Many famous stories are complex allegories that say one thing but mean another.

As a writer, knowing what an allegory is and how to utilize it can help enhance your writing and tackle challenging topics.

This article will explore how allegory is used, explain the different types of allegory, and showcase several famous examples.

What Is an Allegory?

An allegory delivers its message via storytelling, instead of explaining the lesson or message directly.

Essentially, an allegory stands for a concealed idea, usually a moral or lesson.

Most allegories are in literature, but they can also be visual art and music.

Simple Definition: How to Explain an Allegory to a Child

Simply put, an allegory is a story with characters and events that represent real ideas or situations.

Why Is an Allegory Used?

Allegories simplify large and complex ideas or help shift perspective.

Sometimes perspective on a topic is skewed by personal factors and environmental effects.

But when translated into an allegory, it’s easier to look at the topic through an impartial lens.

Types of Allegories

There are four main types of allegories, each of which stems from Medieval literature, itself derived from the Bible and the classics.

• Anagogical Allegories: An anagogical allegory focuses on how one story can relate to the future or the past. Anagogical allegories often act as prophecies based on past events.
• Literal Allegories: Literal allegories are the simplest type, as the interpretation of events in a story is for historical purposes and does not contain a hidden meaning or lesson.
• Moral Allegories: One of the most frequently used forms of allegory. Moral allegories are one of the most common types, as they use a story to tell the reader how they should act and what code of moral ethics they should follow.
• Present (Typology) Allegories: A present or typological allegory deals with the spiritual meaning of a piece and uses more symbols and complex analogies to convey its message. Present allegories are often the hardest to understand and interpret, whereas literal allegories are usually the easiest.

How Do You Identify an Allegory?

To identify an allegory, look for motifs and themes, specifically moral ones that run throughout the story.

There may also be references to clue you into what symbols mean and who or what they represent.

How Do You Use an Allegory In a Sentence?

You can’t technically accomplish a complete allegory in a single sentence.

But an allegory is like an extended metaphor.

An example of a short allegory is the common saying concerning teaching a man to fish rather than gifting him a fish.

That conveys the idea that helping someone be self-sufficient is better than sustaining them yourself.

What Is the Most Popular Example of an Allegory?

It’s debatable what the most well-known example of an allegory is.

However, George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm is a powerful allegory for the Russian Revolution of 1917.

The short novel uses animals on a farm to represent the various individuals involved in this period of Russian history.

Other Famous Examples of Allegories

Some allegories transcend time and seem to be always relevant.

1. The Bible

Many people interpret the Bible as an allegory.

One of the most popular examples is the story of Cain and Abel, which teaches about the severity of our actions.

2. Platos’ Allegory of the Cave

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave is a short tale of men chained to a wall in a dark cave who believe the fire behind them is the sun until they are finally free and venture outside.

This allegory conveys the nature of knowledge versus belief.

3. Aesop’s Fables

Aesop’s Fables feature tales like The Tortoise and the Hare, an allegory communicating that working carefully will yield more success than rushing.

Other Modern Examples of Allegories

Below are nine prime examples of modern allegories used in literature and films.

Examples of Allegories in Literature

The famous works of literature below have a deep allegory behind the story.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This novel is an allegory for Christian and Puritan beliefs or their hypocrisy.

It suggests those who sin are not always the worst, and those who persecute sinners are often sinners themselves.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

The allegorical meaning of Moby Dick is hotly debated, as it’s a layered story.

But one of the most common interpretations is that Captain Ahab’s pursuit of the whale is an allegory for the foolishness of men chasing what they can never have.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The central theme of this novel is the struggle between the descent into savagery and the climb toward civilization.

Golding questions the authentic civility of humans and whether or not they will fall into chaos and violence when left to their own devices.

Examples of Allegories in Movies

Like literature, movies convey a story, but the characters and plot points often symbolize hidden concepts.

The Matrix

Many assume The Matrix concerns technology, but the movie is a transgender allegory.

Neo’s struggle between the digital self and the authentic self represents gender affirmation.

Don’t Look Up

Don’t Look Up is an allegory for humanity’s inaction concerning climate change.

The devastating meteor hurtling toward Earth is ignored and dismissed by governments and the general population, capturing the disbelief people have in science.

The Truman Show

The Truman Show delivers the same message as Plato’s Allegory of the Cave!

Truman believes his studio setting is the real world.

When he begins to question his reality and search for the truth, leading him to finally exit the studio, he is allegorically leaving the cave he was chained to.

Examples of Allegories for Children

Aesop’s Fables are accessible and effective, but modern kid movies are often allegories.

Inside Out

Inside Out is one of the most literal examples of an allegory, as human emotions, memories, and ideas take physical form as characters.

Through the characters’ journey, children learn that change is often challenging but positive.

Wall-E

Wall-E has several layers of allegorical narratives.

Alone on the earth, the main protagonist can be seen as the biblical Adam, eventually joined by another robot called Eve!

The film also tackles climate change and the future of humanity.

Zootopia

Zootopia tackles issues like equality and societal expectations of determined groups.

Zootopians assume predators are dangerous and prey is weak, rather than seeing individuals for who they are.

Notable Writers Who Used Allegories

You can find allegories in movies, TV shows, and visual art.

But literature is where the allegory flourishes and many famous writers utilized this among other literary devices.

Below are three iconic writers who loved to use allegories to discuss heavy topics and offer a unique perspective on a controversial topic.

1. George Orwell

As mentioned, Orwell’s Animal Farm is one of the most notable allegories in history.

His use of animals within a farm setting allows him to explore the argument that most governments are, by nature, corrupt.

But he utilizes allegories in most of his work, including 1984, The Road to Wigan Pier, and Coming Up for Air.

Most of his allegories concern politics, censorship, and freedom.

2. Edmund Spenser

Edmund Spenser was a prominent literary figure who lived in the 1500s.

He wrote famous allegories like The Faerie Queene and Amoretti.

His allegories were typically veiled critiques of those in power.

Some scholars have interpreted The Faerie Queene to be an allegory of the concept of allegory itself.

3. Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley authored iconic works like Frankenstein’s Monster and Mathilda.

She uses allegories to communicate queer topics, political issues, and concerns about the ethical implications of scientific and technological progress.

What Is the Opposite of an Allegory?

The opposite of an allegory is something nonfigurative or nonmetaphorical.

Super literal stories that say precisely what they mean are the opposing concept of an allegory.

Allegory Vs. Metaphor

Allegories and metaphors are very similar.

The main difference is that allegories are a complete narrative with a hidden meaning, while a metaphor is a single sentence or short segment equating two things that seem unrelated.

For this reason, you can’t “use an allegory in a sentence” as an allegory requires a comprehensive story, unlike a metaphor.

Other Related Literary Devices to Know

Any type of writer you are can benefit from the use of literary devices.

Several kinds of literary devices have similar applications to the allegory:

• Logos: The term logos as a literary device refers to the presence of logic and reasoning to execute a persuasive and informed opinion in writing or rhetoric.
• Theme: A theme is the central point and subject of the piece. Themes typically recur throughout a work of literature or film, giving the story an underlying meaning.
• Antithesis: An antithesis is a contradictory idea that can reverse something previously mentioned. Persuasive writing will often use an antithesis to further prove their thesis by contrast.
• Soliloquy: A soliloquy, a popular literary device used by writers like Shakespeare, involves a character delivering a lengthy speech directed at seemingly no one. Soliloquies can be recited to the self or despite the presence of an audience.
• Anaphora: An anaphora is a literary device that helps emphasize a concept, where repetitive words and phrases are at the beginning of sentences and clauses near each other. It’s common in poetry.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

If you want some tips for writing, check out these writing tools!

1. Writing Helpers

Helpers for writing things can edit, structure, and even complete pieces for you.

They aren’t as comprehensive as AI writing software, as you need to contribute something for the writing helper to work on.

These tools can assist writers in adjusting their tone or boosting their vocabulary.

2. AI Writing Software

AI writing software can write whole articles and stories for you!

This software has extensive applications and can help people who need to produce quality content for their blogs or website.

The AI software can even help you brainstorm things to write about.

3. Grammar Checkers

Grammar checking tools are brilliant devices for writers who need a little guidance with the technical side of writing.

Even if you have an excellent grasp of grammar, it’s always beneficial to have software that can double-check your work.

These tools can aid you, whether the issue is something simple like a comma out of place or something more complex like sentence structure.

4. Content Creators

Content creators usually know how to write a blog post!

If you have a blog or website and need content, you can recruit content creators to develop engaging blog posts for you.

Many content creators will ghostwrite blog posts, copy, and similar types of content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Allegory is a versatile literary device, so you might still have plenty of thoughts about its use.

Below are frequently asked questions with more examples of allegories.

Wrapping Up

Allegories will always be used in storytelling to convey heavy topics using lighter concepts.

The Russian Revolution was so complex that many could not understand it until Orwell used the structure of a farm and its animals to critique and explain the reality.

The use of allegory as a potent literary device results in iconic stories but also makes significant and intricate concepts more accessible to the average person.

Juxtaposition is also known as juxtaposed, as in “the juxtaposition of two images.”

It comes from the Latin words juxta (near) and ponere (to put).

Juxtaposition is often used to create irony or tension but can also work for other effects.

What Is a Juxtaposition?

A juxtaposition is a figure of speech in which two things are seen or placed side by side, usually for comparison or contrast.

You can use juxtaposition in your writing for rhetorical effect.

You might do this because the things have something in common or are complete opposites.

Juxtaposition can make your writing more exciting and help you make a point.

You can use juxtaposition in writing to show contrast, make a comparison, or set up a conflict.

Also Known As

• Comparison
• Adjacency
• Contiguity
• Apposition
• Appropinquity

Why Is a Juxtaposition Used?

Because it creates contrast or emphasizes certain similarities, you can use juxtaposition to create a conflict between two characters or ideas.

The most common reason is to create irony or tension.

For example, if you say something contradicting your body language, that creates tension.

If you have a sorrowful story followed by a funny joke, juxtaposing those two ideas creates irony.

Other reasons to use juxtapositions include:

• Showing contrast
• Highlighting similarities and differences
• Emphasizing some aspects of a sentence or paragraph
• Creating ambiguity

Types of Juxtapositions

There are three main types of juxtaposition: antithesis, foil, and oxymoron.

• Antithesis: A type of juxtaposition that involves placing two contrasting ideas next to each other. For example, you could say, “give me liberty or give me death” to contrast liberty and death.
• Foils: Characters who contrast to highlight each other’s traits. For example, in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a foil for Juliet’s impulsive nature.
• Oxymorons: A type of juxtaposition that involves placing two contradictory words next to each other. For example, “jumbo shrimp” is an oxymoron because shrimp are small and jumbo means large.

How Do You Identify a Juxtaposition?

You can usually identify a juxtaposition by looking for two things placed side by side, contrasting, or having some relationship.

How Do You Use a Juxtaposition in a Sentence?

When using juxtaposition in a sentence, you will want to place the two items next to each other in parallel.

For example, you could say, “love is an ideal thing; marriage is a real thing” to contrast love and marriage.

You could also say, “that cake was awfully good,” contrasting awful and good.

Write down a thing you want to contrast.

Then, juxtapose it against something very different.

What Is the Most Popular Example of a Juxtaposition?

One of the most famous examples of juxtaposition is from Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.

In the play, Romeo is a foil for Juliet’s impulsive nature, which means that he contrasts with her to highlight her impulsiveness.

For example, when Juliet wants to get married immediately, Romeo says, “It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; / Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be / Ere one can say ‘It lightens.'”

By saying this, Romeo shows that he is more level-headed than Juliet and can think through things before making a decision, which highlights Juliet’s impulsiveness compared to Romeo’s level-headedness.

Other Famous Examples of Juxtapositions

Here are a few examples of famous uses of juxtaposition.

Famous Example 1

Charles Dickens: “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”

Famous Example 2

John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you.

Ask what you can do for your country.”

Famous Example 3

Leo Tolstoy: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its way.”

Other Modern Examples of Juxtapositions

You can find juxtaposition in everyday speech and writing these days.

Here are some examples:

Examples of Juxtapositions for Kids

Here are some examples of juxtapositions for with kids:

• “The big dog barked at the small kitten.” – In this sentence, the big dog contrasts with the tiny kitten, highlighting the size difference between the two animals.
• “I was so tired; I could sleep for days.” – In this sentence, the speaker juxtaposes their tiredness with how long they could sleep, highlighting their exhaustion by showing they could sleep for a long time.
• “I love the cold weather, but I hate snow.” – In this sentence, the speaker juxtaposes their love for cold weather with their hate for snow, highlighting the contrast between the two things.

Examples of Juxtapositions in Literature

Many writers use juxtaposition in their works of literature.

For example, William Shakespeare often used antithesis in his plays.

In Romeo and Juliet, he wrote, “But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.”

In this quote, Shakespeare uses juxtaposition to contrast the light from the east (where the sun rises) with Juliet (who is like the sun).

Examples of Juxtapositions in Language

Juxtaposition occurs in everyday language.

For example, you might say, “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse.”

In this sentence, you are juxtaposing your hunger with the amount of food you can eat, highlighting how hungry you are by showing you can eat a lot of food.

Notable Writers Who Used Juxtapositions

Many notable writers have used juxtaposition in their works:

1. William Shakespeare

Known for writing Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and a number of other famous works, Shakespeare uses juxtaposition to add depth to his characters.

It helps the reader understand the relationships developing in his plays.

2. Charles Dickens

Known for writing A Tale of Two Cities and A Christmas Carol, Dickens uses juxtaposition to explain the French Revolution.

The extremes between rich and poor and luxury and squalor work to provide context for the setting.

3. J.D. Salinger

J.D. Salinger is known for writing Catcher in the Rye and The Laughing Man.

In Catcher in the Rye, Holden offers his feelings about children next to his feelings about actors.

One description is honest, and one is dishonest.

Salinger also uses Holden to juxtapose childhood and adulthood.

4. F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald was the writer of The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. Fitzgerald used juxtaposition in The Great Gatsby via Tom Buchanan’s relationships with women.

His wife Daisy is thin, and his mistress Myrtle is “thickish.” Daisy lives in a mansion, while Myrtle lives above a gas station.

