Advanced Literary Devices
When it comes to analysing literature for our studies, the majority of us look for common devices like metaphors, similes, personification, and alliteration. But for some, it might be worth exploring some more advanced literary devices that can elevate a story from good to unforgettable.
Epistolary - An epistolary novel is a novel written as a series of letters or other kinds with the letters, most commonly diary entries and newspaper clippings, and sometimes considered to include novels composed of documents even if they don't include letters at all. Books such as Dracula or The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society are epistolary novels, told through letters and diary entries.
Allegory - An allegory is a type of narrative that uses characters and plot to depict abstract ideas and themes. Many children's fables, such as The Tortoise and the Hare, are simple allegories about morality — but allegories can also be dark, complex, and controversial.
Archetype - An archetype is a “universal symbol” that brings familiarity and context to a story. It can be a character, a setting, a theme, or an action, for example Superman is a heroic archetype
Euphemism - A euphemism is an indirect, “polite” way of describing something too inappropriate or awkward to address directly.
Exposition - Exposition is when the narrative provides background information in order to help the reader understand what’s going on
Anachronism - the action of attributing something to a period to which it does not belong.
Anaphora - a literary device that emphasises a word, word group, or phrase by repeating it at the beginning of a series of clauses or sentences for example Dickens starts A Tale of Two Cities with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the…’
Anastrophe - a literary device that alters the normal order of English speech. In other words, instead of subject-verb-object (“I like cats”), the sentence order becomes subject-object-verb (“I cats like”)
Diction - Diction is a fancy way of saying: “the words a writer chooses when talking to a specific audience.” Diction can be formal or informal, use jargon or regional slang
Hypophora - a literary device where a writer asks a question and then immediately answers it. For example, in Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem Sonnet 43, it starts “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” Barrett Browning asks a question, then immediately answers it.
Irony - There are three types of irony; situational, verbal, and dramatic.
Situational irony: In the animated film Ratatouille, it’s ironic that a rat (which most people don’t like to see in kitchens) ends up being the master chef in a kitchen.
Verbal irony: When Beauty and the Beast’s Belle is trying to get away from an odious suitor’s proposal, she says, “I just don’t deserve you!” when in fact Gaston doesn't deserve Belle.
Dramatic irony: When Jack and Rose board the Titanic, the audience already knows what will happen, unlike Jack and Rose, who have no idea that the ship will sink.
Paradox - A paradox seems to make two mutually contradictory things true at the same time. In the tragic revenge story, Hamlet, the title character says something that sounds paradoxical:
“I must be cruel to be kind.” Meaning, he must kill his stepfather (cruel) in order to avenge his father’s murder (kind).
Zoomorphism - when a writer gives animal-like characteristics to something (human, inanimate object, etc.) that is not an animal. It’s basically the animal form of personification e.g. Spiderman, Catwoman, Batman, Black Panther (any other superheroes (or villains) you can think of)
Bildungsroman - a novel dealing with one person's formative years or spiritual education, usually from 10 years old, through to adulthood, covering a character’s teenage years and/or early twenties e.g Harry Potter, Jane Eyre, Great Expectations