What is a Literary Device?

What is a Literary Device?

As the building blocks of literature, literary devices are the tools writers need to convey their message effectively.

The literary device makes literature what it is: attention-grabbing and compelling.

Common literary devices include metaphors, similes, personification, and allegories.

They’re meant to create beautiful and evocative prose and further the plot of a story, play, script, or poem.

There are literally dozens of different literary devices that writers use.

The type of work being created often dictates the specific device used.

For instance, a poem might use a metaphor, while a short story might focus on similes and allegories.

Enhancement of the Written Word

No matter what literary devices are used, they’re meant to do one thing: enhance the written word.

By drawing on the reader’s emotions, literary devices make writing more powerful and memorable. They can also be used to create a specific mood or atmosphere.

• In “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a bevy of devices, i.e., metaphors, similes, and personification, to paint a picture of the 1920s as a time of excess and decadence.
• In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee uses metaphor to describe Miss Caroline (teacher). The character of Scout Finch compares the teacher to peppermint candy in reference to her red hair and nail polish and the red and white dress.

Both authors use literary devices to create vivid images in the reader’s mind.

The idea is to use a superior alternative to a standard word to give the reader a better understanding of what’s being described.

Since literary devices are an indispensable element in fiction, their use encourages the use of a reader’s imagination to interpret the work.

While some argue that this is a bad thing, as it can lead to misinterpretation of the author’s intent, others believe it’s one of the best things about literature.

It allows readers to connect with the work personally and create their own understanding of it.

But a literary device isn’t for fiction alone.

For example, the greatest speeches throughout history have made heavy use of literary devices.

In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. uses metaphors and similes to paint a picture of what he envisions for America’s future.

“Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!”

By using these devices, King not only creates a beautiful image in the reader’s mind but also furthers his cause.

Creation of an Evocative Prose

Aside from being used to enhance the written word, literary devices are used to create evocative prose.

This is often done using metaphors and similes.

In the book “The Catcher in the Rye,” J.D. Salinger uses metaphors to describe the protagonist’s feelings of angst and alienation:

• “Life is a game, boy. Life is a game that one plays according to the rules.”
• “I’m sort of glad they’ve got the atomic bomb invented. If there’s ever another war, I’m going to sit right the hell on top of it. I’ll volunteer for duty as a bomb-sitter.”

Using these metaphors, Salinger creates a sense of unease and despair in the reader.

Literary Devices Authors Often Use

Aside from similes and metaphors, there are a few other literary devices that authors often use.

These include:

1 – Allusion

This is a reference to a person, place, thing, or event. It can be direct or indirect and serves to connect the writer to the reader.

Example: In Robert Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” he writes,

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

It’s a reference to the Garden of Eden and the fall of man.

2 – Symbolism

This is when an object, person, or event represents something else.

Example: In the play “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry, the writer says,

“Lord, if this little old plant doesn’t get more sun than it’s been getting it ain’t never going to see spring again.”

The plant symbolizes a person’s need for nourishment to grow and succeed.

3 – Foreshadowing

This is when the writer hints at future events.

Example: In William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” he writes,

“I have no spur/To prick the sides of my intent, but only/Vaulting ambition.”

This is a clear example of foreshadowing Macbeth’s tragic downfall.

4 – Irony

This is when there is a contrast between what is expected to happen and what happens.

Example: In the short story “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, the wife sells her hair to buy her husband a gift, while the husband sells his watch to buy his wife a gift.

The irony is that they have both sacrificed their most prized possessions for each other.

5 – Personification

This is when an inanimate object is given human characteristics.

Example: The old expression “the smell of baked bread welcomed us” exemplifies personification.

The pleasant smell of baked bread cannot welcome a person, yet it personifies the act.

These are just a few literary devices that authors use to enhance their writing.

There are many more, and each has its own purpose and effect.

As you read, take note of the devices used and see how they contribute to the work’s overall meaning.

It’s a great way to get a deeper understanding of the text.

As an aspiring author or writer, the expertise in the use of literary devices speeds up your growth as an incredible storyteller.