Balachandar 1

Vairamani Balachandar

Writerbay

English 001

28 April 2024

Significance and Roles of Literary Devices in Literature

Which phrase would you choose as better, “her iris is blue” or “her iris is blue as the

ocean”. When I say “her iris is blue as the ocean” it conveys my emotion in a more captivating

way and it deepens the understanding of the message, evoking certain emotions within the reader

themselves. Literary devices are special tools or methods used by authors to enhance the true

meaning of the poem. They give an fantastic effect that grabs the attention and captures the

imagination of the readers. Literary devices include metaphors, allegories, similes, alliterations,

Puns and foreshadowing. In recent days, literary devices can be found used throughout all

genres of literature, from novels to song lyrics.

Literary elements are used to construct these literary devices and aids in the better

illustration of poetic devices . They reinforce the actual and critical meaning in a way simpler

method. These literary elements help the author to craft his or her thoughts imagination and
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fantasy into a better version which the reader can connect to his own. It clears the complexities

between the reader and the author as it molds the reader to perceive the content through the

imaginative outlook of the author. Literary elements can be used in poetic devices such as

symbolism, foreseeing and many more.

Contrasting Literary elements like light and dark or ever fire and ice portrays and gives a

hint to the readers about the entire piece of work. For eg:

Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

-ROBERT FROST

The famous poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is a symbolic poem written by Robert Frost where Fire

represents the malicious desires and Ice represents the hatred and indifference among people and

by which he states that the world would perish one day. Here the poet uses imagery, a poetic

device, which is used to make readers perceive things that involve their imagination.

Throughout the stanza we imagine things because of the strong visual of the elements.
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Naturally Fire depicts an element of destruction which the poet compares with rapid

Demolishment, while, Ice behaves as if it engulfs the beings which the poet mentions it as an

Agent of slow Annihilation. Likewise Light is used to characterize Goodness, Purity,

Enlightenment and Virtue. Conversely, darkness is often associated with Evil,

Ignorance and malevolence.

All these Elements showcases the story’s theme, and achieve an aesthetic memory in the

the readers heart.

1) https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Dark-And-Light-In-The-Poems-Of-

P3YZHP5QSR#:~:text=Lightness%20and%20darkness%20is%20a,and%20darkness

%20using%20symbolism%20throughout.

2) https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44263/fire-and-ice