Literary Devices - Review

The dictionary definition of a word

Point of View: "Sophie closed her eyes and lay quite still."

Tone: "Emily, pack you bags! Quick! Mom and dad say we're going to Disney World!"

Sensory Detail: With the rain picking up, the headlights of passing cars glistened on the wet highway.

How the story makes the reader feel; atmosphere; vibe

Sensory Detail: She ran her hand through the dog's thick, soft fur.

Wildcard: What is the world's fastest animal?

The author's practice of using powerful words

Example: A man leaps out of the road to avoid being hit by a car, only to have a tree branch fall on his head.

Wildcard: How many times per second can a hummingbird flap its wings?

When an author gives hints or clues about what might happen later in a story.

Which word has the most positive connotation?

The narrator is a character in the story; you experience the story through the eyes of the main character

Wildcard: What makes a flamingo pink?

Mood: The moonlight cast crooked shadows across the forest path as she ran, the creature's wheezing breaths just behind.

Mood: As she stepped onto the rickety bridge, it creaked and swayed. The canyon opened like a mouth 1,000 feet below.

Wildcard: Which animal has the longest lifespan?

Wildcard: Which animal has the highest blood pressure?

Which word has the most negative connotation?

The thoughts, feelings, and ideas related to a word (whether the word sounds positive or negative)

You are a character in the story; the narrator speaks directly to you.

Writing that includes the five senses

Example: A traffic cop gets his license suspended because of unpaid parking tickets.

Tone: "They plan to kill General Washington?" He leaned forward with a grim look on his face. "Tell me everything!"

Point of View: "We didn't always live on Mango Street."

Tone: "We have a test in Math today? Great! Just great!"

Mood: He sat by the still lake, listening to the birds singing in the trees. The wind was calm and the sun was warm.

Example: A pilot has a fear of heights.

Sensory Detail: The pungent odor of smoke drifted in through the open window.

Writing that creates pictures in your mind

The position of the narrator in relation to the story

The narrator is NOT a character in the story

Sensory Detail: The howling wind made the branches creak under the weight of the ice.

Point of View: "You wake up in a cold, dark room. You try the door, but it's locked. What do you do next?"

Wildcard: What is the world's most poisonous spider?

The author's attitude toward the subject

When something happens that is the opposite of what you expect.