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Literary Devices

Terms used in English literature and rhetoric

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wordsmiths_corner 16 terms Feb 26, 2026
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Terms 16

1
Metaphor
Direct comparison between two unlike things without using like or as
2
Simile
Comparison using like or as
3
Alliteration
Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words
4
Personification
Giving human qualities to non-human things
5
Irony
When meaning is opposite to what is stated or expected
6
Foreshadowing
Hints in a narrative about events yet to come
7
Symbolism
Using objects or characters to represent larger ideas
8
Hyperbole
Extreme exaggeration for emphasis or humor
9
Oxymoron
Two contradictory terms placed together
10
Anaphora
Repetition of a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses
11
Motif
Recurring element that develops thematic significance
12
Allusion
Indirect reference to another literary, historical, or cultural work
13
Soliloquy
Character speaking thoughts aloud to the audience, alone on stage
14
Deus ex machina
Unlikely plot device resolving a seemingly unsolvable problem
15
Unreliable Narrator
Narrator whose account should be questioned due to bias or ignorance
16
Tone
Author's attitude toward the subject and audience