5. John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck is known for writing The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden.

In The Grapes of Wrath, juxtaposition is to bring sequential chapters together.

One chapter discusses used car salesmen, and the next shows the Joads preparing to leave in the used car they just purchased.

One chapter discusses rain just starting to come down, and the next shows flooding threatening the characters.

6. George Orwell

George Orwell is famous for writing 1984 and Animal Farm.

The juxtaposition in 1984 reflects the theme of truth versus lies.

The Ministry of Love tortures Winston, showing the contrast between love and pain, and The Ministry of Peace is constantly waging war.

What Is the Opposite of a Juxtaposition?

The opposite of a juxtaposition is separation or remoteness.

Juxtaposition vs. Antithesis

Juxtaposition is often confused with antithesis.

However, there is a crucial difference between the two literary devices.

Juxtaposition is when you place two things side by side to highlight the contrast between them.

Antithesis is when you place two things side by side to highlight their similarity.

For example, you could say, “I’m not happy; I’m ecstatic,” to compare happiness and unhappiness.

Other Related Literary Devices to Know

Here are a few literary devices you should also know how to use in conjunction with juxtaposition.

1. Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a type of exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.

It often occurs in everyday language.

For example, you might say, “I’m so hungry, I could eat a horse.”

In this sentence, you are exaggerating your hunger to show how hungry you are.

2. Parallelism

Parallelism is when things are placed side by side and are similar.

For example, you could say, “He likes to run, hike, and bike.”

But, conversely, if you say, “He likes to run and hike, and biking is another form of exercise he enjoys,” it is not parallelism.

3. Aphorism

An aphorism is a short, wise saying often used to teach a lesson.

For instance, the adage “a stitch in time saves nine” is an aphorism that teaches the importance of being proactive.

“Give him enough rope, and he’ll hang himself” is another example.

4. Fiction

Fiction is a story not based on actual events.

It can be in the form of a novel, short story, or play.

5. Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is when human characteristics combine with nonhuman things, such as animals or objects.

For example, in the children’s book The Cat in the Hat, the cat can talk and walk on two legs.

Writing Tools to Help You Out

Many writing tools can save time and money while you work on your latest project.

These software programs can help with everything from coming up with ideas to editing and proofreading your work.

Prices vary, but many programs offer free trials, so you can try them before you buy.

Writing Helpers

These tools are examples of software to help you write:

• Scrivener: Scrivener is a writing program to help you get your ideas down quickly and easily. It offers features like a virtual corkboard for brainstorming and an easy-to-use interface. Scrivener also has a built-in research tool so you can find information without leaving the program. Tips for writing are also available via the Help menu.
• Atticus: Atticus is a tool to help you plan and write novels. It offers a step-by-step guide to plotting and writing your story and tools to help with character development and worldbuilding. Atticus also includes a name generator to find the perfect names for your characters.

AI Writing Software

These tools are examples of software driven by GPT-3:

• Jasper.ai: Jasper is a tool that writes any type of content after you provide prompts. It uses GPT-3 to generate articles, blog posts, and even marketing copy. You can also use Jasper to generate ideas for topics to write about and outlines.
• Frase: Frase leverages AI to write SEO content quickly. This software autocompletes sentences and paragraphs, and you can create custom templates and turn outlines into drafts.

Grammar Checkers

Here are a couple of tools that help check grammar mistakes.

• Grammarly: This grammar checker can help you identify and correct errors in your writing, including clear suggestions on how to write a blog post. You can set shared guidelines so everyone on a team adheres to the same standards.
• Hemingway Editor: Hemingway is a proofreading tool that helps correct hard-to-read passages, passive voice, and unnecessary words. Issues are color-coded, so you know what problems you’re dealing with.

Content Creators

Here are a few tools that are the most helpful for content creators.

• SEMrush: The SEMrush SEO content template analyzes different types of writing and offers suggestions based on what is ranking highest in search engine results. You can also use this tool to research keywords and find related things to write about.
• Izitext: Izitext is a speech-to-text transcribing software. You can use this tool to transcribe interviews, notes, and outlines. You can also use it to create captions for videos or podcasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about writing juxtaposition:

Wrapping Up

Juxtaposition is a literary device used to contrast two things.

It is often used in everyday language and by many notable writers.

If you want to use juxtaposition in your writing, there is no one correct way to do it.

You can place two things side by side to contrast them.

You’ll find it in fiction, non-fiction, persuasive essays, and political speeches.

Understanding how to use analogies can make you a more effective writer and, therefore, a better blogger.

This article will explain what an analogy is, how it works, and the many different ways you can use it.

Then, we’ll explore famous examples of analogies to ensure you understand how to use them.

What Is an Analogy?

An analogy is a form of literary comparison that explains the resemblance between two things that may seem unlike each other.

Also Known As:

• Comparison
• Resemblance
• Parallelism

Simple Definition: How To Explain an Analogy to a Child

If you’re trying to explain an analogy to a child, you might say it’s a way of showing how two things are alike when they might not seem alike.

For example, cows and lizards are very different, but they’re also comparable.

They’re both animals with four legs.

So, in the same way a cow roams, a lizard crawls.

Why Is an Analogy Used?

Many types of writers use analogies in literature and persuasive pieces to make arguments and illustrate their points.  

Types of Analogies

Analogies follow basic patterns, making them relatively easy to spot and understand.

Below, we list some of the most common analogy types.

• Synonyms: In this form, an analogy will consist of two pairs of similar things. For example, pause is to stay as leave is to go.
• Antonyms: When using an antonym, the analogy will consist of two pairs of opposites. For example, low is to high as small is to large.
• Cause and Effect Analogies: In this type of analogy, you’ll see a pair of causes and effects that parallel one another. For example, an earthquake can cause a tsunami, like a candle can cause a house fire.
• Part to Whole Analogies: This type of analogy starts with something specific and moves to something more general. For example, a hallway is to a house as a street is to a neighborhood.  
• Characteristic Quality Analogies: These analogies use a pair of things and their most basic characteristics. For example, the day is light as the night is dark.
• Performer/Object Analogies: In these, the first part of each analogous pair will be the performer and the second the object. For example, a pianist is to a piano as a sculptor is to a rock.
• Performer/Action Analogies: In this type, the first part of each pair will be the performer, and the second part the performer’s action. For example, a fish swims like a cheetah sprints.

How Do You Identify an Analogy?

Anytime you see a comparison between two seemingly unlike things, you have an analogy.

Often, the writer will go on to explain the analogy so that the reader understands why these things are the same.  

How Do You Use an Analogy in a Sentence?

Writers use analogies in all sorts of content types, from literature to persuasive essays.

Anytime you want to compare two things while making an explanatory point, you should use an analogy.

Typically, you’ll use familiar imagery in the form of a simile or metaphor.

Then, you may go on to explain the point you’re making.  

Analogies are rarely one sentence in length, but you’ll find some of the most effective ones are short and sweet.

Below, we’ll give several examples at varying lengths so that you can see what we mean.

What Is the Most Popular Example of an Analogy?

Perhaps the most popular example of an analogy is from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Almost everyone has heard this one:

“What’s in a name?

That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called.”

Here, Juliet is comparing Romeo to a rose.

With the comparison, she’s explaining that his name doesn’t indicate who he is.

You could call a rose a hamburger, and it would still be a rose.

In the same way, Romeo could not have his family’s name, and he would still be Romeo.

Other Famous Examples of Analogies

Shakespeare isn’t the only analogy master.

There are several classic analogies that you’ve probably heard.

• When speaking about a task someone believes is futile, they might say it’s “like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”
• “Explaining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You understand it better, but the frog dies in the process.” – E.B. White
• “Raising children is like growing a garden – nurture them and be patient.” – Unknown.

Other Modern Examples of Analogies

Several modern writers excel at analogies.

Here are a few you may have come across.

• “Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.” – Forrest Gump.
• “Withdrawal of U.S. troops will become like salted peanuts to the American public; the more U.S. troops come home, the more will be demanded. This could eventually result, in effect, in demands for unilateral withdrawal.” – Henry Kissinger, in a memo to President Nixon regarding troops in Vietnam
• “Longbottom, if brains were gold, you’d be poorer than Weasley, and that’s saying something.” – J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone.

Examples of Analogies for Kids

When teaching analogies to children, it’s best to keep things simple, using examples they’ll understand.

If possible, you also want to preserve a playful, puzzle-like quality that makes them fun to think about.

• “If you can speak, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance.”
• “Fish are to aquariums as animals are to zoos.”
• “Marshmallows are squishy like pretzels are crunchy.”

Examples of Analogies for Inductive Reasoning

Writers often use analogies to show their reasoning for a particular argument.

Inductive reasoning is when you argue that perceived similarities between two things infer a further similarity you’ve yet to observe.

Here are a few examples of analogies that demonstrate inductive reasoning:

• Jennie has a biology test next week. For her last biology test, she studied four hours and got an A. For the next test, she plans to study for four hours again. So, she expects to get an A again.
• The Dodgers won the world series last year because of their incredible line-up. This year, their line-up is very similar. So, we think they’ll win again.
• In 1934, a pharmacist named Schaumann observed Demerol had a physical effect on the rats in his lab that was the same as morphine. Like morphine, the compound created an S-shape in the rat’s tails. So, by analogy, he correctly predicted that Demerol might have the same narcotic effects as morphine.

Examples of Analogies for Deductive Reasoning

Deductive reasoning is when you conclude that something true of a general category is also true of its individual members.

This form of reasoning can help writers illustrate an argument and make their point.

Here are a few examples of analogies that demonstrate deductive reasoning:

• If cities require libraries to serve the common good, it’s also crucial to have books in every home for families to thrive.
• Humans eating beef is like aliens eating humans. So, the argument would be that eating meat is a violent and brutal practice.
• A public pool is like a miniature beach. So, a lifeguard should be on duty to keep swimmers safe.

Notable Writers Who Used Analogies

Most writers use analogies in some form, but some are more famous than others.

Below, we explore a few well-known writers and their most effective analogies.

William Shakespeare

As shown in our Romeo and Juliet example, Shakespeare was a master at analogy.

You’ll find many famous analogies in his plays, like Macbeth, As You Like It, and Hamlet.

For example, in Macbeth, Shakespeare writes:

“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.”

Like this one, Shakespeare’s analogies usually illustrate a deep truth about humanity, making them relevant even today.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was a renowned psychiatrist who wrote the bestseller, On Death and Dying.

In her work, she uses a beautiful and famous analogy comparing humans to stained glass windows.

Using this analogy, she takes what seems like indescribable human characteristics and makes them understandable.

George Orwell

George Orwell is well-known for his books Animal Farm and 1984.

He’s a master at analogy and effectively uses this literary device to invoke ideas and moods.

In his work, A Hanging, he compares a dead man to a caught fish.

In so doing, he creates a sense of the paranormal, giving the idea that the man might come back to life and jump back into the sea.

What Is the Opposite of an Analogy?

The exact opposite of an analogy would be an incongruity or dissimilarity, which is fairly straightforward.

Many writers, though, get confused between analogies and metaphors.

Though not exactly opposites of one another, these two literary devices are different. We discuss why below.

Analogy vs. Metaphor

Analogies compare two things to make an explanatory point.

The comparison is always valid, though it may need a writer’s explanation for the reader to understand.

A metaphor also compares two things.

But, with metaphors, the writer can make a comparison where there might not be one, forcing the reader to create the meaning without an explanation.

For example, saying he is a rose would be a metaphor.

But Juliet’s speech, with its discussion, creates an analogy.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

When learning how to write a blog post, analogies are important, but there are other similar literary devices worth understanding as well.

• Paradox: This is a statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd but turns out to be true.
• Metaphor: This is when a word or phrase applied to an object or action isn’t literally applicable. It can also be a symbol of something abstract.
• Archetype: This is a recurrent symbol or motif that appears throughout art and literature.
• Simile: This is a comparison that uses “like” or “as” to invoke a particularly vivid description to a reader.
• Symbolism: This is the use of symbols to represent or explain ideas.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Writing an awesome blog post is easier with the right writing tools.

You can take advantage of them to help you become a better writer.

Check out the ones below before you start writing your next post.

• Writing Helpers: There are all sorts of writing helpers available these days. They can help you organize your thoughts, give tips for writing, and make your message clear. If you’re having trouble creating content, these writing helpers can help you with the writing process.
• AI Writing Software: AI writing software can be very helpful for bloggers. It can save you time and ensure your writing is optimized for SEO, allowing your site to become more visible in search engines.
• Grammar Checkers: Grammar can be tricky for even the best writers. So, using a grammar checker when composing your blog is an excellent idea, especially if you want to build credibility among your readers.
• Content Creators: Finding things to write about is one of the hardest parts of blogging, and keeping your blog full of new content is crucial to success. Content creators can help you find, research, and organize fresh ideas and create content for your blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before we go, let’s answer a few frequently asked questions surrounding analogies.

Wrapping Up

Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, argumentative essays, or how-to guides, analogies are a helpful literary device.

They can help illustrate points that are hard to grasp.

Through vivid imagery and hard logic, analogies show your readers the sense of your arguments.

To use analogies effectively, stick to imagery and examples your audience is familiar with and aim to inspire as you explain.

Doing so will ensure your analogies communicate your message.

You were using Logos, one of the three modes of persuasion developed by Aristotle.

You may have heard of Logos before, but don’t know when or how to use it.

Here, you can find out what Logos is, learn writing tips, and discover what makes Logos one of the most powerful literary devices.

What Is Logos?

On a basic level, Logos is a Greek word that best translates as “reason.”

Logos has many meanings in Greek, some of which can be as broad as language or truth,” but most often, Logos means reason.

Logos, as Aristotle defines it, is the mode of convincing where the convincing content is the words themselves.

Also Known As:

• Reason
• Logic
• Fact

Simple Definition: How to Explain Logos to a Child

Logos is using numbers, statistics, or well-known facts to back up the point you are trying to make.

By using Logos, you are trying to convince your audience that what you are saying is true.

Why Is Logos Used?

You typically won’t use Logos on its own.

There are all types of writers and types of content produced today, but writers typically use Logos in tandem with the other two modes of persuasion, Ethos and Pathos.

Logos creates a logical, rational resonance between the audience and the work.

