Literary Devices Literary Devices
Jan 02, 2016
Literary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary Devices
Definitions• Tenor – Idea, what am I trying to
describe
• Vehicle – Means of Comparison illuminates the tenor
• Connotations - Associations
Metaphors• Comparison
• Her eyes were pools of blue diamonds
• Tenor – her eyes• Vehicle – pools of blue diamonds• Connotations?
Metaphors con’t• A mighty fortress is our God.
• Tenor – Our God• Vehicle – mighty fortress• Connotations?
Simile• Comparison using like or as
• My love is like a red, red rose.
• Tenor – love• Vehicle – red, red rose• Connotations?
Simile con’t• I love you like a fat kid loves cake.
• Tenor – love• Vehicle – fat kid loves cake• Connotations?
Synesthesia• Comparing things with senses
• Loud shirt
• Tenor – shirt• Vehicle – loud• Connotations?
Synesthesia con’t• He’s hot
• Tenor – he• Vehicle – hot• Connotations?
Synechdoche• Part is the vehicle for an implied
whole
• All eyes up here
• Tenor – implied person• Vehicle – eyes• Connotations?
Implied Metaphor• Look at verb, tenor and vehicle not
obvious
• You got me twisted
• Tenor – me• Vehicle – something twisted• Connotations?
Implied Metaphor con’t• She flew into the room
• Tenor – she• Vehicle – a bird• Connotations?
Metonymy• Something used to represent an
idea
• The White House issued the order lastnight.
• Tenor – American Government, power, Bush
• Vehicle – White House
Metonymy con’t• You’ve gotta have heart.
• Tenor – you• Vehicle – emotion, live, love,
laugh, soul, passion
Personification• Way to describe something inanimate by
giving living characteristics, form of implied metaphor
• The wind whispered
• Tenor – sound• Vehicle – whispered• Connotations?
Onomatopoeia• When something is named for the
sound it makes, tenor usually implied
• He banged his head on the desk.
• Tenor – sound and action of banging• Vehicle – banged
Symbol• Word or object that stands for
another word or object
• White dove – peace
Irony• Opposition or disagreement
between what a writer says and what actually happens
Situational Irony• Disagreement between
expected results and what is actually going to happen.
• A man dies on the way to the airport who is afraid of flying.
Verbal Irony• Author says one thing and
really means something else.
• It is raining out and it says lovely weather.
Tragic/Dramatic Irony• The audience knows
something that the characters do not.
Paradox• Opposites that contradict each other
but still make sense, to think deeper• If God is omnipotent can he create a rock
so heavy that he himself cannot lift it?• He can make anything, but he can also lift
anything.• Lonely in a crowd.• Deep down he is deeply shallow.