Some definitions of literary devices, techniques and style from

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LITERARY DEVICES http://mrbraiman.home.att.net/lit.htm

Literary devices refers to any specific aspect of literature, or a particular
work, which we can recognize, identify, interpret and/or analyze. Both
literary elements and literary techniques can rightly be called literary
devices.

Literary elements refers to aspects or characteristics of a whole text.
They are not used,! per se, by authors" we derive what they are from
reading the text. #ost literary elements can be derived from any and all
texts" for example, every story has a theme, every story has a setting,
every story has a conflict every story is written from a particular point!
of!"ie#, etc. $n order to be discussed legitimately, literary elements must
be specifically identified for that text.

Literary techniques refers to any specific, deliberate constructions of
language which an author uses to convey meaning. %n author&s use of a
literary technique usually occurs with a single word or phrase, or a
particular group of words or phrases, at one single point in a text. 'nlike
literary elements, literary techniques are not necessarily present in every
text.

Literary terms refers to the words themselves with which we identify
and describe literary elements and techniques. They are not found in
literature and they are not used! by authors.


Allegor$: (here every aspect of a story is representative, usually
symbolic, of something else, usually a larger abstract concept or
important historical/geopolitical event.

Lord of the Flies provides a compelling allegory of human
nature, illustrating the three sides of the psyche through its
sharply-defined main characters.

Antagonist: )ounterpart to the main character and source of a story&s
main conflict. The person may not be bad! or evil! by any
conventional moral standard, but he/she opposes the protagonist
in a significant way.

Anthropomorphism: (here animals or inanimate ob*ects are portrayed
in a story as people, such as by walking, talking, or being given
arms, legs and/or facial features. +This technique is often
incorrectly called personification.,

The King and Queen of Hearts and their playing-card courtiers
comprise only one example of arroll!s extensive use of
anthropomorphism in "lice!s "dventures in #onderland.

-
%lan& "erse: .on/rhyming poetry, usually written in iambic pentameter.

$ost of %ha&espeare!s dialogue is written in blank verse, though
it does occasionally rhyme.

Characteri'ation: The author&s means of conveying to the reader a
character&s personality, life history, values, physical attributes,
etc. %lso refers directly to a description thereof.

"tticus is characterized as an almost impossi'ly virtuous man,
always doing what is right and imparting impecca'le moral
values to his children.

Clima(: The turning point in a story, at which the end result becomes
inevitable, usually where something suddenly goes terribly
wrong" the dramatic high point! of a story.

The story reaches its climax in "ct (((, when $ercutio and Ty'alt
are &illed and )omeo is 'anished from *erona.

Conflict: % struggle between opposing forces which is the driving force
of a story. The outcome of any story provides a resolution of the
conflict+s," this is what keeps the reader reading. )onflicts can
exist between individual characters, between groups of
characters, between a character and society, etc., and can also be
purely abstract +conflicting ideas,.

The conflict 'etween the $ontagues and apulets causes )omeo
and +uliet to 'ehave irrationally once they fall in love.

+ac&!s priorities are in conflict with those of )alph and ,iggy,
which causes him to 'rea& away from the group.

$an-versus-nature is an important conflict in The -ld $an and
the %ea.

Conte(t: 0acts and conditions surrounding a given situation.

$adame .efarge!s actions seem almost reasona'le in the
context of the )evolution.

Creati"e license: 1xaggeration or alteration of ob*ective facts or reality,
for the purpose of enhancing meaning in a fictional context.

-rwell too& some creative license with the historical events of
the )ussian )evolution, in order to clarify the ideological
conflicts.

Dialog)e: (here characters speak to one another" may often be used to
substitute for exposition.

%ince there is so little stage direction in %ha&espeare, many of the
characters! thoughts and actions are revealed through dialogue.

2
Dramatic iron$: (here the audience or reader is aware of something
important, of which the characters in the story are not aware.

$ac'eth responds with dis'elief when the weird sisters call him
Thane of awdor/ ironically, un'e&nownst to him, he had 'een
granted that title 'y &ing .uncan in the previous scene.

E(position: (here an author interrupts a story in order to explain
something, usually to provide important background information.

The first chapter consists mostly of exposition, running down the
family!s history and descri'ing their living conditions.

