![]() ![]() For example, the protagonist, Christian, meets Evangelist, Obstinate, and Pliable on his journey. The names of the characters and places in this work represent character traits of each one. The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan is one of the most important Christian allegories in literature. Used to emphasize some point, adynatons are a common satirical tool because of the humorous effect that they often create.Īllegory – A story or tale with two or more levels of meaning: a literal level and one or more symbolic levels. One of the more well-known examples comes from Jesus when he says, “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). An example from William Shakespeare’s Richard II is found in the following lines: “With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder.” See Polyptoton.Īdynaton ( uh-DIN- uh-ton) – A Figure of Speech related to Hyperbole that uses heightened exaggeration to express impossibility. ![]() Mark Twain employed this technique in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: “ covered themselves with dust and glory.” See Zeugma.Īdnominatio – This Latin term refers to a literary device in which a different form of a word is repeated throughout a statement or paragraph. An example from Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is found in the following lines: “Let the whitefolks have their money and power and segregation and sarcasm and big houses and schools and lawns like carpets, and books, and mostly–mostly–let them have their whiteness.”Īdjunctio – This Latin term means “an addition” and refers to grouping dissimilar nouns with the same verb. Like Polysyndeton, this literary device refers to the use of conjunctions between successive clauses, slowing the pace of the text. An example from the United States Declaration of Independence includes the following: “We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.”Īcervatio Iuncta – This Latin term translates to “a conjoined heap” and contrasts with+ Acervatio Dissolutia. ![]() Contrast Concrete Diction.Īcervatio Dissoluta – This Latin term translates to “a loose heap.” Like Asyndeton, this literary device refers to the omission of conjunctions between clauses to produce a hurried effect. Examples of abstract diction include “truth,” “justice,” and “integrity.” Both abstract and concrete diction are often used together in similes and metaphors wherein an abstract idea is compared to a concrete one in order to help readers understand the abstract idea better. Mastering these devices will help authors write more vividly even merely understanding these devices also will heighten the reader’s awareness and appreciation of both form and substance, thereby enriching the pleasure of reading great literature. These devices are listed alphabetically below and include a short definition, explanation of the various effects of each device, and examples from literature, television and movies, and political discourse.Ībstract Diction – The use of words or phrases that express abstract ideas, that is, non-physical things that may not be perceived with the human senses. These devices are applied frequently in the works of great literature, employed by master stylists, such as William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Jane Austen, and many more. A literary device is any narrative technique applied with some degree of conscious care and skill to elevate the expression of writing. This page is devoted to cataloging literary devices. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |