20 Literary Devices you NEED to know!

Summary

This video script introduces 20 essential literary devices to enhance writing and literary analysis skills. It covers a range from imagery and simile to metaphor, personification, and symbolism, providing examples for each to illustrate their use in evoking emotions, creating comparisons, and adding depth to narratives. The aim is to help viewers become 'literary device masters' and improve their writing and review capabilities.

Takeaways

• 🖌️ Imagery is a literary device that uses figurative language to create a mental picture, engaging the reader's senses.
• 🔗 Similes compare two different things using 'like' or 'as', intriguing the reader with the unexpected juxtaposition.
• 🌐 Metaphors make an implicit comparison between two non-similar things, asserting their identity rather than just similarity.
• 🧍 Personification attributes human characteristics to inanimate objects or abstract ideas, making them relatable.
• 🔊 Alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words, creating a rhythmic effect.
• 🔄 Consonance is similar to alliteration but involves the repetition of consonant sounds in any part of the words, not just the beginning.
• 😮 Irony is used to express a contradictory reality, often surprising the reader based on their expectations.
• 🤔 Oxymoron combines two opposing or contradictory words, creating an intriguing effect on the reader.
• 📌 Juxtaposition places two contrasting entities side by side, prompting the reader to make comparisons on their own.
• 💬 Paradox presents a statement that seems contradictory but makes sense upon deeper reflection, encouraging deeper thought.
• 🚫 Cliche refers to overused expressions that have lost their impact, suggesting the need for fresh language in writing.
• 🗣️ Adage is a concise, memorable saying often accepted as a universal truth, using strong figurative language.
• 🌍 Colloquialism adds authenticity to writing by incorporating informal, region-specific language or phrases.
• 🔮 Foreshadowing hints at future events in a narrative, creating tension and anticipation for the reader.
• 🌟 Hyperbole uses deliberate exaggeration for emphasis, making a point more impactful to the reader.
• 🤐 Euphemism is a tactful way of expressing uncomfortable truths, softening the impact of certain statements.
• 🎭 Pun is a play on words with similar sounds but different meanings, often used for humor or to add depth.
• 📚 Connotation refers to the implied meaning of a word beyond its literal sense, influenced by cultural and emotional associations.
• 🌐 Idiom is a widely used saying with a figurative meaning different from its literal interpretation, unique to each language and culture.
• 🎨 Symbolism uses symbols to represent ideas or qualities beyond their literal meaning, adding layers of interpretation to literature.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video on literary devices?

The main purpose of the video is to explain 20 literary devices to enhance the viewer's knowledge of these tools, thereby improving their writing and capacity to review literature.

How does imagery as a literary device work?

Imagery uses figurative language to create a picture in the reader's mind by evoking responses from all of the reader's senses.

What is a simile and how is it used effectively?

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two objects or concepts using 'like' or 'as'. It is used effectively when the things being compared are different enough to intrigue the reader.

How does a metaphor differ from a simile?

A metaphor makes an implicit comparison between two non-similar things without using 'like' or 'as', asserting that the two things are identical in comparison rather than just similar.

What is personification and how does it make inanimate objects more accessible?

Personification is a literary device where an idea or thing is given human qualities. It makes inanimate objects, animals, and abstract ideas more accessible by using recognizable human behaviors and emotions.

Can you explain the concept of alliteration and provide an example?

Alliteration is a literary device where the repetition of initial consonant sounds occurs in two or more nearby words. An example is 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.'

What is the difference between alliteration and consonance?

While alliteration involves the repetition of initial consonant sounds, consonance involves the repetition of the same consonant sounds in a line of text, which can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

How is irony used in literature to create an unexpected reality?

Irony is a literary device where contradictory statements or situations reveal an unexpected reality, depending on the reader's expectations or understanding of what should happen versus what actually happens.

What is an oxymoron and how does it create an impression in literature?

An oxymoron is a figure of speech where two opposing or contradictory words are used together, creating an impression, enhancing a concept, or entertaining the reader.

How does juxtaposition help in creating a comparison or contrast in literature?

Juxtaposition is a literary device that implies comparison or contrast by placing two entities side by side, allowing the reader to make the comparison themselves.

What is a paradox and how does it encourage deeper thinking in literature?

A paradox is a statement that appears contradictory but makes sense upon reflection. It encourages the reader to think deeply to gain insight into a concept in a non-traditional way.

What is the impact of cliches on reader engagement in literature?

Cliches are overused expressions that fail to have the intended impact on the reader, as they have lost their original vitality, freshness, or significance.

How do adages differ from cliches in their use in literature?

Adages are short, pointed, and memorable sayings based on facts that become popular over time and can be accepted as universal truths, often using strong figurative language that sets them apart from cliches.

What role do colloquialisms play in adding authenticity to characters in literature?

Colloquialisms are informal and conversational language unique to a specific region or era, providing personality and authenticity to characters in literature.

How does foreshadowing create tension in a story?

Foreshadowing is a literary device used to hint at something that will happen later in the story, creating tension by setting up emotional expectations of character behaviors or plot outcomes.

What is hyperbole and how does it make an effect in literature?

Hyperbole is a literary device that uses deliberate exaggeration to make something seem larger or more important than it actually is, often to make a point to the reader.

How does an euphemism help in conveying a message indirectly in literature?

An euphemism is figurative language that replaces phrasing that could make the reader uncomfortable, allowing for indirect communication that softens the impact of what is being said.

What is a pun and how does it add depth to writing?

A pun is a play on words involving similar or identical sounds but with different meanings, often intended to be humorous and can add depth to any piece of writing.

How do connotations differ from the literal meaning of a word?

Connotations refer to the implied meaning of a word apart from its literal meaning, carrying cultural and emotional associations that are different from the literal interpretation.

What is an idiom and how does it function in different languages and cultures?

An idiom is a widely used saying with a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning, and nearly all languages and cultures have their own unique styles and types of idioms.

How is symbolism used in literature to represent something beyond its literal meaning?

Symbolism is a literary device where symbols, which can be words, objects, actions, characters, or concepts, represent something beyond their literal meaning, invoking a range of additional meanings.