Literary Devices

A comparison where one thing is used to represent another

Exaggeration or overstatement

Words/state of affairs/expression which means another or is contrary to what is expected 

Example: The sun smiled down on us.

Subbing in a less-offensive word in place of one whose plainer meaning is harsh/unpleasant

Comparison using "like" or "as"

Example: The fire burned like ice

Example: The paramedic was run over by an ambulance

Giving human qualities to inanimate objects

Words juxtaposed which contradict each other

Example: He walked into that room as cool as a cucumber

Reference to a famous person, place, work of art, or literary work (novel, play, poem, etc.) 

Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words close together 

Word choice

Example: I have 1500 hours of homework to do

Vivid images created with words 

A concrete object used to represent a bigger idea

Example: Big, bad, brown bears

Example: "She wears her heart on her sleeve"

When nature or weather reflects what is happening

Example: She was looking for a Romeo