*ig)rati"e lang)age: %ny use of language where the intended meaning
differs from the actual literal meaning of the words themselves.
There are many techniques which can rightly be called figurative
language, including metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification,
onomatopoeia, verbal irony, and oxymoron. +3elated4 fig)re of
speech,

The poet ma&es extensive use of figurative language, presenting
the spea&er!s feelings as colors, sounds and flavors.

*oil: % character who is meant to represent characteristics, values, ideas,
etc. which are directly and diametrically opposed to those of
another character, usually the protagonist.

The no'le, virtuous father $acduff provides an ideal foil for the
villainous, childless $ac'eth.

*oresha+o#ing: (here future events in a story, or perhaps the outcome,
are s)ggeste+ by the author before they happen. 0oreshadowing
can take many forms and be accomplished in many ways, with
varying degrees of subtlety. 5owever, if the outcome is
deliberately and explicitly revealed early in a story +such as by
the use of a narrator or flashback structure,, such information
does not constitute foreshadowing.

#illy!s concern for his car foreshadows his eventual means of
suicide.

,$perbole: % description which exaggerates.

The author uses hyperbole to descri'e $r. %mith, calling him
0the greatest human 'eing ever to wal& the earth.1

Iambic pentameter: 6oetry written with each line containing ten
syllables, in five repetitions of a two/syllable pattern wherein the
pronunciation emphasis is on the second syllable.

%ha&espeare wrote most of his dialogue in iambic pentameter,
often having to ad2ust the order and nature of words to fit the
sylla'le pattern, thus endowing the language with even greater
meaning.
7

Imager$: 8anguage which describes something in detail, using words to
substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including visual
imagery and sound imagery. %lso refers to specific and recurring
types of images, such as food imagery and nature imagery.

The author!s use of visual imagery is impressive/ the reader is
a'le to see the island in all its lush, colorful splendor 'y reading
3olding!s detailed descriptions.

Iron$ +a.k.a. Sit)ational iron$,: (here an event occurs which is
unexpected, and which is in absurd or mocking opposition to
what is expected or appropriate. +.ote4 #ost of the situations in
the %lanis #orissette song are not ironic at all., 9ee also
Dramatic iron$- Verbal iron$.

+em and %cout are saved 'y 4oo )adley, who had ironically 'een
an o'2ect of fear and suspicion to them at the 'eginning of the
novel.

.etaphor: % direct relationship where one thing or idea substitutes for
another.

%ha&espeare often uses light as a metaphor for +uliet/ )omeo
refers to her as the sun, as 0a rich 2ewel in an 5thiop!s ear,1 and
as a solitary dove among crows.

.oo+: The atmosphere or emotional condition created by the piece,
within the setting.

The mood of $ac'eth is dar&, mur&y and mysterious, creating a
sense of fear and uncertainty.

.otif: % recurring important idea or image. % motif differs from a
theme in that it can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary
phrase, while a theme usually must be expressed as a complete
sentence.

4lood is an important motif in " Tale of Two ities, appearing
numerous times throughout the novel.
/nomatopoeia: (here sounds are spelled out as words" or, when words
describing sounds actually sound like the sounds they describe.

)emar6ue uses onomatopoeia to suggest the dying soldier!s
agony, his last gasp descri'ed as a 0gurgling rattle.1

/($moron: % contradiction in terms.

)omeo descri'es love using several oxymorons, such as 0cold
fire,1 0feather of lead1 and 0sic& health,1 to suggest its
contradictory nature.

:
0ara+o(: (here a situation is created which cannot possibly exist,
because different elements of it cancel each other out.

(n 789:, 0dou'lethin&1 refers to the paradox where history is
changed, and then claimed to have never 'een changed.
" Tale of Two ities opens with the famous paradox, 0(t was the
'est of times, it was the worst of times.1

0arallelism: 'se of similar or identical language, structures, events or
ideas in different parts of a text.

Ho''s! final stri&eout parallels the #hammer!s stri&ing out
against him at the 'eginning of the novel.

0ersonification 1I2 (here inanimate ob*ects or abstract concepts are
seemingly endowed with human self/awareness" where human
thoughts, actions and perceptions are directly attributed to
inanimate ob*ects or abstract ideas. +.ot to be confused with
anthropomorphism.,

$alamud personifies Ho''s! 'at, giving it a name, #onder'oy,
referring to it using personal pronouns, and stating that 0he went
hungry1 during Ho''s! 'atting slump.