Types of Logos

While Logos does have one goal, it can take more than one form.

Most people employ Logos by citing statistics, studies, or experimental findings.

• Charts: Charts are one of the most common types of Logos used in any rhetorical setting. Charts are particularly effective in giving text Logos because they are based on objective numbers.
• Data: Data is also a common Logos strategy used to appeal to a reader’s logical side. Raw or filtered data can demonstrate a connection or cause that the writer is trying to assert.
• Facts: Facts are the basis of all Logos. But facts do not just have to be numerical results or figures. Facts can come from authentic life experiences, the true testimonies of others, or generally accepted “consensus reality.”  
• Graphs: Much like charts, graphs are hard to argue with and demonstrate correlation or cause effectively.
• Statistics: Statistics are the basis for the two pictographic demonstrations of Logos mentioned in this list. Statistics are objective evidence wherein the truth is intrinsic to them.

How Do You Identify Logos?

Logos is perhaps the easiest of the appeal strategies to identify because it makes the most obvious appeal.

You can spot Logos by looking for statements that use empirically observable phenomena or other self-evidently “true” facts as evidence.

How Do You Use Logos in a Sentence?

To use Logos, simply present your chosen fact in language that is your own and connects logically to the other ideas surrounding the sentence.

There should be a fitting transition to the sentence that includes your Logos, and a follow-up that explains the fact’s relation to your point or text.

What Is the Most Popular Example of Logos?

In the American context, one of the most popular examples of Logos ever used is Lincoln’s Gettysburg address.

While this speech is also an exemplary demonstration of Pathos and particularly Ethos, Lincoln lays the groundwork for the speech’s resonance using Logos in the very first sentence: “Four score and seven years ago…”

Other Famous Examples of Logos

While Lincoln’s use of Logos is certainly one of the most rhetorically famous, he is not alone in his use of Logos.

To Kill a Mockingbird

By reasoning that Tom Robinson cannot use his left hand and that Bob Ewell is left-handed, Atticus Finch demonstrates that it is only possible for Bob Ewell to have beaten his daughter Myella, as the bruises are on the right side of her face.

Susan B. Anthony’s Voting Rights Speech

Susan B. Anthony, a famous suffragette of the 19th century, did not wait to employ Logos in one of her most famous speeches when she talks about the founding of the country.

Obama’s 2015 Speech

Obama made a particularly powerful appeal to those who were still skeptical of his presidency through Logos.

By using objective numbers and figures, he paints a picture of America on the rise, a picture that is hard to argue with.

Other Modern Examples of Logos

While speech and essays are where Logos appears most, they are not the only home of this appeal strategy.

Examples of Logos for Kids

Though Logos is a more abstract concept that children likely will not understand until later in life, there are still easy examples to understand.

• Aristotle: While he is certainly not a children’s author, Aristotle created the simplest example of Logos for any reader, and one particularly merciful for children: “All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.”
• Harry Potter: When Hagrid first encounters Harry, Harry believes he cannot be a wizard. He does not believe until Hagrid appeals to his sense of reason by asking about his objective experiences.
• Flex Tape: Since the dawn of the product “Flex Tape” salesman Phil Swift and the commercial for it have become a “meme” popular among young children. By demonstrating the Flex Tape’s abilities to the audience, Phil Swift provides clear evidence of his claims that it is a quality product.

Examples of Logos in Writing

Writing is where Logos appears most often other than speech, and for good reason.

It is a literary device after all.

• 1984: George Orwell demonstrates how manipulative Logos can be. In this famous novel of untruths, the facts are untrue but still appeal to the character’s logical senses.
• The Merchant of Venice:  In Shakespeare’s inimitable style, Portia makes an appeal to Logos by reminding everyone that nowhere in the “pound of flesh” deal did it say that the participants were allowed to shed blood.
• Antigone: Those who read this in high school may remember Antigone’s use of Logos in appealing to factual laws: “Isn’t a man’s right to burial decreed by divine justice?”

Examples of Logos in Business

Logos is at the core of advertising and can prove very powerful in attracting customers.

• Verizon: In one of Verizon’s most famous advertisements, not a single person or face features in the commercial. Instead, the commercial features a speedy rundown of objective facts and visual maps to get you on Verizon’s side.
• Apple: If you seek a good example of simple Logos in business, look no further than Apple’s sleek, exemplary advertisements. By demonstrating each phone’s new factual features and appearance, Apple appeals to Logos constantly.
• Truth initiative: Going against a business lobby is still business, and the Truth initiative against tobacco makes some of the best logical appeals possible in their ads through statistics and several content clips.

Notable Writers Who Used Logos

While Logos appears less in literature than in philosophy or essays, there are still numerous writers who used it throughout history and provide great examples.

1. Aristotle

You cannot write an article on how to use a rhetorical device without including the man who came up with it himself.

Aristotle explains the use of Logos in the Art of Rhetoric and went on to use the concept himself to appeal to his readers in several works such as Poetics and The Nichomachean Ethics.

2. Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens is known as a master of description and character creation, and that is precisely what makes him an example of Logos.

In tales such as David Copperfield, he uses literary realism to build a realistic London that every English reader would have recognized and connected with.

By creating this basis that imitates and manipulates fact, Dickens appeals to the reader’s Logos to captivate them and keep reading.

3. Shakespeare

 Logos makes several appearances in the dialogue of his work, such as Merchant of Venice and Hamlet.

Shakespeare loves catching his main characters between appeals to Logos and Pathos, creating plenty of rich conflicts throughout his work.

What Is the Opposite of Logos?

Logos, as we have stated ad nauseam, is the appeal to reason and logic.

Naturally, it stands the opposite of Logos would appeal to emotion.

Thus, the rhetorical strategy of Pathos, an appeal to emotion, is the opposite of Logos.

Logos vs Pathos

While Logos tries to bring your attention to indisputable hard facts, Pathos tries to bring your attention to your heart.

If you’ve seen the ASPCA “Arms of the Angels” advertisement, that’s an example of Pathos.

The majority of the appeal has little to do with statistics or logic but tries to evoke an emotional response.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

If there were a mere two literary devices, Logos and Pathos, we would be out of tips on how to write a blog post and find things to write about.

Luckily, there are many more literary devices you can use.

• Hyperbole: Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration, usually to make you laugh.
• Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetitive use of the same sound at the beginning of the words in your sentence. This appears more often in poetry, but when used in rhetoric can be very powerful.
• Onomatopoeia: Onomatopoeia is a literary device you’ll often see in comic books. It is the written imitation of sounds that actions make, such as “pow” or “wham.”
• Paradox: A favorite of the Existentialist philosophers, a paradox is a statement that appears contradictory but proves true upon further reflection.
• Irony: Irony is simply the disparity between expectations and the reality of our world or a given story.

Logos Writing Tools To Help You Out

While Logos is one of the simpler literary devices, it can still save you time and money using these writing tools to help you figure out the use of Logos.

1. Writing Helpers

These helpers for writing are online resources you can use to inspire prompts and experiment with different styles and literary devices.

They can help you start a story or polish one you’ve already written.

2. AI Writing Software

AI writing software such as Grammarly and Languagetool have become immensely popular in helping writers see their mistakes and how to fix them.

They may not have much to do with literary devices, but they can help clean up your writing.

3. Grammar Checkers

Maybe you are confident in your style and need no help with that.

If you are unsure about grammar, feel free to look over these grammar-checking tools.

4. Content Creators

Can’t quite figure out how to write original content for your blog or book?

Content creator resources can help you find someone to help quickly.

Ghostwriters are professional writers who will write you just about anything you want that you then get credit for!

Frequently Asked Questions

Logos is the simplest device in a complicated set of writing tools.

Here are some frequently asked questions about Logos to give you all the facts.

Wrapping Up

Logos may seem intimidating at first, but once you look at examples of it, you see that it poses no threat.

It is the easiest rhetorical appeal to use, as it simply requires the presentation of facts.

Try and overlap other rhetorical devices with Logos to create more complicated appeals.

If you can layer all your rhetorical appeals with facts, it becomes very hard to unseat the truth of your tale.

These literary devices lead the reader or listener to the writer’s desired conclusion.

Euphemisms are subtle manipulations that help creators control the tenor and impact of their work by replacing negative imagery with positive ideas.

What Is a Euphemism?

Euphemism takes its name from the Greek word euphemism.

Two syllables comprise euphemos: eu, meaning “good,” and phemons, meaning “speech.”

“Good speech” is a solid distillation of a complex construct.

Euphemisms are figures of speech where a softer or more polite term replaces a harsh or uncomfortable word.

Euphemisms replace vulgarity, religious terms, and biological functions.

People use euphemisms for anything they are uncomfortable saying directly.

Also Known As:

• Polite Term
• Mild Alternative
• Understatement

Simple Definition: How to Explain Euphemism to a Child

A euphemism is a substitution.

Euphemisms replace a harsh or uncomfortable word with something more palatable.

Why Is a Euphemism Used?

Euphemisms are used to soften a blow or to make the speaker more comfortable.

Someone receiving difficult information is comforted by a gentle delivery via euphemism.

Some speakers feel discomfort using vulgar or biological terms.

Euphemisms allow these folks to express ideas about these subjects without using words that upset them.  

Types of Euphemisms

Euphemisms are powerful tools when used correctly.

The figurative language takes several forms for different purposes.

The most significant euphemisms are abstraction, conclusion, diplomacy, litotes, politeness, and spin.

Each fulfills a specific function through deliberate substitution.

• Abstraction: Creating a new scenario to explain a situation. Often used to put a rosy spin on a dark case, ex: “going to a better place” unsteady fo “dying.”
• Diplomacy: Diplomacy serves many masters, but no one needs the skill more than politicians. Users must be able to parlay often unpleasant information accurately. Diplomats need to anticipate minefields and deliver the information in a way that allows everyone to remain friends.
• Litotes: Litotes rely on irony and understatement to express an idea. Litotes works by gently stating what the person or thing is not. If someone is incredibly wealthy, a writer using litotes would say, “he’s not hurting for money.”
• Politeness: Politeness exists to ease potentially uncomfortable situations. Polite euphemisms often replace subjects that make people ill at ease; for example, people often run sexual words through a politeness filter.
• Spin Euphemism: Spin often manipulates negative or neutral facts into something positive. For example, if a manufacturer made a ham that tasted like bubblegum, they could say it’s “unique” -a technically correct interpretation that makes the product sound better than it is.

How Do You Identify a Euphemism?

Listen carefully to the context of the sentence.

Does a word or phrase seem a little tonally off?

Does the language convey the severity of the situation?

The best way to identify the figure of speech is to assess its congruity with the rest of the statement and the impact of the sentence.

How Do You Use a Euphemism in a Sentence?

Euphemisms are easy to use once you know what you’re doing.

Begin by identifying the problematic word or subject.

For example, if you have to tell a child their puppy was hit by a car, you might want to steer clear from using that phrase.

Consider a statement the child would find more palatable. “Passed away” or “went to a better” place are far gentler, so you could substitute one of those euphemisms for “getting hit by a car.” (Source)

What Is the Most Popular Example of a Euphemism?

Writers most commonly use euphemisms to describe uncomfortable things to write about.

Topping that list are sex and death.

“Making love” instead of “having sex” is probably the most commonly used euphemism.

“Passing away” instead of dying is a close second.

Other Famous Examples of Euphemisms

Euphemisms are an omnipresent part of polite society.

The phrases can be colloquial or familial; people create their own substitutions.

However, some euphemisms transcend cultural barriers and are widely acknowledged and accepted. Some famous examples are:

1. In the Family Way

People use this phrase instead of saying “pregnant.”

People used the phrase literally, meaning simply “as a family would,” until the mid-17th century.

The phrase then became a demure way of referring to pregnancy.

2. Letting You Go

It’s unclear who this phrase is intended to comfort, the employee being fired or the boss doing the termination.

Either way, “letting go” is the gentler way of saying “you’re fired,” but the outcome is the same.

3. Visit the Ladies’ Room

The third spot for most uncomfortable subjects discussed in mixed company is bathroom stuff.

“Visit the ladies’ room” spares women from saying they must go to the bathroom.

Other Modern Examples of Euphemisms

Euphemisms serve purposes beyond making an individual speaker more comfortable.

The substitutions sell goods, prevent wars, and help tell stories.

Modern euphemisms appear in advertising, politics, and art.

Euphemisms in Advertising

Euphemisms help mask the less noble aspirations of advertising.

The language helps manipulate consumers without deception.

Euphemisms allow savvy marketers to cast products in a more favorable light than they warrant.

• Pre-Owned: We all know “pre-owned” means “used,” but a pre-owned car sounds better and more legitimate than a used one.
• Courtesy Call: Anyone who’s ever received a “courtesy call” would agree they seldom arrive at a courteous time. This is a blanket term applied to any unsolicited phone call you might receive, designed to make it sound like the caller is doing you a favor by interrupting your dinner.
• Genuine Imitation Leather: Anything can be a genuine imitation, including very low-grade vinyl. Advertisers count on consumers to focus on “genuine” more than “imitation.”

Euphemisms in Movies

Movies replicate real-world speech to help viewers identify with the characters and plotlines.

Euphemisms help give a sense of nature as well as provide illustrative language.

• “… he’d look fairer and feel fouler.”: Frodo describes Aragorn this way in Fellowship of the Ring. This is a very polite way of saying the Aragorn looks rough and tumble, like a shady character.
• “It was my wife’s idea to have our guests come in funeral cars. Her sense of humor is, shall we say, original?”: Frederik Loren describes his wife as having an “original” sense of humor in The House on Haunted Hill. Context makes it clear that he is saying “original” when he means perverse or macabre.
• “Well, Clarice, have the lambs stopped screaming?”: When Hannibal Lecter asks Clarice Starling if the lambs stopped screaming in Silence of the Lambs, he is not referencing literal, screaming sheep. The screaming lambs are Lecter’s euphemism for Clarice’s inner demons, and the question allows him to ask her if she’s feeling sounder without directly referencing her mental health.

Euphemisms in Politics

Euphemisms serve their most vital role in the political sphere. Diplomacy depends heavily on a politician’s ability to deploy euphemistic language.

The figure of speech allows governors to maintain a civil veneer or to de-escalate potentially inflammatory situations.

