Anastrophe

Anastrophe is a figure of speech in which the traditional sentence structure is reversed. So a

traditional verb-subject-adjective sentence such as “Are you ready?” becomes a Yoda-esque
adjective-verb-subject question: “Ready, are you?” Or a standard adjective-noun pairing like
“tall mountains” becomes “mountains tall.”

Example: “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing.” — Edgar
Allan Poe, The Raven

Anthropomorphism

When one applies human traits or qualities to a non-human thing — such as objects, animals, or
weather — the thing becomes anthropomorphized.

Examples: In Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Mrs. Potts the teapot, Cogsworth the clock,
and Lumière the candlestick are all household objects that act and behave like humans (which, of
course, they were when they weren’t under a spell).

Similar term: personification (see below)

The household items in "Beauty and the Beast" have been anthropomorphized. (Image:
Buena Vista)
Aphorism

A universally accepted truth stated in a concise, to-the-point manner: that's an aphorism. They
typically possess a sharp or witty style that gives them staying power, often taking the form of an
adage or proverb.

Example: “To err is human, to forgive divine.” — Alexander Pope

Chiasmus

When two or more parallel clauses are inverted. “What does that mean and why would I do
that?” you might be wondering. Well, a chiasmus might sound confusing in definition, but
you’ve more than likely come across it in execution.

Example: “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
— John F. Kennedy

Colloquialism

The use of casual and informal language in writing; this can also include slang. Writers
use colloquialisms to provide further context to settings and characters. Imagine reading a YA
novel that takes place in modern America, and the characters speak to each other like this:

“Good morning, Sue. I hope that you slept well and are prepared for this morning’s science
exam.”

It’s not realistic. Inject colloquialisms for more believable dialogue.

“Hey Sue, what’d you get up to last night? This science exam is gonna suck.”

Example: Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh takes place in Scotland — a fact undeniably apparent
by simply glancing at the use of dialect: “Thing is, as ye git aulder, this character-deficiency gig
becomes mair sapping. Thir wis a time ah used tae say tae aw the teachers, bosses, dole punters,
poll-tax guys, magistrates, when they telt me ah was deficient: ’Hi, cool it, gadge, ah’m jist me,
jist intae a different sort ay gig fae youse but, ken?’”

Euphemism

A euphemism is an indirect or “politer” way of describing something deemed inappropriate or

awkward to address directly. However, most people will still understand the truth about what's
actually happening.

Example: When an elderly person is forced to retire, it’s often said that they’re being “put out to
pasture.”

Flashback

Though you probably already know what a flashback is — they’re only used in just about every
psychological thriller ever — you may not know how they should be employed. As a literary
device, flashbacks typically split up other scenes of present-day events, building suspense toward
a big reveal. Flashbacks are also an interesting, dramatic way to present exposition for your
story, unveiling to the reader what happened in the past.

Example: Every other chapter in the first part of Gone Girl is a flashback, with Amy’s old diary
entries painting a picture of her relationship with her husband before she disappeared.

Similar term: foreshadowing (see below)

Foreshadowing

When authors hint at events yet to come. Foreshadowing is often used to create tension or
suspense — leaving readers just enough breadcrumbs to keep them hungry for more.
Want to become a foreshadowing expert? Check out our post on the subject, which is full of
examples.

Example: While there are many ways to foreshadow, a popular method is through partial
reveals: the narrator says something, but leaves out key facts to prompt readers’ curiosity. Jeffrey
Eugenides does this in The Virgin Suicides: “On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her
turn at suicide – it was Mary this time, and sleeping pills, like Therese, the two paramedics
arrived at the house knowing exactly where the knife drawer was, and the gas oven, and the
beam in the basement from which it was possible to tie a rope.”

Similar term: flashback

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that emphasizes the significance of the statement’s actual
meaning. When a friend says, "Oh my god, I haven't seen you in a million years" —
that's hyperbole.

Example: “At that time Bogota was a remote, lugubrious city where an insomniac rain had been
falling since the beginning of the 16th century.” — Gabriel García Márquez,Living to Tell the
Tale

Hypophora

Much like a rhetorical question, wherein someone asks a question that doesn't require an
answer. Hypophora is where the person raises a question and answers it immediately themselves
(hence the prefix hypo, meaning "under" or "before"). It’s often used when characters are
reasoning something aloud.