0ersonification 1II2 (here an abstract concept, such as a particular
human behavior or a force of nature, is represented as a person.

The 3ree&s personified natural forces as gods/ for example, the
god ,oseidon was the personification of the sea and its power
over man.

0lot: 9equence of events in a story. #ost literary essay tasks will instruct
the writer to avoid plot summary"! the term is therefore rarely
useful for response or critical analysis. (hen discussing plot, it is
generally more useful to consider its str)ct)re, rather than
simply what happens.!

0oint!of!"ie#: The identity of the narrative voice" the person or entity
through whom the reader experiences the story. #ay be third/
person +no narrator" omniscient or limited, or first/person
+narrated by a character in the story,. 6oint/of/view is a
commonly misused term" it does not refer to the author&s +or
characters&, feelings, opinions, perspectives, biases, etc.

Though it is written in third-person, "nimal Farm is told from
the point-of-view of the common animals, unaware of what is
really happening as the pigs gradually and secretively ta&e over
the farm.

#riting the story in first-person point-of-view ena'les the reader
to experience the soldier!s fear and uncertainty, limiting the
narrative to what only he saw, thought and felt during the 'attle.

;
0rotagonist: The main character in a story, the one with whom the
reader is meant to identify. The person is not necessarily good!
by any conventional moral standard, but he/she is the person in
whose plight the reader is most invested.

Repetition: (here a specific word, phrase, or structure is repeated
several times, to emphasize a particular idea.

The repetition of the words 0#hat if;1 at the 'eginning of each
line reinforces the spea&er!s confusion and fear.

Setting: The time and place where a story occurs. The setting can be
specific +e.g., .ew <ork )ity in -=7>, or ambiguous +e.g., a large
urban city during economic hard times,. %lso refers directly to a
description thereof.

The novel is set in the %outh during the racially tur'ulent 78<=!s,
when 'lac&s were treated unfairly 'y the courts.

#ith the island, 3olding creates a pristine, isolated and
uncorrupted setting, in order to show that the 'oys! actions
result from their own essential nature rather than their
environment.

Simile: %n indirect relationship where one thing or idea is expressed as
being similar to another. 9imiles usually contain the words like!
or as,! but not always.

The simile in line 7= descri'es the lunar eclipse> 0The moon
appeared as a large drop of 'lood.1

Spea&er: The voice! of a poem" not to be confused with the poet
him/herself. %nalogous to the narrator in prose fiction.

Str)ct)re: The manner in which the various elements of a story are
assembled.

The individual tales are told within the structure of the larger
framing story, where the ?8 travelers gather at the (nn at
%outhwar& on their 2ourney to anter'ury, telling stories to pass
the time.

The play follows the traditional %ha&espearean five-act plot
structure, with exposition in "ct (, development in "ct ((, the
climax or turning point in "ct (((, falling action in "ct (*, and
resolution in "ct *.

S$mbolism: The use of specific ob*ects or images to represent abstract
ideas. This term is commonly misused, describing any and all
representational relationships, which in fact are more often
metaphorical than symbolic. % s$mbol must be something
tangible or visible, while the idea it s$mboli'es must be
something abstract or universal.

?
3olding uses symbols to represent the various aspects of human
nature and civili@ation as they are revealed in the novel. The
conch symbolizes order and authority, while its gradual
deterioration and ultimate destruction metaphorically represent
the 'oys! collective downfall.

Theme: The main idea or message conveyed by the piece. % theme is
generally stated as a complete sentence" an idea expressed as a
single word or fragmentary phrase is a motif.

-rwell!s theme is that a'solute power corrupts a'solutely.
The idea that human 'eings are essentially 'rutal, savage
creatures provides the central theme of the novel.

Tone: The apparent emotional state, or attitude,! of the
speaker/narrator/narrative voice, as conveyed through the
language of the piece.

The poem has a 'itter and sardonic tone, revealing the spea&er!s
anger and resentment.
The tone of 3ulliver!s narration is unusually matter-of-fact, as
he seems to regard these 'i@arre and a'surd occurrences as
ordinary or commonplace.