• Terminological Inexactitude: Terminological inexactitude is an excellent example of Winston Churchill’s linguistic acrobatics. Churchill devised the phrase to call his opponent a liar without overtly insulting language.
• Collateral Damage: Collateral damage is a euphemism governments use to soften the notion of civilian casualties. Collateral damage takes away the human element and suggests a certain inevitability.
• Recession: Though we all know recessions aren’t good, the term is a gentler presentation of economic decline.

Notable Writers Who Used Euphemisms

Euphemisms are ubiquitous in language.

Any author who uses natural language inevitably indulges in euphemism usage.

Additionally, different types of writers seek unique deliveries of universal experiences; euphemisms help in this delivery.

Some authors who’ve perfected the use include:

1. William Shakespeare

Shakespeare coined too many phrases to count.

The Bard used every linguistic device in the English language, euphemisms included.

Notably, Shakespeare wrote the line “making the beast with two backs” to refer to sex in Othello.

2. George Orwell

Orwell mastered allegories in Animal Farm.

However, euphemisms are a major plot point in the author’s 1949 novel, 1984.

1984 examines how the government manipulates the public by using euphemisms for controlling and destructive departments.

3. Ernest Hemingway

In “Hills Like White Elephants,” one of Hemingway’s best short stories, a young woman discusses her pursuit of abortion with a man.

The story dates back to the 1920s when people didn’t discuss abortions.

The tale uses words like “operation” and “let the air in” to stand in for “abortion.”

What Is the Opposite of a Euphemism?

A dysphemism is the opposite of a euphemism.

Dysphemisms replace softer words with harsher or crasser terms.

While euphemisms make a situation appear better or less hurtful, dysphemisms present facts in the worst possible light.

“Went to a better place” is a euphemism for death.

“But the big one” is a dysphemism for the same.

Euphemism vs. Metaphor

A metaphor is a symbolic replacement for another word.

Metaphors are intended to clarify or elucidate, providing a different reference point for the reader or listener.

Euphemisms, however, replace a strong word with something gentler.

Metaphors aim to enlighten, while euphemisms try to soften and, to some degree, deceive.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

Euphemisms are only one of many forms of figurative language and literary devices.

The tools below help you figure out how to write a blog post with impact:

• Onomatopoeia: Onomatopeia is a word used to describe sounds that echo the noises they define. For example, “bam” or “sploot” describe those sounds by imitating their sonic impact.
• Allegory: An allegory is a cover story. It’s a moral or message wearing a costume. Allegories are stories where symbols are used to express a message. For example, George Orwell’s Animal Farm uses a tale of barnyard animals to deliver his ideas on Bolshevik Russia. He never says Russia by name, but it is apparent it’s what he’s referring to.
• Pathos: Pathos is a method of persuasion that relies on sympathy and emotional reactions to achieve the desired result. In literature or rhetoric, the desired result is for the audience to react sympathetically.
• Prose: Prose is everyday speech. The word describes unmetered speech in rhetoric and writing.
• Ad Hominem: Ad Hominem describes attacks aimed at individuals instead of their principles or positions. Politically, a candidate engaging in Ad Hominem attacks aims for something personal, like their opponent’s love life, instead of their stance on issues.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Writing is a powerful weapon but a difficult one to master.

There’s no shame in accepting some tips to use while writing and help from writing tools in refining your prose.

The tools below help turn your raw material into powerful written pieces without sacrificing your vision.

• Writing Helpers: Writing helpers catch what you might not. Sites like Grammarly check your grammar and spelling while scanning for overused words and suggesting alternatives. Your writing remains intact, just refined.  
• AI Writing Software: Writing software that uses AI turns your raw material into written content. The tool takes the information you enter and creates blog posts, novels, articles, and different types of content. The technology is experiencing much growth, but the best current brand is Jasper.
• Grammar Checkers: Grammar checkers are simple tools that help check proper grammar and spelling in a document. Many free websites are offering this service. You must copy and paste your work into the website, and the checker does the rest.
• Content Creators: A content creator tool assists creators of content in every aspect of content creation. This software helps writers research, design, and compose their blog posts. These tools do everything from providing word counts to creating code and supplying white noise to work to.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve covered a lot in this article, but some questions about euphemisms remain.

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:

Wrapping Up

Euphemisms put a rosy spin on difficult subjects, for better and worse.

The substitution helps deliver hard news gently. It also allows manipulative people to lead crowds astray.

Writers who master the euphemism have a powerful tool in their kit.

An author must have a command of the language, but that’s not all.

Writing well involves crafting sentences, paragraphs, and entire books that challenge, interest, or engage the reader.

The ability to do that goes beyond the skill of putting words in order. Writers need tools.

The importance of literary devices is hard to overstate, especially in forms of literature like poetry.

As writers seek to write words and convey ideas in novel ways, they need these devices.

What Are Literary Devices?

Literary devices are words or phrases writers use to convey ideas, impart meaning (often a deeper meaning), emphasize themes, or otherwise use language in interesting ways.

Whether an author is composing a poem, writing blog posts, or crafting a novel, literary devices can engage readers and help convey their meaning.

Why Are Literary Devices Used?

Depending on the device, they can make words more memorable, alter meanings, and help drive a point home.

Most writers want their work to impact the reader, and while you can avoid typographical errors and poor syntax when you use a grammar checker, that’s a low bar for a writer.

Literary devices can quickly raise the level of his poetry or prose.

How Many Types of Literary Devices Are There?

Hundreds of literary devices are out there, and many have different iterations.

For example, imagery is a literary device, but we have at least seven types of imagery.

Because of so many of these subgroups, it’s difficult to say how many literary devices are out there.

How Do You Identify a Literary Device?

The easiest way to find a literary device is to know what many of those devices are.

If a reader encounters an unusual work or phrasing, even if he doesn’t know what literary device is in use, he knows there is a good chance that the unusual wording indicates a literary device in use.

Common Literary Devices Every Writer Should Know

Since it’s hard to say precisely how many literary devices exist.

Since some are somewhat obscure, we’ve compiled a list of 75 literary devices and related terms that writers should know.

1. Figure of Speech

A figure of speech is the use of a word or phrase in a manner that differs from its regular use in daily speech.

Why Is a Figure of Speech Used?

A figure of speech is used to create an effect in a non-literal manner.

Figures of speech include literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and many others that appear on this list.

English literature scholars can name more than 100 figures of speech, and we’ll employ many examples in the remaining entries on this voluminous list of literary devices.

Example of a Figure of Speech

In the form of a simile, a figure of speech may read as “he is as slow as molasses.”

A figure of speech can read through hyperbole as, “I’m so angry I could eat nails.”

2. Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two items by saying that one of them is something else.

We do this to bring specific imagery or contextual clues to literature or speech, making the words more impactful.

Why Is a Metaphor Used?

A metaphor compares two items.

However, a metaphor does not use “like” or “as,” and one is not present in the two items being compared.

This differs from a symbol, where an item and something else stands for itself.

Example of a Metaphor

We might say, “He’s a dog,” or “She is staring daggers.”

In the former, we compare a man with a dog, though we do not believe the man is literally a dog.

Rather, we imply that his behavior is dog-like, and the listener brings associations with how dogs behave to the conversation.

In the latter, daggers are not coming out of her eyes, but we compare her stare to a series of thrown daggers.

While no actual knives are involved, the idea is that her stare is intense enough to make one think it could cause physical harm.

3. Simile

A simile compares two things in which we say one thing is like another.

A simile employs the word “like” or “as” rather than saying one thing is another.

With “like” or “as,” you have a simile. With “is,” you have a metaphor.

Why Is a Simile Used?

Similar to metaphors, similes compare two items.

They bring fresh meaning and different connotations to our speech and writing.

Some similes don’t bring anything new because they’ve suffered from overuse.

Example of a Simile

An example of a simile could be, “It’s hot as an oven in here,” or “He’s got a mind like a steel trap.”

A good simile can also bring humor to a speech, as in, “He’s about as sharp as a basketball.”

4. Personification

Personification is a figure of speech that applies human characteristics to non-human things, either animals or objects.

This does not mean treating animals in fiction as if they are people, as George Orwell does in Animal Farm.

Why Is Personification Used?

Personification is typically used to make inert objects more engaging to the reader.

An author or writer will use personification to characterize, perhaps, a sound something makes as human in nature.

Example of Personification

“The chair creaked, protesting the weight of the man sitting on it.”

The chair, not being sentient, is incapable of complaining, but the sound of the materials creaking can be construed as a complaint.

5. Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism differs from personification in treating a non-human object as if it were a human or has human characteristics.

We might say that a plant basks in the sun when it is just sitting where it’s planted and has no control over whether it’s basking.

That’s personification.

But we anthropomorphize that plant when we talk about how it loves sunlight.

Why Is Anthropomorphism Used?

Anthropomorphism is rampant in our lives, whether we talk about the cat knowing he’s not supposed to go outside or when we say that Siri wants us to take a different route than we planned when we started driving.

Cat owners may protest, but cats don’t have the power to reason, and Siri is just an AI executing a program.

Still, we give these and other items in our lives human characteristics, and then we’re often surprised when those things turn out not to be humans.

Example of Anthropomorphism

There are many examples of anthropomorphism throughout the world’s literary works.

For example, Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat.

The cat in the story is not human, although he walks, talks, and acts as if he is.

Similarly, all Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck, exhibit the same anthropomorphic characteristics.

6. Zoomorphism

Zoomorphism is the opposite of anthropomorphism.

It is the act of attributing animalistic qualities to humans.

Why Is Zoomorphism Used?

Authors use zoomorphism to attribute animal characteristics to non-animal entities in an effort to achieve the desired effect.

Example of Zoomorphism

When someone is in a very relaxed state when they speak, we might say that they purred instead of spoke.

A person running away joyfully might be described as galloping even though that person has no equine qualities.

Zoomorphism can also involve non-humans, as in Carl Sandburg’s poem “Fog,” in which he writes that the fog walks with cat feet.

7. Synecdoche

As another figure of speech, synecdoche brings to literature a novel way of describing something by naming a part of that something that evokes it in its entirety.

Why Is a Synecdoche Used?

Authors or writers use synecdoches to take a portion of something and refer to the whole entity.

This literary device also allows the author to bring attention to referential or associative thinking, as readers innately realize that a portion of something can stand for the whole thing.

Example of a Synecdoche

Take these instances of synecdoche use, for example:

• Shakespeare wrote of “the married ear” to describe a married man.
• In sports, we often refer to a team by its city name: the city of Houston didn’t win the game, but rather the Houston Astros baseball team did.
• We sometimes say that a pianist “plays keys”— she presses keys on a piano, but she plays the entire instrument.

8. Metonymy

Metonymy works on the same principle as a synecdoche: it uses one thing to name another.

However, rather than use a component of that thing, metonymy names something related to the object in question to evoke it.

Why Is Metonymy Used?

Writers use metonymy to make individual phrases or words more authoritative or powerful.

Authors can use this technique to add more connotation or nuance to simple words by having them stand in for something different.  

Example of Metonymy

We refer to The White House when we mean the US government or the current presidential administration.

A scholar might say he’s studying Faulkner, though he’s not perusing the author’s life or physical body but rather his work.

The television show The Crown uses metonymy in its title.

It is not a show about an actual crown but rather about the monarchy associated with that crown.

9. Hyperbole

We use hyperbole to make a point through overstatement.

Hyperbole has become incredibly common in everyday speech— so much so that many people use it daily but have no idea what it is.

Why Is Hyperbole Used?

Hyperbole is the use of purposeful overstatement or exaggeration for effect.

Example of Hyperbole

For example: “I’m starving.”

The American teenage boy who says this has no idea what starvation is.

He’s hungry, perhaps, but that is not the same as genuine starvation.

He overstates the status of his hunger pangs to ensure that everyone knows about his need.

10. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds.

Why is Alliteration Used?

We use alliteration in speech because it sounds nice.

It often gets used in poetry and rhetorical speech.

Poetry uses alliteration because poetry depends largely on how words sound— not just on their own, but how they sound concerning each other.

The rhetorical speech draws on any literary device that can help make the words more memorable.

Example of Alliteration

This device appears in advertisements, commercial slogans, and political slogans (“Fly the friendly skies” or “Build Back Better”), but an enduring piece of alliteration in pop culture comes from “V for Vendetta.”

In an introductory speech, V rattles off a paragraph shot through with “V” words: “The only verdict is vengeance, a vendetta held as a votive.”

11. Assonance

Assonance is the vowel version of alliteration.

It is the repetition of initial vowel sounds in a series of words.

Why Is Assonance Used?

Like alliteration, assonance makes things sound nice.

Of late, more and more people have begun folding assonance and alliteration into the same term, applying it to the repetition of any initial letter sound, but technically, assonance actually always applies to vowel sounds.

Example of Assonance

A stunning example comes from Walter Abish’s 1974 experimental novel Alphabetical Africa.

The first chapter, Chapter A, uses only words that begin with “A.” Chapter B adds words that start with “B” and on and on.

The book’s first paragraph is masterful: “Africa again: Albert arrives, alive and arguing about African art, about African angst and also, alas, attacking Ashanti architecture.…”

The entire chapter is wholly assonant, as every word begins with the letter A.

12. Consonance

Alliteration and assonance are types of consonance, but consonance itself exists separately from them.

Why Is Consonance Used?

Writers use consonance for the same reason as the other two— it helps things sound good— but it goes about it differently.

Consonance is the repetition of a consonant sound in a series, no matter where that consonant appears in a word.

(Remember that alliteration requires that the first consonant of each word sound the same.)

Example of Consonance

“He stuck a stick on his back, kicked a can, and took a look at the back of his bike” is filled with consonance.

There are occasions of alliteration in the example.

Still, the repetition of “k” or “ck” sounds in various positions in the different words makes the sentence an example of consonance at work.

13. Onomatopoeia

One of the more fun literary devices, onomatopoeia, is the use of words that sound like the sounds they describe.

Why Is Onomatopoeia Used?

Authors rely upon onomatopoeia in literature to help augment the aural palette of a novel or story.

This becomes more and more necessary as we as a society depend more and more on film and television for our entertainment.

These two art forms have soundtracks— music and sound effects that can help flesh out a world or elicit specific emotions.