Example: “Do you always watch for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always watch
for the longest day in the year and then miss it.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
 Musing Daisy Buchanan has a habit of hypophora. (Image: Warner Bros)

Imagery

Imagery is a way of appealing to readers’ sense through descriptive language. It’s also crucial
for any writer looking to follow the commonly cited rule “show, don’t tell."

Example: “In the hard-packed dirt of the midway, after the glaring lights are out and the people
have gone to bed, you will find a veritable treasure of popcorn fragments, frozen custard
dribblings, candied apples abandoned by tired children, sugar fluff crystals, salted almonds,
popsicles, partially gnawed ice cream cones and wooden sticks of lollipops.” — E.B.
White, Charlotte's Web

Irony

Creates contrast between how things seem and how they really are beneath the surface. There
are three types of literary irony: dramatic (when readers know what will happen before
characters do), situational (when readers expect a certain outcome, only to be surprised by a turn
of events), and verbal (when the intended meaning of a statement is the opposite of what was
said).

Example: This opening scene from Orson Welles’ A Touch of Evil is a great example of how
dramatic irony can create tension.

Isocolon
If you’re a neat freak who likes things just so, isocolon is the literary device for you. This is
when two or more phrases or clauses have a similar structure, rhythm, and even length — such
that, when stacked up on top of each other, they would line up. Isocolon often crops up in brand
slogans and famous sayings; the quick, balanced rhythm makes the phrase more memorable and
catchy.

Examples: Veni, vidi, vici (“I came, I saw, I conquered”)

Juxtaposition

Sometimes the best way for us to understand something is by understanding what it’s not. This is
the point of juxtaposition: by placing two or more characters, themes, concepts, places, etc. side
by side, the profound contrast highlights their differences.

Example: In the opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens uses juxtaposition to
emphasize the societal disparity that led to the French Revolution: “It was the best of times, it
was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch
of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we
had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other
way…”

Similar terms: oxymoron, paradox

Litotes

Litotes (pronounced lie-toe-teez) is the signature literary device of the double negative. Writers
use litotes to express certain sentiments through their opposites, by saying that that opposite
is not the case. Don’t worry, it makes more sense with the examples. 😉

Example: “You won’t be sorry” (meaning you’ll be happy); “you’re not wrong” (meaning
you’re right); “I didn’t not like it” (meaning I did)
Malapropism

If Shakespeare is the king of metaphors, Michael Scott is the king of malapropisms. This is when
similar-sounding words replace their appropriate counterparts, typically to comic effect — one of
the most commonly cited is “dance a flamingo,” rather than a “flamenco.” Malapropisms are
usually employed in dialogue when a character flubs up their speech.

Example: “I am not to be truffled with.”

His last name is Christ. He has the power of flight. He can heal leopards. (Image: NBC)

Metaphor

When it comes to literary devices, this one is a heavy hitter. Unlike

juxtaposition, metaphors help us make sense of things by comparing the common characteristics

of two unlike things.

Example: Metaphors are literature’s bread and butter (metaphor intended) — good luck finding
a novel that is free from a single one. Here’s one from Frances Hardinge’s A Face Like Glass:
“Wishes are thorns, he told himself sharply. They do us no good, just stick into our skin and hurt
us.”

(One metaphor example not enough? Check out this post, which has 97 of ‘em!)

Similar term: simile

Metonymy

Metonymy is like symbolism, but even more so. A metonym doesn’t just symbolize something
else, it comes to serve as a synonym for that thing or things — typically, a single object
embodies an entire institution.

Examples: “The crown” representing the monarchy, “Washington” representing the U.S.
government

Similar term: synecdoche (see below)

Motif

Whatever form a motif takes, it recurs throughout the novel and helps develop the theme of the
narrative. This might be a symbol, concept, or image. Check out this post for an helpful guide to
motifs!

Example: In The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the yellow brick road is a motif
that represents the journey of life and growing up.

Similar term: symbol

Onomatopoeia

Amusingly, this difficult-to-pronounce word refers to words that sound like the thing they’re
referring to. Examples of onomatopoeia include whiz, buzz, snap, grunt, etc.

Example: The excellent children's book Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. "Farmer Brown
has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears: Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo.
Clickety, clack, moo."
Oxymoron

When you put two contradictory words together in a sentence to describe something, you create
an oxymoron. While juxtaposition contrasts two story elements, oxymorons are about the
actual words you are using.

Example: "Parting is such sweet sorrow.” — William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. Find 100
more examples of oxymorons here.

