely learned in school,
though it may have been a while since then
so we’ll give you a refresher. Imagery is when
you use visually descriptive or figurative
language in your writing
• PERSONIFICATION
Personification is a literary device where you give
human-like qualities to non human elements.
1. It creates a stronger visual
2. It pulls readers further into your world
3.  It helps the readers relate to and understand what’s
going on
4.  It can allow readers to have a new perspective
5. You can give readers a new view on a typical
visual/occurrence
• JUXTAPOSITION
Juxtaposition means placing contrasting elements next
to one another in order to emphasize one or both,
including words, scenes, or themes. This literary device
can sound overly fancy but it’s quite simple. Many times,
authors will use juxtaposition in order to create a stronger
emotional reaction from readers.
• METAPHOR/SIMILE
Metaphors and similes are comparisons used to create
better clarification and understanding for readers.
• METAPHOR- A metaphor is a comparison between two
things that are NOT alike and  replaces the word with
another word.
• SIMILE- Similes are comparisons between two things that
are NOT like and replaces  the word with another word
but uses “like” or “as” within it.
• ONOMATOPOEIA
Onomatopoeia is a word or phrase that shows
you the sound something makes. Since we can’t
hear books, this literary device is best used to
paint a clear picture and include the sense of
hearing in your writing.
• SYMBOLISM
This literary device is the use of a situation
or element to represent a larger message,
idea, or concept. Many times, authors use
symbolism as a way to convey a broader
message that speaks to more readers.
• TONE
This literary device has the power to shape the entire
narrative. For example, if you want to catch a reader
off-guard when something traumatic or intense
happens, keeping the tone light and humorous before
the event can increase the sensation of shock and
tension
Tone can guide your readers right into the emotion you
want them to feel in a particular scene.
THANK
YOU!☺