Writers use onomatopoeia to help build a soundscape to go with their words.

Example of Onomatopoeia

Anyone watching the 1960s “Batman” television series has seen, during the fight scenes, words like “Whap,” “Pow,” and “Zonk” appear onscreen following a punch.

Edgar Allen Poe used onomatopoeia brilliantly in his poem The Bells, describing the sound of bells as “twanging” and “clanging,” which are words that sound somewhat like ringing bells.

He also uses the final “L” sound of “bells” to involve the tolling of bells by repeating the word “bells” throughout the poem.

14. Diction

In speech, “diction” refers to correct and decipherable pronunciation.

However, as a literary device, it refers to word and style choices made by an author to get his point across.

Why Is Diction Used?

We read different diction choices with various mindsets, so when an author uses very formal diction, we associate the words with a somber tone or perhaps an academic one.

On the other hand, an author might employ diction rife with slang and informal language to convey a lighter feel.

Example of Diction

We often decipher a literary work’s tone via its diction.

If an author uses technical terms and so-called five-dollar words, he’s probably writing in an academic or formal tone.

On the other hand, the use of slang or colloquialisms denotes a more informal work.

For example: In response to a request for you to run to the grocery store, formal diction could be written as, “I will go to the store right away.”

Conversely, informal diction may warrant a response like, “I’m headed there now.”

Both sentences convey the same outcome but offer varying distinctive tones.

15. Denotation

When choosing diction and making other word choices, authors must decide on the best words for relating their message to their audiences.

A word’s denotation indicates its true meaning— the definition you’d find in a dictionary.

Why Is Denotation Used?

This literary device is used because many words have similar denotations.

Still, according to a dictionary, the best word choice for the author’s desire sometimes needs to go beyond what the word means.

Example of Denotation

These words have the same or similar denotation, which is the idea of using one’s feet to move from one location to another:

• Walk
• Run
• Sprint
• Sashay
• Saunter
• Stomp

To understand why denotation (and the reason we chose those words) matters, we must also understand connotation.

16. Connotation

British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge said poetry was “the best words in the best order.”

For an author to find the best words, he must be cognizant of those words’ connotations.

Why Is Connotation Used?

While denotation is a word’s “dictionary” meaning, the connotation is what the word “really” means.

Different words carry different associations, even if they mean roughly the same thing.

Authors can convey ideas and emotions through the words they choose based on those words’ connotations.

Choosing a word for its connotation relieves a writer of the obligation of spelling out specifically what a character is thinking or feeling.

Example of Connotation

Using the examples from the previous definition, we can see the words’ connotations at work:

• “He walked down the street” conveys information and only information. We don’t know anything about the person’s state of mind or intentions.
• “He ran down the street,” tells us that he moved quickly and that his movement has some sense of urgency.
• “He sprinted down the street” means the man runs as fast as possible and implies even more urgency.
• “He sashayed down the street” depicts a man dripping with style who wants everyone to notice him.
• “He sauntered down the street” shows us someone in no hurry who might also have a bad attitude.
• “He stomped down the street” evokes anger since few happy people stomp anywhere.

17. Analogy

Like a metaphor or a simile, an analogy compares two items.

It points out the similarities, whereas a simile makes comparisons to evoke certain ideas or feelings.

Why Is an Analogy Used?

Analogies take situations that may not be intimately familiar to the listener but about which he can draw conclusions and compare them to common occurrences.

Example of an Analogy

Many of us had grandparents with great sayings, and many of them were analogies: “I was as nervous as a cat in a rocking chair factory,” “She cried like a Baptist teenager on the last night of church camp,” or “When I scared him, he jumped like he’d been shot.”

While few of us have ever seen a rocking chair factory, much less seen a cat in one, between the cat’s tail and the moving chairs, we can deduce why a cat would be uncomfortable in such a space.

18. Juxtaposition

As a literary device, juxtaposition takes two separate and often conflicting ideas and places them side by side.

Why Is Juxtaposition Used?

The point of juxtaposition is to heighten the differences between the two conflicting ideas.

It’s quite common in film, literature, and poetry— so much so that we often overlook it.

That doesn’t deter from its effectiveness, though.

Examples of Juxtaposition

Take these well-known franchises to better understand the meaning and use of juxtaposition.

• Star Wars: The good in Luke Skywalker is juxtaposed against the evil of Darth Vader and The Empire. As a result, Luke seems even more wholesome (even though, when he destroys the Death Star, he murdered hundreds of thousands of people), and Vader even more dastardly (admittedly, he’s pretty bad even without the comparison).
• Batman: Bruce Wayne / Batman is a dark figure with legitimate mental health issues. Compared to the Joker’s chaotic, anarchic lunacy, we see Batman as the good guy and a symbol of justice, even though most of Batman’s actions are extra-judicial, illegal, and unconstitutional. Juxtaposed against the Joker’s insanity, though, we choose Batman every time.

19. Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that uses two or more words with opposing meanings.

Why Is an Oxymoron Used?

The paradox of the oxymoron is that the word or phrase this action creates should be meaningless, but it’s anything but.

When done well, an oxymoron can really hit home.

Examples of an Oxymoron

Oxymorons often occur for humor, but they are not solely comedic literary devices.

• In “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare says, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
• Paul Simon: a song called “The Sound of Silence.”
• Barry Manilow: “Wouldn’t it be fine being lonely together?”
• Daily use oxymorons: jumbo shrimp, military intelligence, and minor miracle.

20. Paradox

A paradox, like an oxymoron, takes two seemingly contradictory things and combines them.

Whereas an oxymoron uses words that mean different things, a paradox applies to phrases and ideas.

Why Is a Paradox Used?

We often find genuinely interesting ideas couched in paradoxes, and those ideas become more memorable because they’re so framed.

A paradox is also the sort of phrase you hear, think it makes no sense, think on it some more, and eventually decide it was pretty profound.

Example of a Paradox

At one point, Hamlet says he must be cruel to be kind.

He’s planning to murder his mother’s husband, which will be cruel because it will make Gertrude sad, but it’s kind because it will allow Hamlet to avenge his father’s death.

On the surface, the two terms, when used together, are meaningless.

But the statement makes wonderful sense.

The fact that Hamlet dies doesn’t detract from the paradox’s effectiveness.

21. Imagery

Imagery uses language based on the senses to invoke physical sensations.

While we have five senses, there are more than five types of imagery.

Why Is Imagery Used?

Visual imagery is perhaps the most common, as authors use words to paint pictures for the reader’s mind.

The idea is to make the reader forget he is staring at marks on a page and instead create vivid images.

• Auditory imagery: Aims to recreate sounds for the reader, and onomatopoeia is a vital tool here.
• Gustatory imagery: Touches on the sense of taste and describes things as sweet or spicy, for example.
• Kinesthetic imagery: Connotes movement or the sensations associated with moving.
• Olfactory imagery evokes aromas and can be very effective since smell is tied so closely to memory.
• Organic imagery: Brings out feelings like thirst or fear or emotions like love or hate.
• Tactile imagery: Describes how things physically feel.
• Visual imagery: Describes sizes, patterns, and colors.

Example of Imagery

Take these examples to understand better how writers use imagery in literature.

• Taste: The intimate sweetness of his mother’s applesauce reminded him of his childhood.
• Sound: The movie theater was so loud that her ears rang for weeks after seeing the movie.
• Sight: The sunrise was the most beautiful he had ever seen; the beams cast a hue of purple and pink across the atmosphere.

22. Archetype

An archetype is an unlearned pattern we all know and recognize instinctively.

Carl Jung, a 20th-century Swiss psychologist, wrote extensively about archetypes, and Joseph Campbell spent a literary career cataloging archetypes and their roles in literature.

Why Is Archetype Used?

We are instinctively afraid of the dark.

We have learned to fear darkness because, up until the last couple of centuries, we had no power over the dark.

We tended to get eaten, injured, or killed in the dark more than in broad daylight. A billion years of memory have taught us to fear the dark.

In literature, these same patterns inform every story that has ever been told or will ever get concocted.

While very few stories contain every archetype, every story has some.

Examples of Archetype

The original “Star Wars” trilogy is chockablock with archetypes. Here are just a couple of them.

• Good vs. Evil: The evil Empire battles the good people in the Rebel Alliance. Good vs. Evil is an archetype in nearly all but the most simplistic stories.
• The Father-Son Conflict: SPOILER ALERT. Darth Vader is Luke’s father. This fact sets up a conflict as old as time. Luke wants to bring Vader back to the Light Side of the Force, but in their final battle, he draws on the Dark Side to defeat the Sith lord. In the process, he cuts off his father’s hand. At that point, Luke looks to his own mechanical hand and realizes that the same darkness that lives in his father is in him, too, so he must always fight against it.

23. Symbol

In literature, a symbol is a thing that is what it is but also represents something else.

Why Is a Symbol Used?

It conveys a deeper meaning than the symbol itself or what it stands for and is best seen through examples.

Examples of Symbols

Take these two notable pieces of literary works to understand the use of symbols.

• Harry Potter’s scar is a symbol of survival. The scar is real, but so is the fact that he survived Voldemort’s attempt on his life.
• The mockingbird in To Kill A Mockingbird is a real creature intrinsic to rural life and represents innocence. Several times, Calpurnia tells Scout it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird because the creatures exist only to improve our lives.

A symbol is not the same as a metaphor.

When we say that a quarterback threw a bomb, we compare the ball to a bomb.

But it’s just a comparison. There is no actual bomb.

For the bomb to be a symbol, there would have to be both a bomb and a football physically present on the field. Yikes.

24. Allusion

An allusion is a figure of speech in which an author refers to another work of literature.

It is usually well-known work, and in most cases, it references a biblical tale.

Why Is Allusion Used?

We use allusions to convey more information than we could with our own words, or at least do so in fewer words.

Example of Allusion

In S.E. Hinton’s novel The Outsiders, Johnny and Ponyboy bring up Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay.”

The poem is about how youth, innocence, and beauty are fleeting.

As Johnny dies near the book’s end, he urges Ponyboy to “stay gold.”

This allusion to Frost’s work lends power to the boy’s dying words since we already know what the poem is about.

25. Allegory

An allegory is a narrative work (it could also be a painting or poem) that tells a story (often a simple one) and contains a hidden meaning.

Why Is an Allegory Used?

Writers or authors use allegories to convey big and intricate ideas simplistically.

Example of an Allegory

George Orwell’s fable Animal Farm is a terrific example of an allegory. On its surface, it’s about animals that live on a farm and can talk. They organize and rebel against the farmer who takes care of them, but the book is not about farm animals. Rather, it’s about the Bolsheviks and is a scathing indictment of the Russian system of government at the time.

26. Foreshadowing

Among literary devices, foreshadowing can be very effective in setting the mood. Foreshadowing is the use of hints of other indications in literature to telegraph something that will happen later in the work without giving it away.

Why Is Foreshadowing Used?

Writers typically use foreshadowing to develop a sense of tension or intrigue. Foreshadowing is typically more obvious in hindsight. However, even if the reader doesn’t pick up on what the author telegraphs, he will often take clues from that foreshadowing regarding the author’s intended mood.

Example of Foreshadowing

In Barbara Kingsolver’s spectacular novel The Poisonwood Bible, a missionary family of five arrives in the Belgian Congo to find only four place settings of silverware available to them. This foreshadows something terrible that befalls the Price family later in the book.

27. Satire

Satire is a literary form that employs humor, exaggeration, and humor to point out the flaws of society or, sometimes, individuals. We see satire daily in political cartoons.

Why Is Satire Used?

Writers use satire to glimpse the irrationality or absurdity in organizations, governments, or human beings. It bears mentioning that satire is not simply making fun of something or being mean-spirited. The point of this technique is to point out human foibles that the writer feels need addressing.

Example of Satire

Some satirists have learned firsthand that not everyone understands satire. A famous case was that of Jonathan Swift, who wrote “A Modest Proposal” in 1729. The streets of Ireland were overrun with children— some poor and some homeless.

He proposed that parents sell these children to the rich as food. The parents would make some money, the rich would have another food source, and fewer children would be running around Dublin streets. People who didn’t understand were understandably horrified at the suggestion.

The satire skewered the rich, pointing out that they could do something to help the less fortunate without coming out and expressly saying so.

28. Irony

Irony occurs when something happens that is the opposite of what you expect. It’s when a situation goes in the opposite direction than it seems that it should.

Why Is Irony Used?

In fiction, authors employ irony to show a character’s mistaken conceptions, but it can also build tension in a story.

Example of Irony

An ironic situation would be where the fire station burns down, or the police station gets burglarized. Since firemen put an end to fires, the seemingly last place that should ever burn down is the place they work, so such a fire would be ironic.

Incidentally, as nice a song as it is, and as well as it did on the charts, Alanis Morrisette’s 1995 hit “Ironic” has nothing remotely ironic in it. Rain on your wedding day is disappointing, but it’s not ironic. Same for winning the lottery and then dying the next day. Poor guy, sure, but that’s not irony.

29. Verbal Irony

Verbal irony includes understatement, overstatement, and sarcasm and is a figure of speech in which the speaker says the opposite of what he means.

Why Is Verbal Irony Used?

Writers and authors use verbal irony to introduce humor in any situation or even to build tension or suspense between characters.

Examples of Verbal Irony

Someone might sit down to a painstakingly prepared multi-course meal and employ verbal irony when they say, “Jeez, you knew I was coming by— you could have at least made an effort.”

Another example might be someone talking about Elton John’s skills on the piano. They’d use verbal irony when they said, “Yeah, I guess he’s okay at it.”

30. Euphemism

A euphemism is a word or phrase used as a substitute for another. What makes it a euphemism is that the word or phrase used is purposely inoffensive, while the word or phrase for which it stands is unpleasant, obscene, or otherwise discomfiting.

Why Are Euphemisms Used?

We regularly use euphemisms about death when we say someone has “passed away” or “gone to a better place.” These are more pleasant ways of framing the frightening concept of death and seem more humane than saying, “Hey, kids— dad’s dead.”

Example of Euphemism

Euphemisms abounds in our talk of sexual activity, organs, and practices. A famous example comes from the 2015 season of “Grey’s Anatomy.” Television censors decided that the show had used the (clinical and not at all offensive) word “vagina” too much in one episode, forcing showrunner Shonda Rhimes to coin the euphemistic substitute “vajayjay,” which then took on a cultural life of its own.