Trage+$: (here a story ends with a negative or unfortunate outcome
which was essentially avoidable, usually caused by a flaw in the
central character&s personality. Tragedy is really more of a
dramatic genre than a literary element" a play can be referred to
as a tragedy, but tragic events in a story are essentially part of the
plot, rather than a literary device in themselves.
Tragic hero/tragic fig)re: % protagonist who comes to a bad end as a
result of his own behavior, usually cased by a specific personality
disorder or character flaw.

#illy Loman is one of the 'est-&nown tragic figures in "merican
literature, o'livious to and una'le to face the reality of his life.

Tragic fla#: The single characteristic +usually negative, or personality
disorder which causes the downfall of the protagonist.

-thello!s tragic flaw is his 2ealousy, which consumes him so
thoroughly that he is driven to murder his wife rather than
accept, let alone confirm, her infidelity.

Verbal iron$: (here the meaning is intended to be the exact opposite of
what the words actually mean. +Sarcasm is a tone of voice that
often accompanies verbal irony, but they are not the same thing.,

-rwell gives this torture and 'rainwashing facility the ironic
title, 0$inistry of Love.1

@
LITERARY TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES
http://jacinet.johnabbott.qc.ca/webpages/departments/english/lallier/technique
s.htm
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A plot is not an random string of eents! It "as a logi# $ased on #a%se and
effe#t relations"ips $et&een t"ings t"at "appen in t"e stor'! As( 'o%rself &"'
#ertain t"ings "appen) &"' #"ara#ters do) sa' and feel &"at t"e' do! T"en
as( 'o%rself &"at effe#ts t"ese #a%ses "ae on t"e #"ara#ters and #onfli#t!
*e a&are t"at #omple+ "%man $e"aio%r in fi#tion ma' "ae more t"an one
#a%se) or per"aps $ot" immediate and more "idden) $%t more important
#a%ses!
E+ample,
In -S"a(espeare.s Sister)- Virginia /oolf s"o&s t"e m%ltiple #a%ses of
0%dit".s fail%re to f%lfill "er #reatie potential as a &riter) e!g!) la#( of
ed%#ation) domesti# d%ties) t"e o$ligation to marr') gender stereot'pes a$o%t
&omen not $eing s%ited for t"e stage) %n&anted pregnan#' and no&"ere to
t%rn! All t"ese immediate #a%ses point to a more %nderl'ing #a%se of 0%dit".s
fail%re, gender ine1%alit' in t"e Eli2a$et"an age!
1"%S,.06()+
3ores"ado&ing is a plot4related literar' te#"ni1%e &"ere$' an a%t"or s"o&s
or sa's somet"ing in an earl' part of a stor' t"at "ints at a later eent!
5s'#"ologi#all') fores"ado&ing prepares %s for &"at is to #ome in t"e stor')
parti#%larl' t"e ending! /"en &e finall' rea#" t"e ending) and if &e "ae read
#aref%ll') &e ma' e+perien#e a sense of ineita$ilit' $e#a%se &e "ae
#ons#io%sl' or s%$#ons#io%sl' responded to fores"ado&ing earlier in t"e
stor'!
%;ample:
&. (n The Awakening) t"e s#ene &"ere Edna finall' learns "o& to s&im
fores"ado&s t"e ending &"ere s"e #ommits s%i#ide $' s&imming to "er
deat"! /"en &e #lose read t"e s&imming s#ene) &e see t"at Edna &anted to
s&im far o%t) -&"ere no &oman "ad s&%m $efore!- T"e danger of t"is 6o%rne'
is fores"ado&ed $' Edna.s moment of terror at t"o%g"t of not $eing a$le to
regain t"e s"ore 7a metap"or of so#ial #onentions and gender norms in
C"opin.s time)! At t"e end of t"e noel) Edna re#alls t"is s#ene) and t"is time
A
#ontin%es s&imming o%t) %nafraid no&) een t"o%g" "er strengt" &ill fail "er!
1L.S,-.$/
A flas"$a#( is an interr%ption in t"e #"ronologi#al se1%en#e of eents in t"e
plot! It narrates a s#ene t"at o##%rred earlier! It ma' $e a &a' of &or(ing
1%estions of memor' into a plot) imitating t"e &a' t"e "%man mind &or(s)
s"o&ing t"e relations"ip $et&een past and present) or s"o&ing "o& an earlier
eent #a%sed a later eent! Yo% are pro$a$l' familiar &it" t"e te#"ni1%e of
flas"$a#( in moies! T"e ending of Pulp Fiction) for e+ample) is a flas"$a#( to
an earlier s#ene in t"e film) &"ere &e sa& Sam%el 0a#(son and 0o"n Traolta
in t"e same resta%rant t"e' are sitting in at t"e end!!
("):
A LITERARY DEVICE 8R TECHNIQUE9 AN INDIRECT /AY 83 STATIN:
AN IDEA 38R 5ERSUASIVE 8R ARTISTIC E33ECT
A /IN; T8 THE READER
A C8<5LI<ENT T8 THE INTELLI:ENCE 8R ;N8/LED:E 83 READERS
THREE TY5ES 83 IR8NY,
=! VER*AL IR8NY,
SAYIN: 8NE THIN: AND <EANIN: AN8THER
CAN *E USED T8 RIDICULE) *UT USUALLY <8RE S85HISTICATED
THAN SI<5LE SARCAS<
E+ample:
T"e opening line of 0ane A%sten.s 5ride and 5re6%di#e is famo%s for its #leer
iron', -It is a tr%t" %niersall' a#(no&ledged) t"at a single man in possession
of a good fort%ne) m%st $e in &ant of a &ife!- /"at A%sten reall' means is
&omen &o%ld $e in &ant of a "%s$and &"o "as a good fort%ne!
>! SITUATI8NAL 8R STRUCTURAL IR8NY,
A C8NTRAST *ET/EEN /HAT /E E?5ECT AND /HAT ACTUALLY
HA55ENS) 83TEN 38R THE /8RSE
AN A/ARENESS 83 THE DI33ERENCE *ET/EEN A55EARANCE AND
REALITY) THE IDEAL AND THE ACTUAL) 3ALSE 8R NAIVE H85ES VS!
REAL 8UTC8<ES
E+ample,
A ma6or iron' in -T"e Yello& /allpaper- is t"at t"e rest #%re does not #%re
0ane) $%t a#t%all' ends %p driing "er mad!
@! DRA<ATIC IR8NY,
THE NARRAT8R 83 A TE?T AND THE READER ;N8/ S8<ETHIN:
THAT A CHARACTER D8ESN.T ;N8/
8THER CHARACTERS IN THE TE?T ;N8/ S8<ETHIN: THAT A
CHARACTER D8ESN.T ;N8/
A CHARACTER SAYS S8<ETHIN: THAT SH8/S H8/ LITTLE HEASHE
;N8/S THE TRUTH A*8UT THE<SELVES
ST8RIES IN 3IRST45ERS8N NARRATI8N ARE 83TEN IR8NIC *ECAUSE
THE NARRAT8RACHARACTER HAS LI<ITED ;N8/LED:E 83 SEL3)
8THERS 8R LI3E AND D8ESN.T ;N8/ IT
E+ample,
In -T"e Yello& /allpaper)- 0ane ma(es #omments a$o%t "o& -%nreasona$l'
angr'- s"e gets at 0o"n sometimes! A loo( at 0o"n.s #ondes#ending
=
$e"aio%r to "is &ife ma(es it #lear to t"e reader t"at 0ane pro$a$l' "as good
reason to get angr') $%t feels too g%ilt' a$o%t not performing "er role as a
-rest and a #omfort- to 0o"n to a##ept "er feelings! *ot" t"e a%t"or and t"e
reader "ae greater insig"t into 0ane.s sit%ation t"an s"e does "erself!
2%!.P,"
A metap"or is a (ind of fig%ratie lang%age in &"i#" one #on#rete t"ing) eent
or a#tion 7#alled t"e -e"i#le-) is #ompared to or stands for somet"ing literall'
1%ite different and often more a$stra#t 7#alled t"e -tenor-)!
T"e e"i#le is al&a's stated in a metap"or) $%t t"e tenor 7&"at t"e e"i#le is
li(e or stands for) ma' onl' $e implied!
A metap"or is li(e a SI<ILE) $%t simile %ses -li(e- or -as- to ma(e t"e
#omparison e+pli#it!
E+amples,
=! T"e -Angel in t"e Ho%se- is a metap"or for t"e t'pe of &oman #onsidered
ideal in /oolf.s time) &"at &e #o%ld #all t"e Vi#torian ideolog' of femininit'! It
is also an e+tended metap"or) sin#e /oolf.s str%ggle &it" t"e Angel is
deeloped at #onsidera$le lengt" and in #on#rete metap"ori# lang%age 7-I
fl%ng t"e in(pot at "er-)!
<etap"ors #an also $e er' s"ort) e!g!) Hamlet #ompares "is pro$lems to a
-sea of tro%$les!-
>! T"e 'ello& &allpaper is a metap"or for 0ane.s oppressie sit%ation in "er
marriage and "er inner desire to $rea( free of restri#tie gender norms!
7Noti#e t"at -$rea( free- is a metap"or too sin#e 0ane is not literall'
imprisoned!
@! -Ho& s&eet t"e moonlig"t sleeps %pon t"is $an(- 7/illiam S"a(espeare)!
T"e e"i#le -sleeps- s%ggests t"at t"e moonlig"t %pon t"e rier$an( loo(s
1%iet and pea#ef%l 7tenor)!
B! So6o%rner Tr%t" %ses t"e metap"or of small and $ig #%ps) $ot" of &"i#"
s"o%ld $e filled) to stand for "er idea t"at "%man rig"ts s"o%ld not depend on
a person.s intelle#t!
C! Virginia /oolf %ses t"e metap"or of "aing a -room of one.s o&n- to
represent e#onomi# independen#e) time) pria#') freedom of t"o%g"t44all t"e
t"ings t"at are ne#essar' in order to do #reatie &or(!
->
Literary technique
*rom 3i&ipe+ia the free enc$clope+ia.
http4//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8iteraryBtechnique
Noels and s"ort stories do not simpl' #ome from no&"ere! Us%all' t"e
a%t"or emplo's some general literary technique 7also #alled a literary
device) as a frame&or( for artisti# &or(!
CeditD
