Definition of Assonance Assonance is a literary device in which the repetition of similar vowel sounds takes place in two or more words in proximity to each other within a line of poetry or prose. Assonance most often refers to…
Category: Literary Devices
Anaphora
Definition of Anaphora Anaphora is a rhetorical device that features the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive sentences, phrases, or clauses. Anaphora works as a literary device to allow writers to convey, emphasize, and reinforce…
Metonymy
Metonymy Definition Metonymy is a figure of speech in which one object or idea takes the place of another with which it has a close association. In fact, metonymy means “change of name.” As a literary device, it is a…
Oxymoron
Definition of Oxymoron Oxymoron is a figure of speech pairing two words together that are opposing and/or contradictory. This combination of contrary or antithetical words is also known in conversation as a contradiction in terms. As a literary device, oxymoron…
Volta
A turn of thought or argument in poetry is called the volta. It is a rhetorical shift. In some ways, it is a dramatic change in emotions or thoughts that the poet is expressing in the poem. Different poets and…
Deductive Reasoning
Deductive reasoning is defined as a way of building an argument from general premises to a conclusion. If the principle selected is correct and clear, the rules of deductive reasoning are prepared. It is also called a top to down…
Fairy Tale
Definition of Fairy Tale A fairy tale is a children’s story in a magical setting about imaginary characters that include fairies, dwarfs, witches, angels, trolls, and talking animals. It is also known as a folklore genre written in the form…
Play
Definition of Play Play is a literary form of writing for theatre, which narrates a story with elements of conflicts, tensions, and actions through dialogues of characters. For dramatic significance, it is divided into acts and scenes. The writers present their…
Exact Rhyme
Exact Rhyme Definition Exact rhyme is a poetic device used to repeat the same stressed vowel sounds as well as consonant sounds that follow the vowel. It is used in poems and texts to create musical and pointed effects. Hence,…
Sound Devices
Sound Devices Definition Sound devices are literary elements used in prose and poetry to stress certain sounds and create musical effects. The writers make their texts vibrant, emotive, and pleasing with the use of these devices. Also, they create pointed…
Rhetorical Device
Rhetorical Device Definition Rhetorical devices are literary elements used to convince or persuade audiences using logos, pathos, and ethos. Their appropriate use makes the text rich, lifelike and enjoyable in prose and poetry. When carefully inserted, they transform an ordinary…
Implied Metaphor
Implied Metaphor Definition Implied Metaphor is a literary device used in prose and poetry to compare two unlikely things, with common characteristics without mentioning one of the objects of comparison. It is implied in the texts to make imagery rich…
Sensory Language
Sensory Language Definition Sensory Language is a word(s) used to invoke mental images and visualize the story or poem. While Imagery is a literary device that appeals to the reader’s senses, Sensory Language is a writing style and how the…
Auditory Imagery
Auditory Imagery Definition Auditory imagery is used to explain things, ideas and actions using sounds that appeal to our sense of hearing. It is intended to invoke up sound images in the minds of the readers. In literature, it means…
Eye Rhyme
Eye Rhyme Definition Eye rhyme is a poetic device in which two words are spelled similarly but pronounced differently. It also called a visual rhyme or a sight rhyme. For example, the pair “rough and bough look similar and should…
Metaphysical
Metaphysical Definition Metaphysical is a philosophical concept used in literature to describe the things that are beyond the description of physical existence. It is intended to elucidate the fundamental nature of being and the world and is often used in…
Trochaic
Trochaic Definition Trochaic an adjective of trochee is a metrical foot composed of two syllables; stressed followed by an unstressed syllable. This rhythmic unit is used to make up the lines of poetry. However, it is deliberately inserted to make…
Acrostic
Acrostic Definition An acrostic is a literary device in which the first letter of every verse consecutively forms a word or message. An acrostic is mostly applied in poetry, but can also be used in prose or word puzzle. This…
Epistle
Epistle Definition An epistle is a letter in the form of prose or poetry to a particular person or group. It can also be a story or a religious sermon similar to the New Testament letters written by Paul, Peter,…
Catalog
Catalog Definition Catalog or Catalogue is a literary device used in poetry and prose to give a list of things and create a rhetorical effect. Writers use it to make a list of multiple thoughts in a unified form. However,…