31. Colloquialism

Colloquialism in literature strives to take common or regional speech patterns and incorporate them into dialogue.

Why Is Colloquialism Used?

The aim of colloquialism is to recreate a more realistic speech. It incorporates dialect and other idiosyncrasies of common speech. This device can be as simple as writing “wanna” instead of “want to” or as complex as the dialect that Mark Twain sometimes wrote. Tom Sawyer uses words like “afeared,” and Jim says, “I’s powerful ‘fraid.”

Example of Colloquialism

How many times have you watched, for instance, a teen drama and thought, “Teenagers don’t talk like that” (looking at you, “The Fault In Our Stars”)?

Colloquialism can get dated rather quickly, and some don’t age well. A certain word that starts with “N” often appears in Twain’s work. It’s more of an issue in the 21st century than when he wrote it in the late-1800s.

32. Idiom

An idiom is saying, but not just any saying. What makes it an idiom is that it’s a collection of words that, if a listener doesn’t understand the overall gist of the idiom, that listener might be unable to determine based on the meanings of the individual words.

Why Is Idiom Used?

Authors often employ idioms in their literary works to invoke realistic voices for characters.

Examples of Idiom

Take these examples to understand idioms in literature better.

• “Crying wolf” means asking for help when you don’t mean it. Someone unfamiliar with the idiom might wonder what the problem was with someone standing around shouting the word “wolf.”
• “Losing your marbles” means something along the lines of losing one’s mind. A non-native English speaker would be hard-pressed to understand why the loss of some literal marbles could imply something bad.

33. Aphorism

An aphorism aims to convey a general truth with a short, pithy saying. The saying usually has some catchy aspect, whether it uses alliteration, rhyme, or clever wording. The key to an aphorism is brevity, though, so long-winded sayings tend to be called proverbs.

Why Is Aphorism Used?

Writers use aphorisms to help readers remember ideas easily; their concise nature is key to accomplishing this.

Examples of Aphorism

The succinct nature of aphorisms makes them memorable:

• “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”
• “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”
• “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
• “Do or do not. There is no try.”

34. Soliloquy

A soliloquy occurs in literature— most often in a play— when a character speaks to himself. Before the days of audiotapes, microphones, and voiceovers, when a character needed to convey complex thoughts to an audience while simultaneously alone onstage, playwrights wrote soliloquies for them.

Why Is Soliloquy Used?

A soliloquy gives insight into a character’s thought processes and can advance the plot without the character having to discuss things with someone else.

Example of Soliloquy

Shakespeare was a master of writing soliloquies. Some of his most famous ones include Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” speech, Macbeth’s “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” soliloquy, and Juliet’s “What’s in a name?” Incidentally, in that one, “Wherefore” means “why,” not “where.”

35. Apostrophe

Another literary device similar to soliloquy is the apostrophe.

Why Is Apostrophe Used?

Rather than bring the speaker’s inner thoughts out of his head and to the audience, an apostrophe occurs when a character addresses a person who isn’t present. It can also be addressed to a thing or idea the speaker personifies.

Example of Apostrophe

Hamlet’s “Alas, poor Yorick” speech is an apostrophe. The Danish prince unearths Yorick’s skull and engages in a reverie, recalling the good times he had with Yorick, who had been the court jester. The apostrophe allows Hamlet to reflect on all that has happened— his father was murdered by his uncle, Ophelia has committed suicide, Hamlet has survived an assassination attempt, and his life, in general, is in upheaval.

The speech is a nod to death’s inevitability and the futile nature of life.

36. Repetition

More often employed as a rhetorical than a literary device, repetition is the repeated use of a word or a phrase for effect. Repetition occurs in speeches, poetry, literature, and visual narrative works like film, television, and theatre.

Why Is Repetition Used?

Repetition can help an author or speaker emphasize a word or idea, which can help set the mood or further thematic ideas in a work of literature.

Examples of Repetition

Well-known examples of repetition in action include:

• Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech repeats the titular phrase throughout and helps to create one of the most iconic orations in American history.
• Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow contains a famous sentence that uses repetition with the word “paranoid.” Pynchon, in this case, is being funny, but since paranoia is one of the novel’s principal themes, repetition helps drive that.

37. Stanza

A stanza is a group of lines in a work of poetry, be it an ode, a limerick, a hymn, or an epic. There is no standard number of lines in a stanza. However, some poetic forms contain various rules governing stanza length, rhyme scheme, specific line repetitions, and even the number of syllables, as is the case with a sonnet, which requires the use of iambic pentameter.

Why Is Stanza Used?

Poets typically use stanzas to impress upon a poem’s rhythm, structure, organization, and shape.

Example of Stanza

Ciarán Carson’s “The Fetch” uses stanza in the couplet form.

“I woke. You were lying beside me in the double bed,

prone, your long dark hair fanned out over the downy pillow.

I’d been dreaming we stood on a beach an ocean away”

38. Rhyme

A rhyme occurs when the last word or few syllables of a line of writing sounds similar to another.

Why Is Rhyme Used?

Writers typically use rhyme to implement an echo into their works, leading a more lasting effect on the reader.

• Masculine rhymes occur when the final syllable of both rhyming words is stressed. “Repay” and “decay” make a masculine rhyme.
• Feminine rhymes end with unstressed syllables. “Romantic” and pedantic” are feminine rhymes.
• A slant rhyme has words with similar vowel sounds or different numbers of syllables. “Sad” and “sod” constitute a slant rhyme, as do “pad” and “Illiad.”
• Eye rhymes appear to rhyme or perhaps look like they should rhyme. “Stove” and “love” are eye rhymes.

Example of Rhyme

 “Back” rhymes with “black,” and in a line of text, this rhyme might sound like this:

John slipped and fell

And landed on his back.

His knocked his clumsy head

And then the world went black.

“Back” and “black” constitute a perfect rhyme in which both words have the same vowel sounds and number of syllables. However, other rhyme types go beyond two words having identical vowel and final consonant sounds.

39. Free Verse

While many poetic forms require strict structure, free verse describes poetry without a defined meter or rhyme scheme. While other poetic forms require discipline to execute well, free verse is by no means the easy way out when it comes to writing poetry.

Why Is Free Verse Used?

Writers generally use free verse because it gives them more flexibility in word choice and meaning.

Example of Free Verse

Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself, 1 [I Celebrate myself] is a renowned example of free verse poetry. Here is an excerpt from the piece to get a better understanding of how it appears.

“My tongue, every atom of my blood, form’d from this soil, this air,

Born here of parents born here from parents the same, and their parents the same,

I, now thirty-seven years old in perfect health begin,

Hoping to cease not till death.”

40. Meter

Meter describes the rhythm of a line or work of poetry or literature. Song lyrics rely heavily on meter since, in a strophic song, each verse needs to follow the same rhythm as the others so it can fit with the music.

Why Is Meter Used?

Writers use meter to develop musicality or structure in their work. Many poetic forms specify the meter, without which the poem in question can’t be classified as that particular form.

Limericks follow a strict metrical structure. The first, second, and fifth lines contain three metrical feet (a foot is a group of syllables; limericks often use anapestic feet, which are structured: unstressed, unstressed, STRESSED). The third and fourth lines contain two feet.

Haiku are stricter: The first and third lines have seven syllables, and the second has five.

Example of Meter

Here are some notable examples of meter in literature:

• Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? [iambic pentameter]
• Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, [trochaic octameter]
• Out, damned spot! Out, I say! [spondaic trimeter]

41. Chiasmus

Chiasmus is a sentence construction that takes words from the first part of the sentence and inverts them to create the second half. It is a rhetorical and poetic device that helps writers create memorable turns of phrases.

Why Is Chiasmus Used?

Writers and authors typically use chiasmus to establish a stylized sense of writing.

Example of Chiasmus

• “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
• “You can take the boy out of Texas, but you can’t take Texas out of the boy.”
• “Don’t pull my leg.”
• “Don’t give up your day job.”

42. Cliffhanger

Cliffhangers bring stories or episodes to an abrupt, unexpected, and unresolved end.

Why Is a Cliffhanger Used?

Writers use this literary device to create tension and to draw the reader or audience back for more.

Example of a Cliffhanger

Author James Patterson makes liberal use of cliffhangers in many of his chapters, bringing them to shocking conclusions that, the hope is, compel the reader to keep going to the next chapter.

43. Suspense

Suspense is the manipulation of readers or other audiences by instilling a feeling of uncertainty, danger, or foreboding.

Why Is Suspense Used?

Mystery and thriller novels and films rely on suspense to make audiences uncomfortable or uneasy so that the situation’s resolution can be much more satisfying.

Suspense as a literary device is enhanced in films by their musical soundtracks. Think of when something scary feels like it’s about to happen, and the violins, playing dissonant chords, build and build along with the action. This takes the audience further down the road of discomfort at what’s about to happen.

Example of Suspense

To better understand suspense, think about Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. In her work, everybody aboard the train is a suspect. To further the suspense, each character has something to hide.

44. Asyndeton

Writers omitting conjunctions employ asyndeton. It is yet another literary device employed to make phrases or entire works flow more rhythmically, sound nicer, and become memorable.

Why Is Asyndeton Used?

Asyndeton’s use is often a stylistic choice an author might use for the sake of emphasis.

Example of Asyndeton

Historians credit Julius Caesar with saying, “Veni, vidi, vici.” We translate this to mean “I came, I saw, I conquered.” This statement loses power without asyndeton: “I came, and I saw, and I conquered.”

45. Personal Narrative

The personal narrative is a story about a personal story the author tells from his own life experience.

Why Is a Personal Narrative Used?

Writers use personal narratives to tell the story of particular characters within the overall tale. Personal narratives can be autobiographies, but they more often occur in essays, memoirs, or stories.

Example of a Personal Narrative

The rise of storytelling shows such as The Moth has propelled the personal narrative to the forefront of pop culture of late, but the device is not new. Prospective college students have been writing personal narratives for their applications for decades.

46. Theme

In a piece of literature, the theme is the main idea conveyed by the entire work.

Why Is Theme Used?

Writers and authors use themes to describe what the story is “really” about. Some themes readily jump from the page, while others require closer reading to determine.

The theme appears in fiction, non-fiction, film, television, and theatre, as many works in these genres seek to get a message across in addition to telling a story.

Example of a Theme

James Cameron’s epic film “Avatar,” tells the story of humans visiting Pandora, the moon of another planet, where they go to mine a precious metal called unobtainium. The moon’s native inhabitants, the Na’vi, are unhappy about the intrusion.

The movie has several themes, which is not uncommon. Among them is humanity’s inherent conflict with nature and the evils of imperialism and greed.

While the movie is about going out to space to mine stuff and survive various conflicts, the movie is “really” about the importance of honoring all life and caring for the environment.

47. Fiction

Fiction describes any narrative work that tells a story the author has imagined. There are many varieties, including speculative fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, and more.

Why Is Fiction Used?

Writers use fiction to help readers understand the perspective of others.

Historical fiction takes actual events and weaves a story around them. While some events in the tale happened, and even some main characters in historical fiction were real people, the story’s action is imagined.

Example of Fiction

Excellent recent examples include The Red Tent. Anita Diamont’s The Red Tent weaves an entire novel around Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. While his story appears in depth in the Old Testament book of Genesis, Dinah is mentioned only once in the entire Bible, and she only gets one sentence. Diamont imagines the woman’s entire life.        

48. Mood

The mood of a work of literature encompasses the feelings or emotions the author hopes the reader will have while reading. In television and film, the mood is easily manipulated by lighting and camera lenses.

Why Is Mood Used?

Writers use mood to conjure an emotional response from their readers. Mood also aids in developing an emotional connection between an audience and the literary work.

Example of Mood

A breezy teen romance novel might describe the sun beaming or smiling down on a boy and girl spending time together. However, the same characters in a novel about a dystopian future would better convey the proper mood by depicting the sun glaring down on them instead. Choosing a more sinister word to describe the sun helps impart more of a sense of foreboding.

49. Prose

Prose is the unstructured use of words and language instead of a structured form like a sonnet, villanelle, or ode. It is closer to ordinary speech than poetry is and is almost always used in novels, short stories, and other narrative works.

Why Is Prose Used?

Writers use prose to transmit an idea, offer information, or tell a story. Prose appears in fiction and non-fiction works alike.

Example of Prose

Martin Luther King Jr. uses prose through oration when he says:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

50. Logos

Part of the so-called rhetorical triangle, logos, along with ethos and pathos is a writing style that appeals to logic.

Why Is Logos Used?

When using words for persuasive purposes, writers and speakers need to appeal to various aspects of people’s psyches. Depending on the purpose of the rhetorical piece in question, different approaches can yield different results. Logos is the use of logic in an argument or persuasive piece. We use facts and data to present these logical points.

Example of Logos

In a commercial, an advertiser might use logos to sell toothpaste with the omnipresent toothpaste commercial statement: “four out of five dentists recommend.” This reference to what is presumably a scientific study lends credibility to the idea that this particular toothpaste is the best one.

51. Ethos

Ethos, the second leg of the rhetorical triangle, appeals to its audience by relying on the ethical credibility of the speaker.

Why Is Ethos Used?

Writers or authors generally use ethos to help establish authority and credibility.

Example of Ethos

Since television commercials and the advertising industry as a whole relies on the rhetorical triangle as the backbone of its work, examples of ethos abound in TV ads— especially those for political candidates.

A candidate employs ethos when he says that he’s the best candidate because he served in the military, has been a senator for the past 12 years, or brought jobs home to his constituency.

The idea is to establish credibility to convince the voter to choose this candidate over his opponent.

52. Pathos

Pathos is the process of appealing to people’s emotions.

Why Is Pathos Used?

Writers use pathos to prompt an emotional response from their audience and make them feel how they want them to feel.

Example of Pathos

Pathos is the strongest driving force in advertising. One of the most notorious commercial campaigns using pathos came from the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BCSPCA).

The commercials featured 90s pop maven Sarah McLachlan’s hit “Angel” playing over photos and videos of animal suffering in situations of neglect and enduring the aftermath of abuse and cruelty. Interspersed are graphics listing shocking statistics about animal abuse in British Columbia.