.nnotated list of literary techniques
%uthor surrogate , a character who acts as the authorEs spokesman.
%utobiographical novel , tales of the authorEs life as seen by the author in
fictional form" sometimes significant changes are made. %n example is Fames
FoyceEs " ,ortrait of the "rtist as a Aoung $an.
Back/story provides extra depth to the story by anchoring it to external events,
real or imagined.
Breaking the fourth wall is acknowledging to the reader or audience that what
is being presented is fiction.
)onstrained writing , in which artificial constraints, such as Gno words
containing the letter EeEG, are imposed.
1pistolary novel , novel in the form of letters exchanged between the
characters. 1xamples include 9amuel 3ichardsonEs ,amela, Tobias 9mollettEs
Humphry lin&er, Bram 9tokerEs .racula.
0alse documents , fiction written in the form of, or about, apparently real, but
actually fake documents. 1xamples include 3obert HravesE (, laudius, a
fictional autobiography of the 3oman emperor )laudius" and 5. 6. 8ovecraftEs
Becronomicon, a fictional book of evil that appeared frequently in horror
fiction and film, written by both 8ovecraft and his admirers.
0irst/person narrative , the narrator tells his own tale
0lashback , general term for altering time sequences, taking characters back to
the beginning of the tale, for instance.
0oreshadowing , hinting at events to occur later.
0rame tale , or a story within a story, where a main story is used to organise a
series of shorter stories.
5istorical novel , story set amidst historical events, pioneered by 9ir (alter
9cott in his novels of 9cottish history. 6rotagonists may be fictional or
historical personages, or a combination.
5ysterical realism , is a literary genre characterized by chronic length, manic
characters, madding action, and frequent digressions on topics secondary to
the story.
#agic realism , a form particularly popular in 8atin %merican but not limited
to that region, in which events are described realistically, but in a magical haze
of strange local customs and beliefs. Habriel HarcIa #Jrquez is a notable
author in the style.
.arrative , fiction written as if it were related to the reader by a single
participant or observer.
Kmniscient narrator , particular form of narrative in which the narrator sees
and knows all
Kverstatement , exaggeration of something, often for the purpose of emphasis
--
6arody , ridicule by imitation, usually humorous, such as $". $aga@ine
6astiche , using forms and styles of another author, generally as an affectionate
tribute, such as the many stories featuring 9herlock 5olmes not written by
%rthur )onan Loyle, or much of the )thulhu #ythos.
6icaresque novel , episodic recounting of the adventures of a rogue +9panish
picaro, on the road, such as Tom +ones or Huc&le'erry Finn.
6lot twist
)oman a clef , a Gnovel with a keyG, that is, whose characters and plot are
related to real/life happenings
9atire , G%n attack on wickedness and follyG, as 9amuel Fohnson called it, such
as " $odest ,roposal or andide. 9atires are not necessarily humorous" for
example, dystopian novels such as 789: and 4rave Bew #orld have satiric
elements.
9hared universe is a shared back/story.
9tory within a story
9tream of consciousness , an attempt to portray all the thoughts and feelings of
a character, as in parts of Fames Foyce and Mirginia (oolf.
(ord play , in which the nature of the words used themselves become part of
the work
A%t"ors also manip%late t"e lang%age of t"eir &or(s to #reate a desired
response from t"e reader! T"is is t"e realm of t"e r"etori#al dei#es!
3etrieved from Ghttp4//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8iteraryBtechniqueG
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)hecklist4 1lements of 8iterary 9tyle
http4//www.lakesideschool.org/upperschool/departments/english/1rik)hristensen/(3$T$.H
N2>9T3%T1H$19/8iterary9tyles.htm
7. %entence %tructure

