Figures of Speech

Simile - a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a
different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid
(e.g., she is as brave as a lion, she looks crazy like a fox ).
Metaphor- a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to
which it is not literally applicable.
(e.g., She is doing a tightrope walk with her grades this semester, You light up my
life)
Personification- the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something
nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form or a figure intended to
represent an abstract quality.
(e.g., The wind howled in the night, The car complained as the key was roughly
turned in its ignition.)
Periphrasis- use of a longer phrasing in place of a possible shorter form of expression
(e.g., In my humble opinion, I think… (redundant), The hair of the dog (could say “the
dog’s hair”)

Litotes- is a figure of speech in which a negative statement is used to affirm a positive

sentiment. For example, when asked how someone is doing, that person might respond, “I’m
not bad.” In fact, this means that the person is doing fine or even quite well.
(e.g., He’s not the friendliest person, It wasn’t a terrible trip)

Apostrophe- More commonly known as a punctuation mark, apostrophe can also refer to an
exclamatory figure of speech. The definition of apostrophe as a literary device is when a
speaker breaks off from addressing one party and instead addresses a third party.
(e.g., “Oh, Starbucks, how I love you! Your medium dark roast allowed me to survive
that meeting!”, “Oh what a world it seems we live in.” –Rufus Wainwright (song))

Allusion- An allusion is a literary device used to reference another object outside of the
work of literature. The object can be a real or fictional person, event, quote, or other work of
artistic expression.
(e.g., Achilles’ Heel: Achilles was a figure in Greek mythology who was a hero of the
Trojan War and was featured in Homer’s Iliad. He was said to be invulnerable except for at
his heel.Thus, when Paris shot Achilles in his heel the wound proved mortal. The term
“Achilles’ heel” now refers to a strong person’s one point of weakness. & Big Brother: Now
a reality television show in countries across the world, the term Big Brother comes from
George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 (he, in turn, may have taken the phrase from a WWII-
era billboard). Whereas it once just described a familial relation, “Big Brother” is now
shorthand for referring to mass surveillance and abuse of government power.)

Antithesis- Antithesis is the use of contrasting concepts, words, or sentences within parallel
grammatical structures. This combination of a balanced structure with opposite ideas serves
to highlight the contrast between them. 
(e.g., “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” –
Martin Luther King, Jr. & “We will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” –
Barack Obama)
Hyperbole- is the use of obvious and deliberate exaggeration. Hyperbolic statements are
often extravagant and not meant to be taken literally. These statements are used to create a
strong impression and add emphasis.

(e.g., “I’m so hungry I could eat a cow,” & “We had to wait forever for the bus.”)
Irony- As a literary device, irony is a contrast or incongruity between expectations for a
situation and what is reality. This can be a difference between the surface meaning of
something that is said and the underlying meaning.
 Verbal Irony- takes place when the speaker says something in sharp contrast to his
or her actual meaning.
(e.g., In the episode of Friends where the friends go to London for Ross and
Emily's wedding, Chandler says, "I'm so glad we're having this rehearsal dinner. You
know, I so rarely get to practice my meals before I eat them." & A snobbish woman -
who perceives moonstone to be a poor man's gemstone - is given a pair of
moonstone earrings by her fiancé. When she opens the box, she says, "Thank you,
honey. I just love moonstones. They're so... simple.")
 Irony of Situation- consists of a situation in which the outcome is very different from
what was expected.
(e.g., A fire station burns down. & A marriage counselor files for divorce.)
 Dramatic Irony- occurs when the audience has more information than one or more
characters in a work of literature.
(e.g., In Beauty and the Beast, the audience knows that the Beast is a prince
living under a curse from the start but Belle is unaware of the Beast's true identity. &
In the movie Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear thinks he is a real space ranger but the other
toys and the audience knows that he is just a toy.)
Synecdoche- is a literary device in which a part of something represents the whole, or it
may use a whole to represent a part.
(e.g., The word “suit” refers to a businessman. & The term “coke” is a common
synecdoche for all carbonated drinks.)
Metonymy- is a figure of speech in which something is called by a new name that is related
in meaning to the original thing or concept.
(e.g., The crown—a royal person & The pen—Can refer to the act of writing)
Paradox- When used as a literary device, a paradox is the juxtaposition of a set of
seemingly contradictory concepts that reveal a hidden and/or unexpected truth.
(e.g., “It’s weird not to be weird.” -John Lennon & “I know one thing: that I know
nothing.” –Socrates)
Oxymoron- is a figure of speech in which two seemingly opposing and contradictory
elements are juxtaposed.
(e.g., kill with kindness & old news)
Climax- a climax in a story occurs when there is a turning point from which there is no
going back. The climax is the point of highest tension in a narrative.
(e.g., "win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world." &
Shakespeare’s “A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within
an hour.”
Anticlimax- anticlimax is a conclusion that is unsatisfying because is does not meet the
expectations that the narrative has been building toward.
(e.g., She is a great writer, a mother and a good humorist. & He lost his family, his
car and his cell phone.)