The song itself is a tear-jerker. Paired with slow-motion images of suffering animals makes the commercial a heartbreaker designed to make the viewer think to himself, “Where is my credit card? I need to give these animals money right this instant. I don’t even care that they’re Canadian.“

53. Antithesis

When a writer or speaker takes two contrasting ideas and joins them into one thought to emphasize the contrast between them, he’s using antithesis.

Why Is Antithesis Used?

Antithesis is a rhetorical device that helps shine a new light on a subject or make the reader consider something from a new angle.

Example of Antithesis

One of the most famous examples came from Neil Armstrong, who, upon first setting foot on the moon, said, “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

He contrasted the idea of a single person with that of all humanity, and he also named the step he took as two very different achievements. Stepping from the bottom step of the lunar lander was just like any other step— no real big deal. However, that same step was also a huge deal because it was the first step ever taken on the surface of a place that wasn’t earth.

55. Ad hominem

This Latin phrase— shortened from the original argumentum ad hominem— translates to “argument to the person.” It is most commonly used as an adjective modifying the word “attack,” and it gets used in debates, arguments, and persuasive writing.

Why Is Ad hominem Used?

While ad hominem attacks are literary devices, they are not good ones, because most people recognize an ad hominem attack as the last resort of someone losing their argument.

Ad hominem attacks ignore the idea or issue at hand and instead address the person making the argument, pointing out personal flaws rather than holes in the person’s argument.

Example of Ad hominem

Politics are rife with these attacks. Politicians employ ad hominem attacks when they use so-called “what about” responses: a reporter asks an elected official a question about a controversy in which the politician finds himself embroiled, and rather than respond to the question directly, or even offer a defense of his actions, he responds by asking something like, “Well, what about when such-and-such politician did this-or-that last month?”

The politician he invokes may have done something bad, but it has nothing to do with the reporter’s question. His ad hominem attack provides no information at all.

56. Rhetorical Question

Rhetorical questions are inquiries made without the intent of eliciting an answer. We ask rhetorical questions to make a point— either the answer is obvious or the question itself is designed to make an audience reconsider something.

Why Are Rhetorical Questions Used?

Authors use rhetorical questions to influence or persuade their readers tactfully.

Example of a Rhetorical Question

One of the most jubilant rhetorical questions came in 1980 during the Winter Olympics. The US hockey team, almost entirely made up of amateurs (and the youngest team the States had ever fielded), faced off in the Gold Medal match against a Russian team composed of professionals and winners of five golds in the past six Olympics.

As the final seconds ticked away and the Americans won the game, broadcaster Al Michaels jubilantly shouted, “Do you believe in miracles?” He didn’t need anyone to answer.

57. Pun

Based on wordplay, a pun is a literary device that explores and tries to find humor in the similarity of words— their sounds and meanings. They are crucial elements of many dad jokes.

Why Are Puns Used?

Writers and authors use puns play around with the meaning and sounds of words.

Example of a Pun

DAD: “I’m reading a book about anti-gravity.”

SON: “Is it good?”

DAD: “I can’t put it down.”

The pun plays with the meaning of the phrase “can’t put it down,” which is usually an idiom indicating that the book is very good and more accurately means “I don’t want to put it down.” Gravity makes things fall down, so the pun is that a book about anti-gravity would be immune to gravitational forces.

We didn’t say it was funny. We said it was a pun.

58. Parallelism

Parallelism plays a role in speechmaking in that it is the practice of balancing two or more ideas so that they have equal or similar weight.

Why Is Parallelism Used?

Parallelism is an important grammatical concept. Writers use parallelism to develop parts of a sentence sharing the same grammatical construction, lest they sound and read awkwardly.

Example of Parallelism

Charles Dickens’s famous opening lines of A Tale of Two Cities exemplifies this: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….”

• Parallelism: “I like to spend my summers surfing, swimming, and fishing.”
• Faulty parallelism: “I like to spend my summers surfing, swimming, and I also like to fish.”

59. Characterization

One of the first things any writer learns is the adage, “Show, don’t tell.” Characterization is one of the main methods authors use to do that. Characterization is the use of details about a character to inform the audience about that character.

Why Is Characterization Used?

Writers use characterization to bring their characters to life.

Example of Characterization

Rather than describe a character as athletically inclined, an author might depict that character walking off a basketball court, sweaty and out-of-breath. Or, to characterize an antagonist as cruel, the writer might show him kicking his dog, which would be much more effective than simply writing, “He was a bad guy.”

60. Point of View

The point of view of a story describes the angle from which it is told.

Why Is Point of View Used?

Writers use point of view as whose eyes readers see the story through. There are three points of view:

• First person: Tells the story through some who is usually a part of the action. It uses first-person pronouns like “I,” “we,” and “our.”
• Second person: This point-of-view is rare in fiction, as it addresses the reader, involving them in the story. The main second-person pronoun used is “you.”
• Third person: Involves a narrator (often omnipotent) who is not part of the story at all. It allows the narrator to know what characters are thinking or why they do or say the things they do. Third-person pronouns are “he,” “they,” and “her.”

Example of Point of View

The Great Gatsby and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are all well-known examples of stories written in the first person point of view. In these stories, the first-person narrator offers readers an intimate look into their minds, although the overall perspective is less known because it is limited by the character’s knowledge.

61. Rising Action

Rising action is the part of a story (usually the largest part) in which the tale’s main conflicts are introduced and begin getting more complicated and urgent. Without rising action, there are few stakes in a tale. A low-stakes story is rarely engaging.

Why Is Rising Action Used?

Writers use rising action to develop all the twists and turns that happen in a plot as the main characters try to navigate the events of a story.

Example of Rising Action

In “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Indiana Jones travels the world chasing after the mythical Ark of the Covenant. The rising action involves Dr. Jones following clues, reading maps, and racing the Nazis to find it first.

62. Climax

When a story’s rising action has ratcheted the tension to its high point, that story has reached its climax.

Why Is Climax Used?

Writers use climax to announce the point in a narrative when the conflict must be resolved. It marks the end of the rising action and usually happens near the end of a narrative work.

Example of Climax

In Westerns, the climax occurs when the sheriff and the black-hat-wearing bad guy finally face off in the street. They draw on each other for the movie’s final shoot-out, and there is no more room for rising action. One has to win the battle, and the other has to die.

The film has built the conflict between the two characters and led them to this moment. Once it’s resolved, there’s not much story left to tell.

The “Raiders” climax comes when Indy and Marian find themselves tied to a post on a tiny island as the Nazis open the Ark, unleashing supernatural forces that kill all the bad guys.

62. Denouement

From a French word, “denouement” means “untie the knot.” A story’s denouement happens after the climax and marks the point in the story when things are returning to normal. The denouement of many fairy tales includes the phrase, “And they live happily ever after.”

Why Is Denouement Used?

Authors and writers use denouement to mark the resolution of the plot of their story.

Example of Denouement

In “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the denouement sees Jones voicing frustration at the US government for sweeping the whole Ark-related story under the rug before Marian asks him out for a drink. The credits roll, and Indy is safe until the next film.

63. Coincidence

A coincidence in a work of literature differs from one in real life. Real-life coincidences are often amusing and sometimes surprising.

Why Is Coincidence Used?

In literature, a coincidence is a series of occurrences that seem to happen without an obvious reason. It can be a lazy writer’s shortcut to solving a character’s problems, but writers sometimes use coincidence to spark a story. A well-executed coincidence can set two characters off on a path they might not otherwise have discovered together.

Example of Coincidence

In Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, the plot is kicked off by the coincidence of Roger Thornhill hailing down the page boy looking for a government agent.

64. Implication

Authors use implication when they don’t specifically spell something out, but rather present clues that lead the reader to conclude what has happened or is being said. Implication can sometimes spill over into euphemism.

Why Is Implication Used?

Authors typically use implication to make their writing more interesting or alive.

Example of Implication

A case in point is a scene in Theodore Dreiser’s 1900 novel Sister Carrie. Carrie lives an unorthodox lifestyle that many around her consider to be immoral. Carrie begins seeing Drouet, a wealthy older man.

Rather than write a sex scene (which would have been unacceptable to Victorian readers), the author implies that Carrie has begun sleeping with Drouet by revealing a dream Carrie’s sister Minnie has.

In it, Minnie dreams that Carrie gets swept out to sea and then later falls from a rock. The implication is that Carrie is now a fallen woman.

65. Portmanteau

Portmanteau words are built from two or more words, each shortened, then combined into a new word with more weight than the originals would on their own.

Why Is Portmanteau Used?

Authors and writers merely use portmanteau as a way to be linguistically creative.

Example of Portmanteau

• “Frenemy” combines “friend” and “enemy” into a new and wonderfully descriptive portmanteau.
• “Staycation” uses “stay” and “vacation” to describe the act of taking time off but not going anywhere, like a fancy trip.

66. Anaphora

Anaphora is a specific kind of repetition that uses a word or phrase over and over in a speech or work of literature.

Why Is Anaphora Used?

Authors use anaphora to create a rhythm in their words, emphasize ideas, and link them together.

Example of Anaphora

In President John F. Kennedy’s moonshot speech, he uses anaphora when he repeats the question “why?”– why go to the moon, why climb a mountain, why fly across an ocean?

67. Adage

An adage is a saying or short proverb that expresses some kind of truth. They come from philosophers, the Bible, and literature. Even if an adage has become a cliche, it still rings true.

Why Is Adage Used?

Writers use adages in their works to bring audiences awareness of essential aspects of life.

Examples of Adage

• A leopard cannot change his spots.

• One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
• Slow and steady wins the race.

• The early bird catches the worm.

Benjamin Franklin wrote many of the adages most of us know well.

68. Foil

A foil is a character in literature that exists to draw a contrast to another character.

Why Is Foil Used?

Writers often use foil to highlight personality aspects of a character. The foil is often a supporting character and often plays a sidekick role. Foils can also help reveal why characters make some of their choices.  

Example of Foil

Famous foils include Dr. Watson, who stands not against, but nevertheless in contrast to Sherlock Holmes. Robin is a young, naive foil to Batman’s dark brooding.

69. Anachronism

An anachronism is the occurrence of an object, event, or idea outside of a time in which it exists.

Why Are Anachronisms Used?

Authors use anachonisms to help contemporary audiences connect more with a historical time period.

Anachronisms are usually accidental, but authors sometimes use them with purpose.

Example of Anachronism

Accidental anachronisms include the chiming clock in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.”

No one would invent mechanical clocks that chimed out the hour until more than 1,000 years after Caesar’s death, but in Act II, a clock chimes.

Sharp-eyed moviegoers noticed a wristwatch on an actor in the chariot-racing scene in “Ben Hur” or an airplane flying overhead as Russell Crowe fights in “Gladiator,” even though the first human flight wouldn’t occur for nearly 2,000 years after the film’s events.

Intentional anachronisms attempt to make a work more relatable to audiences, such as in Apple TV’s show “Dickinson.”

About poet Emily Dickinson, the show takes place in the 19th century.

To make Emily more relatable to 21st-century audiences, the writers have her say things like, “No spoilers.” The concept of a spoiler wouldn’t appear in the vernacular until 1971 in an issue of National Lampoon.

70. Deus Ex Machina

Literally translated as “god from the machine,” deus ex machina is the use of some unexpected coincidence or supernatural intervention an author employs to rescue characters from impossible situations.

Why Is Deus Ex Machina Used?

Writers and authors sometimes believe deus ex machina to be nothing more than a cheap way to conclude a piece, while others find it useful or even comedic in nature.

Example of Deus Ex Machina

In ancient theatre, actors playing gods would get lowered to the stage via a machine, which is where the term comes from.

In modern literature, deus ex machina is often frowned-upon as a writer taking the easy way out.

71. Fable

Fables are short stories that teach lessons or contain a moral.

Why Are Fables Used?

Writers use fables to convey messages in a simple, easy-to-understand way.

Example of a Fable

Fables are sometimes peopled by animals that speak.

“The Pied Piper” is a short story that teaches a lesson (“honor your commitments, or else”), but it is not a fable.

The only animals in it are the rats which the piper runs out of town, and they don’t speak.

72. Genre

Genres are categories of literature, music, or art that share similar characteristics.

Why Is Genre Used?

Writers use genres to literally categorize their works. We can consider fiction and non-fiction different genres, but each has its own set of genres.

Music is the same way. You can call something “rock music” and not know much about what kind of rock music it is.

So we classify it into genres— punk, grunge, power pop, and on and on.

Example of Genre

Fiction is a genre, but has sub-genres within it.

Fiction genres include science fiction, mystery, so-called chick lit, fantasy, hard-boiled, historical fiction, and many others.

73. Subtext

Subtext is the meaning behind a character’s words.

It is often what the character “really” means, instead of what he’s actually saying.

Why Is Subtext Used?

Writers use subtext to get their audience to read between the lines to understand a character’s intention.

Example of Subtext

In the “Star Trek” series, the subtext of many of Dr. McCoy’s lines is that of bewilderment and unpreparedness.

Rather than say, “Captain Kirk, I don’t have any experience using cement to heal the wounds of this particular alien life form,” he tells Kirk that he’s a doctor, not a bricklayer.

74. Tragic Flaw

A character’s tragic flaw is the thing within him that causes his downfall or at least causes terrible things to happen to him.

It’s rarely a physical defect but rather a mindset that leads to conflict and, often, tragedy.

Why Is Tragic Flaw Used?

Authors typically use tragic flaws to help their readers learn a lesson through the demise of a character.

Example of Tragic Flaw

Odysseus’ tragic flaw is his hubris, or pride. Upon defeating the Trojans in “The Illiad,” he proclaims how great and smart he is.

Odysseus is both of those things, but the gods helped him win that war. He didn’t do it single-handedly.

This proclamation angers Poseidon, who spends the entirety of “The Odyssey” trying to prevent Odysseus from returning home to Ithaca.

Poseidon fails to stop him, as Odysseus eventually returns to his home.

However, it took him 10 years and cost the lives of every single soldier traveling with him.

75. Palindrome

Palindromes are words or phrases that read the same from front to back or back to front.

Why Is Palindrome Used?

There is no authentic reason why writers or authors use palindromes other than to test their literary skillset and dazzle readers.  