%re the sentences long or shortO
Lo they contain many subordinate clauses, or are they often
fragmentsO
%re there any digressions or interruptionsO
$s the word/order straightforward or unconventionally craftedO
?. ,ace

$s the writing heavily descriptive, with emphasis on setting and
atmosphere, or does it focus on action and plot movementO
<.
5xpansiveC5conomical
.iction

$s the writing tight and efficient, or elaborate and long/windedO
(hen does the author use one or the other and whyO
:. *oca'ulary

%re the words simple or fancyO %re they technical, flowery,
colloquial, cerebral, punning, obscureO +%nd so on...,
D. Figures of speech

%re there any metaphors, similes, or symbolsO
%ny other use of figurative language +personification, metonymy,
etc.,O
E. Fse of .ialogue

5ow often does dialogue tell the storyO
Lo we see whole conversations or *ust fragmentsO
Loes the conversation use much slang or is it formalO Loes it
appear natural or contrivedO
Loes the dialogue give a sense of pacing, of pauses, of the unsaidO
5ow much does it substitute for narrationO
G. ,oint of *iew

0irst, second, third, omniscient, limited omniscient, multiple,
inanimateO
9. haracter
development


5ow does the author introduce characters, and how do we see
their evolution in the storyO (hat is their function and
motivationO
(hat kinds of characters are theyO 0ull/roundO 9tock charactersO
9tereotypesO )aricaturesO
8. Tone

(hat is the author&s attitudeO (hat is the mood of the storyO
Loes the author seem sarcasticO aggressiveO wistfulO pessimisticO
in loveO philosophically detachedO hopefulO ironicO bitterO +%nd
so on...,
(hatever the tone, where is it visible in the narrativeO
7=. #ord olor, #ord
%ound

5ow much does the language call attention to or depend on the
quality of its sound, e.g. through alliteration, assonance,
consonance, dissonance, rhythm, unusual word choice, etc.O
77. ,aragraph C hapter
%tructure

%re paragraphs very short, or are they enormous blocks running
across many pagesO
%re the chapters short or longO 5ow many are there, how are they
organized, and why is this importantO
7?. Time %e6uencing C
hronology
5ow has the author organized the chronology of eventsO To what
effectO (hat is the work&s structural rhythm!O
7<. "llusions 5ow often and how does the author refer to other texts, myths,
symbols, famous figures, historical events, quotations, and so onO
7:. 5xperimentation in
Language
%re there any unusual techniques, such as stream/of/
consciousness, mixing styles and genres, unusual layout on the
page, breaking rules of grammar and form, odd or unstable
narrative perspectives, onomatopoeia, aporia, etc.O
7D. $etafictional
techni6ues
Loes the author call attention to his or her own process of
narrationO
%re the narrator&s position, role, and thoughts as a storyteller
mentioned explicitly in the textO (hat function do they serveO
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