Literary Devices ~ Note Sheet

Term / Definition / Example
Allegory / A symbolic device in which characters or events in a story represent or symbolize ideas and concepts. / Aslan’s death in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is seen as an allegory for Christ’s crucifixion.
Antagonist / A character, group of characters, or institution that opposes the protagonist or main character. / Voldemort, in Harry Potter, is the antagonist.
Theme / The base topic or focus that acts as a foundation for the entire literary work. The theme links all aspects of the literary work with one another and is basically the main subject. / Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Irony (situational) / This occurs when the reader is led to believe that one thing will occur but, in fact, the opposite occurs. This can be humorous or tragic. / A fire house burns down.
A marriage counselor files for divorce.
A child runs away from someone throwing a water balloon and falls in a pool.
Irony (verbal) / Also called sarcasm, verbal irony occurs when a writer makes a statement in which the actual meaning differs from the meaning that the words appear to express. / After someone misses a basketball shot -- “Wow! You really nailed that one!”
Irony (dramatic) / This occurs when the reader/audience knows something, but the characters within the story do not. / In horror movies, the audience often knows that the killer is present, when the characters do not.
Archetype / A concept, a person, or an object that has served as universally understood prototype of its kind. They are often immediately identifiable and sometimes overused. / Water - birth, purification
Circle - wholeness, unity
Road - journey
High school jock - good looking, athletic, popular
Tone / The perspective or attitude that the author adopts with regards to a specific character, place, or development. Tone can portray a variety of emotions ranging from solemn, grave, and critical to witty, wry, and humorous. Tone helps the reader ascertain the writer’s feelings towards a particular topic and this in turn influences the reader’s understanding of the story. / Scared, anxious, worried, foolish, smart, depressing
Protagonist / The leading character or a major character in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text. / Bella Swan is the protagonist in Twilight.
Character / A person or creature in a story. / Charlotte (spider) in Charlotte’s Web
Character
Dynamic & Round / A dynamic and round character goes through change or growth in the story. They have multiple characteristics. / The Grinch - starts out as a miserable Christmas hating character, but changes to be more caring and giving.
Character
Static and Flat / A static, flat character remains the same through the story - does not experience change. / Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory is a static, flat character because he adheres strictly to routine, lacks social skills or empathy and is narcissistic.
Conflict / The struggle between opposing forces
Conflict
Man vs Man / A character against another character / Batman vs Joker
Conflict
Man vs Self / A character struggles with an internal problem / Elsa in Frozen
Conflict
Man vs Society or Environment / A character struggles against the society or environment in which he or she lives / Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games
Conflict
Man vs Nature / A character struggles with a natural element (hurricane), the supernatural (ghosts) or machine. / Percy Jackson
Flash Forward / A device in which later events interrupt the normal chronological order of a narrative, often to give important information about what may happen later in the plot. / How I Met Your Mother, when they flash forward to show the characters as retired seniors
Flashback / A device in which an earlier event is inserted into the normal chronological order of a narrative. This device is often used to give background information that is important to the plot. / Friends, a 1990s TV show, uses flashbacks to the show the current characters in their past as dorky high schoolers.
Foreshadowing / This devices refers to the use of words/phrases that give hints to the reader of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense. It’s used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story. / In the movie The Sixth Sense there is a surprising twist at the end. If you go back and watch there are many hints all along that this ending will actually happen.
Symbol / A symbol is an object that represents something else, usually something more meaningful. / Light = hope
Dove = peace
Heart = love
Mood / Mood is the author’s emotional perspective towards the subject of the literary work. It refers to the mental and emotional disposition of the author towards the subject, which in turn lends a particular character or atmosphere to the work. / Miranda Lambert’s song The House that Built Me tells the story of going back to her childhood home. The song demonstrates the author’s longing to find comfort and peace. The mood of this song is nostalgic and author is searching to be healed.
Motif / A motif is a specific theme that demonstrates a literary work. Motifs are very noticeable and play a significant role in defining the nature of the story, the course of events and the very fabric of the literary piece. / In The Lord of the Rings a recurring motif from the movie is temptation. The temptation of the ring is the motivating force behind every action in the trilogy, whether characters are fighting temptation, nurturing it, denying it, or preventing someone else from giving into it. Characters of every race pursue the ring.
Setting / The time and place of a story. / Hunger Games - future, Panem
Plot / The events within a story, can be written out on the plot diagram
Plot Diagram
Exposition / The opening of the story, introduction of setting and characters / Elsa and Anna are best friends and sisters living with their royal parents
Inciting Incident / The introduction of main conflict or problem / Elsa accidentally strikes Anna and hurts her with her magical powers
Rising Action / The bulk of the story, key events that lead up to the big moment / Elsa is shut off from the world, their parents die, coronation day arrives, Elsa reveals her powers and runs away, Anna sets off to find her with the help of Swen, Kristoff, and a taking snowman, Olaf, Anna returns unsuccessful but injured, Hans tricks her into thinking he loves her, Kristoff rescues her
Climax / The most intense, or suspenseful part of the story / Elsa saves Anna’s life
Falling Action / The few events that wrap up the story / Hans is sent away, winter goes away
Resolution / The ending / The world is right again and the sisters are happy
Cliffhanger / When a story ends at the most intense part (climactic moment) and the reader is left to figure out what happens / Favorite TV shows at the end of each season
Point of View / The perspective from which the story is told
First Person
POV / A character (usually the main character) is telling the story.
Third Person Limited
POV / The story is told by an outside narrator who is usually privy to the thoughts and feelings of one character (main).
Third Person
Omniscient
POV / The story is told by an outside narrator who can see all the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Characterization / The creating of a character
Characterization
(Direct) / The quality or character trait is directly stated. / She was an intelligent student, always getting straight As.
Characterization
(Indirect) / Readers use a character’s action, speech, thoughts, etc. to determine character traits / She worked diligently all night to finish the project. Next time, she would start working when it was assigned an not at the last minute. (She is a procrastinator.)
Inference / When a reader uses clues from the story to draw his or her own conclusion. / The babysitter put the kids to bed twenty minutes ago. Suddenly she hears a loud thud and some crying. She can infer that the kid(s) fell out of the bed.