artifice littéraire
LITERARY DEVICE
A
Agenda
A recall of students
knowledge about literature.
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Literary Device
Literary devices are specific techniques that allow a writer to convey a
deeper meaning that goes beyond what’s on the page. Literary devices
work alongside plot and characters to elevate a story and prompt
reflection on life, society, and what it means to be human.
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Writers use a wide variety of literary devices across different genres. Each
literary device serves a specific purpose. Understanding how to correctly wield
these devices can significantly improve your own writing.
Allegory is a literary device used to express large,
complex ideas in an approachable manner. Allegory
allows writers to create some distance between
themselves and the issues they are discussing, especially
when those issues are strong critiques of political or
societal realities.
Allegory
Example of An Allegory
classic political allegory novel Animal Farm, by
George Orwell, allegory gives the author cover to
talk about controversial ideas that otherwise might
be too dangerous to talk about explicitly.
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Cliffhanger. It’s a familiar feeling: You’re on minute 59 of an hour-
long television episode, and the protagonist is about to face the
villain—and then episode cuts to black. Known as a cliffhanger, this
plot device marks the end of a section of a narrative with the express
purpose of keeping audiences engaged in the story.
Cliffhangers
Dramatic Irony.
Remember the first time you read or watched Romeo and Juliet? The tragic ending
of this iconic story exemplifies dramatic irony: The audience knows that the lovers
are each alive, but neither of the lovers knows that the other is still alive. Each
drinks their poison without knowing what the audience knows. Dramatic irony is
used to great effect in literature, film, and television.
Dramatic Irony
Humor. Humor brings people together and has the power to transform how we
think about the world. Of course, not everyone is adept at being funny—
particularly in their writing. Making people laugh takes some skill and finesse, and,
because so much relies on instinct, is harder to teach than other techniques.
However, all writers can benefit from learning more about how humor functions in
writing
Humor
In poetry, imagery is a vivid and vibrant form of description that
appeals to readers’ senses and imagination. Despite the word’s
connotation, “imagery” is not focused solely on visual
representations or mental images—it refers to the full spectrum of
sensory experiences, including internal emotions and physical
sensations.
IMAGERY
Irony is an oft-misunderstood literary device that hinges on
opposites: what things are on the surface, and what they end up
actually being. Many learn about dramatic irony through works of
theater like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or Sophocles’s Oedipus
Rex. When deployed with skill, irony is a powerful tool that adds
depth and substance to a piece of writing.
IRONY
Irony is an oft-misunderstood literary device that hinges on
opposites: what things are on the surface, and what they end up
actually being. Many learn about dramatic irony through works of
theater like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or Sophocles’s Oedipus
Rex. When deployed with skill, irony is a powerful tool that adds
depth and substance to a piece of writing.
IRONY
Oxymorons are oppositional words joined to create a unique word or phrase. An
oxymoron can seem absurd yet make perfect sense at the same time. For example,
the phrase “virtual reality” is formed from contrasting words.
Examples of Oxymoron:
original copy
seriously funny
clearly confused
awfully beautiful
Personification. Personification is a literary device that uses the non-literal use of
language to convey concepts in a relatable way. Writers use personification to give
human characteristics, such as emotions and behaviors, to non-human things,
animals, and ideas. The statement “the story jumped off the page” is a good
example of personification.
Examples:
The story jumped-off the page.
My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every mornin
Personification. Personification is a literary device that uses the non-literal use of
language to convey concepts in a relatable way. Writers use personification to give
human characteristics, such as emotions and behaviors, to non-human things,
animals, and ideas. The statement “the story jumped off the page” is a good
example of personification.
Examples:
The story jumped-off the page.
My alarm clock yells at me to get out of bed every morning
Suspense. No matter what type of story you’re telling,
suspense is a valuable tool for keeping a reader’s attention
and interest. Building suspense involves withholding
information and raising key questions that pique readers’
curiosity
Symbolism. An object, concept, or word does not
have to be limited to a single meaning. When you
see red roses growing in a garden, what comes to
mind? Perhaps you think literally about the rose—
about its petals, stem, and thorns, or even about its
stamen and pistil as a botanist might.
Thank you
