Literary Terms and Devices

Giving inanimate objects human characteristics

Anything that stands for or represents something else

A character that is stereotypical or only shows a few, one-sided traits

Reference to a well-known person, event, place, literary work or work of art.

Shows events from before the present time of the story, often to reveal a character's motives

The introduction of setting, character, and basic situation in a story

Universal idea or message about life; understood by most cultures

Force or character working against the main character in a story

The main character in a story

A character that has both positive and negative characteristics (like a real person)

Language that is particular to a specific region or social group

The arrangement of words, sentence types, punctuation, etc.

A directly stated comparison of two things, such as "She is the sun."

When two or more ideas or subjects are placed side by side to compare and contrast the two.​

A character that stays the same throughout a story

A device in which characters or events in a literary work symbolize a hidden meaning...

A description that appeals to one's five senses

An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the reader or audience

Where and when a story takes place

A conversation between characters; can be used to move the action along.

Conclusion of the story

A character that undergoes a major change over the course of the story

A character telling the story is taking part in the story; i.e. I, me, my

Writer's attitude toward his or her subject

Hints that the author gives of things that are to come in the story.

Problem or struggle between opposing forces

A comparison between two things using like or as

In a story, the highest or most intense point in the development

Words are used to suggest the opposite of what is meant.

A contrast between what appears to be real and what is actually real.

An author's word choice

A contradiction between what a character thinks and what the audience knows to be true.

A statement that contradicts itself, yet it appears to be true.

When the author uses "you" to speak to the reader directly..

When the character telling the story is an outside observer; i.e. they, he, she, it