Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Literary Elements
Literary Elements
Every work of literature is made up of a combination of elements. What makes each work unique is
the creative way in which the author handles and blends these elements. Careful readers of
literary texts are able to identify these elements and to discuss how they influence the meaning of
the literary work.
Metaphor A type of figurative language that The girls were tigers on the playing field, devouring the
makes a comparison but does not use competition.
“like” or “as” All the world is a stage.
Personification A type of figurative language that The sun smiled down on the village.
applies human qualities to objects, The leaves danced in the wind.
ideas, or animals
Hyperbole A type of figurative language that His ears were so sharp he could hear dogs bark in the next
makes an overstatement for the county.
purpose of emphasis I’m so tired I could sleep for years.
Onomatopoeia A type of figurative language in which bang, buzz, crackle, sizzle, hiss, murmur, and roar
words sound like the things they name
Flashback Insertion of a scene or event that took A novelist may include a flashback to reveal a childhood
place in the past, often appearing as a incident in the life of an adult character.
memory
Foreshadowing The suggestion or hint of events to Gray clouds at the beginning of a story may foreshadow a
come later in a literary work storm or conflict that occurs later.
Imagery The use of descriptive words or The tree roots clutched the ground like gnarled fingers.
phrases to create vivid mental pictures The frightened screech of an unseen animal tore through
in the minds of the reader, often the night.
appealing to sight, sound, taste, or
smell
Situational Irony A situation or event that is the It would be ironic if a lifeguard had to be saved from
opposite of what is or might be drowning.
expected
Verbal Irony The expression of an attitude or When a late-comer is told sarcastically, “Thanks for joining
intention that is the opposite of what us.”
is actually meant
Repetition Repeating a word or group of words There in the sudden blackness, the black pall of nothing,
for emphasis or effect nothing, nothing – nothing at all.
Rhetorical A question asked only for effect or to How much longer will we put up with this injustice? Isn’t it
make a statement, but not to get an time that we took action?
question
answer
Satire A type of writing that uses humor, At this rate we might as well dump garbage straight into
irony, or wit to make a point the ocean if we’re not going to increase the penalty for
polluting the environment.
Symbolism A symbol is something that stands for A rose symbolizes beauty.
something larger than itself The flag symbolizes the country.
Darkness symbolizes evil.