Similar terms: juxtaposition, paradox

For Romeo and Juliet, parting is —

oxymoronically — such sweet sorrow.
(Image: 20th Century Fox)

Paradox

From the Greek word paradoxon, which means “beyond belief.” It’s a statement that asks people
to think outside the box by providing seemingly illogical — and yet latently true — premises.
Often, authors uses paradoxes themselves as a novel’s theme.

Example: In George Orwell’s 1984, the slogan of the totalitarian government is built on
paradoxes: “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.” While we might read
these statements as obviously contradictory, in the context of Orwell’s novel, these blatantly
corrupt sentiments have become an accepted truth.

Similar terms: oxymoron, juxtaposition

Personification

While anthropomorphism applies human traits to non-human things (think of Donkey from
Shrek — or any animal character from any cartoon), personification uses human traits
to describe non-human things (such as animals, object, or natural phenomena). The behavior of
the thing does not change.

Example: “Just before it was dark, as they passed a great island of Sargasso weed that heaved
and swung in the light sea as though the ocean were making love with something under a yellow
blanket, his small line was taken by a dolphin.” — Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

Similar term: anthropomorphism

Point of View

The mode of narration in a story. There are various types of point of view (POV) an author can
choose, and each one will have a huge impact on the reading experience. To learn more about
first, second, and third person POV, check out our comprehensive guide on the subject.

Example: Second person POV is the least common because it directly addresses the reader —
not an easy narrative to pull off. One popular novel that manages to employ this perspective
successfully is Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney: “You are not the kind of guy who
would be at a place like this at this time of the morning. But here you are, and you cannot say
that the terrain is entirely unfamiliar, although the details are fuzzy.”Polysyndeton

This one is definitely for authors looking to add a bit of artistic flare to their writing. Instead of
using a singular, technically-necessary conjunction or connecting word, polysyndeton involves
several used in succession for a dramatic effect.

Example: “Luster came away from the flower tree and we went along the fence and they
stopped and we stopped and I looked through the fence while Luster was hunting in the grass.”
— William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
Repetition

Repetition, repetition, repetition… where would we be without it? Though too much repetition
is rarely a good thing, occasional repetition can be used quite effectively to drill home a point, or
to create a certain atmosphere. For example, horror writers often use repetition in one way or
another to make the reader feel trapped and scared, especially since repeating things is seen as a
sign of mental instability.

Example: In The Shining, Jack Torrance types over and over again on his pages, “All work and
no play makes Jack a dull boy.” In this case, obsessive repetition demonstrates the character’s
unraveling mind.

Similar term: anaphora

Not exactly what you want to see on your husband's desk. (Image: Warner Bros)

Satire

Writers use satire to make fun of some aspect of human nature or society — usually through
exaggeration, ridicule, or irony.

Example: The famous adventure novel Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift is a classic example
of satire — criticizing English society: “As to the first, you are to understand, that for above
seventy Moons past, there have been two struggling Parties in this Empire, under the Names of
Tramecksan and Slamecksan from the high and low Heels on their shoes, by which they
distinguish themselves.”
Simile

While both metaphors and similes draw resemblances between two things, the former says that
“Thing A is Thing B,” whereas the latter says that “Thing A is like Thing B.” It might also use
the words “such as” or “as.”

Example: “Time has not stood still. It has washed over me, washed me away, as if I’m nothing
more than a woman of sand, left by a careless child too near the water.” — Margaret
Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale

Similar term: metaphor

Soliloquy

Yet another device for which Shakespeare is famous, soliloquy involves a character speaking
their thoughts aloud, usually at length. They may be alone or in the company of others, but
they’re not speaking for the benefit of other people — the purpose of a soliloquy is for a
character to reflect independently.

Example: Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” speech, in which he ruminates on the nature of life and
death, is a classic dramatic soliloquy

Symbolism

To represent abstract concepts and ideas in their stories, authors turn to symbols and symbolism.
Symbols typically derive from objects — for instance, a dove might represent peace, or raven
might represent death.

Example: In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes — a barren wasteland
between East and West Egg — as a symbol to represent the waste and moral decay of the elite.

Similar term: motif

Synecdoche

Synecdoche is the usage of a part to represent the whole. That is, rather than an object or title
that’s merely associated with the larger concept (as in metonymy), synecdoche must actually
be attached in some way: either to the name, or to the larger whole itself.

Examples: “Stanford won the game” (Stanford referring to the full title of the Stanford football
team) or “Nice wheels you got there” (wheels referring to the entire car) Similar
term: metonymy