Example of Palindrome

“Mom,” “dad,” and “race car” are simple examples.

The longer a palindrome, the more challenging it is to have it make sense, rather than just being a gee-whiz exercise.

• “No devil lived on.”
• “A man, a plan a canal, Panama.”
• “Nurse, I spy gypsies. Run!”
• “Lisa Bonet ate no basil.”
• “Tulsa nightlife: filth, gin, a slut.”

Frequently Asked Questions

With so many terms, readers probably have questions since we’ve covered so much information.

Let’s address two that come up fairly often.

Wrapping Up

Whether an author feverishly works on his passion project every day or stares at the page (or screen) trying to think of things to write about, his poetry or prose can benefit from the use of literary devices.

They serve to make writing more engaging, more interesting, and more powerful.

Do you find anything in this article that’s unclear?

Let us know in the comments section.

We welcome your questions and comments.

Once you get them answered, your writing will improve.

These devices can add interest and depth to your work and create a more compelling narrative.

In this article, we explore the use of pathos along with some of the most common literary devices used in writing.

We also discuss how they improve your work and how these devices can inspire you when you want to choose things to write about.

What Is Pathos?

Rhetoric is the art of persuasion, and pathos is a key element in effective rhetoric.

Pathos is an emotional appeal used in writing or speaking to audiences.

The most important thing about pathos is that it’s implemented sparingly and carefully.

Too much emotion can turn an audience off, while too little will leave an audience uninterested.

Also Known As:

• Poignancy
• Pitiableness
• Plaintiveness

Simple Definition: How To Explain Pathos to a Child

Pathos is a writing technique used to make readers have an emotional response.

Authors use words and images to create feelings of sadness, excitement, and more.

Why Is Pathos Used?

Pathos is a way to persuade an audience of an argument.

The goal is to get the audience to connect with the speaker on an emotional level so they will be more likely to agree with the speaker’s point of view.

When used ineffectively, pathos can backfire and cause audiences to react negatively to the message.

Types of Pathos

Pathos is a very versatile literary tool that can elicit strong emotions in the audience.

There are various types of pathos authors and speakers implement in their work.

So whether you’re wondering how to write a blog post or trying to write the next literary hit, here are a few types of pathos you can use:

• Imagery/Symbolism: Pathos can be seen in imagery and symbolism to cause emotions through the chosen colors and expressions.
• Sentimental Pathos: This literary device appeals to the reader’s sense of nostalgia or sentimentality, evoking emotions such as happiness, love, or sorrow. This type of pathos is highly effective in literary works.
• Tragic Pathos: Tragic pathos is used to evoke pity or fear in the reader, often by representing suffering or death. This pathos is seen in Shakespearean plays and Greek philosophical texts.
• Comic Pathos: Comic pathos is to provoke laughter or amusement, typically by representing the foibles of human nature.  Comic pathos performs well in shorter texts, articles, or blog posts.

How Do You Identify Pathos

To identify pathos, you must understand the author’s emotional appeals.

The reader must first understand the characters’ feelings and how the author conveys emotions.

In some cases, the author may use descriptive language to help the reader feel the character’s emotions.

For example, words like “hate,” “love,” and “murder” evoke an emotional response.

Pathos-heavy arguments or dialogue often make use of personal stories and anecdotes, as these can be very effective in stirring up feelings.

How Do You Use Pathos in a Sentence?

The author must first establish a connection with the reader, then use language that triggers the desired emotions.

They might use words that evoke feelings of sadness or sorrow or describe a character’s hardship to make the reader feel empathy.

What Is the Most Popular Example of Pathos

William Shakespeare has some of the most popular instances of pathos.

For example, pathos is used in Romeo and Juliet when Romeo talks about his love for Juliet in the balcony scene.

This use of pathos makes the audience feel sympathetic for Romeo and his situation.

Other Famous Examples of Pathos

Several notable authors and speakers effectively use pathos in their work.

“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr.

MLK Jr. talks about how he has seen his children denied the right to education.

He also discussed his harassment by police officers.

These stories appeal to the emotions of his audience to support his cause.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Pathos is shown in the character of Jay Gatsby.

Throughout the novel, Gatsby is a tragic figure unable to let go of his past.

Ultimately leading to his downfall as he can’t escape the hurt and betrayal he feels.

Fitzgerald creates a powerful and memorable character by evoking pity and sympathy in the reader.

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Willy Loman is a man inextricably linked to his profession.

However, as he approaches the end of his career, he finds himself unable to compete with others.

Facing the prospect of retirement and obsolescence, Willy ultimately takes his own life.

By humanizing Willy and revealing the toll that his profession has taken on him, Miller allows readers to empathize with the character.

Other Modern Examples of Pathos

Pathos is also a prevalent literary device in modern works.

Examples of Pathos for Kids

For children, pathos must be relatable and understandable.

• Example 1: A teacher tells a story about a time when they were bullied as a child to teach their students about kindness.
• Example 2: A child watches a video about a sad dog in a shelter and writes about how that made them feel.
• Example 3: A bedtime story includes a character telling a personal story about going through a tough situation.

Examples of Pathos in Writing

In writing, pathos can be achieved through the use of vivid language, storytelling, and metaphors.

• Example 1: In “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift uses satire to highlight the plight of the poor in Ireland. He does this by suggesting that they be sold as food for the rich. While this suggestion is ridiculous, it highlights the desperate situation and provokes outrage in his readers.
• Example 2: In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the author uses pathos to create a relatable character in Harry Potter. Throughout the series, Harry faces many challenges and hardships. These experiences allow readers to empathize with Harry and feel invested in his story.
• Example 3: In the novel The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen is a young girl who is thrust into a deadly competition. She must fight for her life while also trying to protect her loved ones. The reader feels suspense and empathy, as they root for Katniss to survive.

Examples of Pathos in Literature

To create a pathos-driven piece, authors often rely on personal anecdotes, stirring images, and appeals to morality.

• Example 1: In Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe uses vivid descriptions of slavery to share the brutal experiences many enslaved people went through.
• Example 2: Pathos can be found in Elie Wiesel’s Night. This first-hand account details Wiesel’s experience as a Holocaust survivor and paints a harrowing picture of the atrocities that he and others endured.
• Example 3: In the play “Romeo and Juliet,” Shakespeare uses pathos to create a sense of tragedy and despair.

Notable Writers Who Used Pathos

Many notable writers have used pathos in their work to connect and convince the audience of their story.

Here are a few prominent examples.

Charles Dickens

Dickens frequently used pathos in his work, particularly in his novel Oliver Twist.

The character of Oliver is a perfect example of how Dickens uses pathos to create a compelling and sympathetic character.

Harper Lee

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that exemplifies the power of pathos.

The story, set during the Jim Crow era, centers on the trial of a falsely accused black man.

Through the use of vivid language and moving characters, Lee highlights the injustice of the racial inequality that was so prevalent at the time.

As a result, readers feel outraged at the treatment of African Americans in the United States.

Jon Krakauer

Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild follows Chris McCandless, a young man who decides to abandon society and live off the land in Alaska.

Krakauer expertly chronicles McCandless’ journey, and readers can’t help but feel empathy for him as he struggles against the harsh conditions.

What Is the Opposite of Pathos

Pathos is one of three primary methods for persuasive arguments, the other two include ethos and logos.

Logos appeals to logic or reason, and ethos appeals to authority or status.

Pathos vs. Ethos

While pathos appeals to emotions and subjectivity, ethos attempts to establish the credibility or good character of the speaker to win over the audience.

Ethos can help convince the audience that the speaker is knowledgeable and trustworthy and that they should listen to what they have to say.

Each method has its strengths and weaknesses, and different audiences will respond better to different approaches.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

In literature, authors often employ various devices to engage the reader or enhance the meaning of their work.

• Ethos: Ethos refers to the credibility or character of the speaker or writer.
• Logos: A logos-based argument relies on the use of sound reasoning and clear evidence to prove a point.
• Irony: Irony is the contrast between what is expected and what occurs. There are three main types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic.
• Allusion: A brief, often indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or event. Authors often use allusions to add depth and richness to their writing.
• Rhetorical Question: A rhetorical question is a question that is asked for effect or to make a point, rather than to get an answer.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Writing tools help us to express ourselves clearly and concisely, without ambiguity or confusion.

They also enable us to organize our thoughts logically.

Writing tools can save you time and money, making them worth it to check out.

• Writing Helpers: While some people can write effectively without any outside help, many people find that using helpers for writing can be extremely helpful. There are various writing helpers available, ranging from simple spell checkers to more complex grammar checkers. And for people who have difficulty getting their ideas down on paper, there are even outlines and brainstorming tools available.
• AI Writing Software: AI writing software can help you to improve your writing skills. In addition, AI writing software can help you to save time by automating the editing and proofreading process. GPT-3 powered software is an advanced writing program many individuals use.
• Grammar Checkers: Tools for checking grammar help ensure your writing is error-free, and they can also help you to improve your overall grammar skills.
• Content Creators: Content creators can help you develop compelling content that tells a story, drives conversions, and builds brand loyalty. They can help you to develop an effective content marketing strategy that aligns with your business goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Literary devices can be tricky to use correctly, but with a little practice, these devices can sway an audience in favor of the speaker.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are various methods an author can use to engage their readers.

Many writers connect to their audience through pathos, ethos, and logos.

In addition, it’s helpful to be aware of other literary devices that can add depth and richness to your writing.

And finally, don’t forget to use the many tools available to help you write more effectively.

With some practice, you’ll be able to wield these tools like a pro and create content that engages and persuades your readers.

For example, prose is standard when communicating ideas to a reader.

This article will explain what prose is, how it’s used, the different types of prose, and explore some of the most notable examples of prose in literature.

What Is Prose?

Prose is a style of writing that arranges words or phrases into grammatically-correct sentences and paragraphs.

Also Known As

Here are other terms that this literary device goes by:

• Spoken language
• Novelism
• Antipoetic

Simple Definition: How To Explain Prose to a Child

You can explain prose to a child as a grammatically correct sentence that turns into a paragraph.

It’s the style in which most people write books.

Why Is Prose Used?

Prose has many applications.

You can find it in various types of content like novels, magazines, and poetry.

Authors typically use prose to express an idea or tell a story.

Types of Prose

There are different variations of this literary device.

You can learn how to write a blog post by understanding these nuances to help you use them in your writing, whether composing a novel or making blog content.

1. Fictional Prose

Fictional prose is the most known form and is created from a writer’s imagination.

It follows the standard elements of story writing, including plot, character development, dialogue, and setting.

You’ll typically encounter fictional prose in novels and short stories.

2. Nonfiction Prose

Unlike fictional prose, nonfictional prose is based on actual events and irrefutable facts.

In that context, nonfiction prose gives authors plenty of things to write about, from true crime and current affairs to recounting historical events.

You’ll find nonfictional prose in newspaper articles, textbooks, magazines, and biographies.

3. Heroic Prose

Heroic prose consists of legends, myths, fables, and parables.

These stories get passed down orally or through written form, preserving their meaning for generations.

4. Prose Poetry

Finally, prose poetry is a hybrid that follows both prose and the rhythmic style of poetry.

This prose style is typically written in paragraph form yet uses the figurative language found in poetry.

How Do You Identify Prose?

You can identify prose in written form relatively easily.

Prose is structured using blocks of text, written in a standard grammatical form of sentences and paragraphs.

These blocks of text follow the natural patterns of verbal speech that we use in everyday language.

How Do You Use Prose in a Sentence?

Writing in prose means bringing your narrative to life through words.

So whether you’re writing a novel, poem, or short story, you need to remember the key elements of prose: character, setting, mood, plot, and point of view.

You’re already using prose in a sentence by combining complete sentences into grammatically-correct paragraphs.

What Is the Most Popular Example of Prose?

Famous examples of prose have a natural flow of speech, which allows the reader to follow along with the storyline easily.

J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher In The Rye seamlessly conveys the thoughts of the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, throughout the story.

In real life, the inner workings of someone’s mind isn’t perfect.

Everybody goes off on tangents, thinks of new ideas, or returns to old ideas.

Salinger captures this fractious reality by describing Holden Caulfield’s inconsistent and convoluted thoughts through his narration.

The first-person narration consists of Holden Caulfield speaking to and conversing directly with the reader.

Salinger’s first-person prose creates intimacy between the narrator and the reader.

By the novel’s end, readers feel they know the kind of person he is and how his thoughts defined his outlook on life.

Other Famous Examples of Prose

Fiction authors write prose in narrative form.

Depending on the point of view, you typically get a glimpse into the mind of the characters to understand them.

Here are some other famous examples of prose:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Dickens’ prose writing style relates to all readers.

He uses narrative and dialogue to allow the main character, Pip, to bear his soul to the readers.

A relatable fear that anyone could have while growing up is becoming the person you don’t want to be.

Using meaningful prose, Dickens skillfully navigates the difficulties of adulthood and the anxiety young people have as they grow older.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Known as The Great American Novel, Melville’s prose hooks the reader from the first line.

“Call me Ishmael” gives the reader a name to think about throughout the novel.

Melville uses plot and mood to describe the suspenseful story.

His prose infuses the idea of revenge into his characters.

Interestingly, Melville uses sentences that loop back to the original idea.

These create an emotional turmoil that entices the reader to uncover through the narrative.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray using complex yet humorous prose.

Wilde takes the reader through the mind of Dorian Gray with long sentences written with figurative language.

The iconic Irish writer balances these complex sentences with short and funny sentences.

Other Modern Examples of Prose

Here are a few more examples of Prose that you might recognize:

Examples of Prose for Kids

Some of the best examples of prose for kids to help them understand this literary device include:

• “The Five Little Pigs”
•  “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling
• “Little Red Riding Hood”

Countless fairytales, fables, and other short stories can give a child an enriching glimpse into prose writing.

Examples of Prose in Literature

Nearly every novel in literature is written in prose.

It’s a standard because prose coincides with verbal communication and how people talk in everyday life.

• “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck
• “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• “Slaughterhouse-Five” by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

These examples are a few of these authors’ most notable works written in prose; however, we’ll discuss famous authors and more pieces of literature that use prose.

Examples of Prose in Poetry

Prose in poetry follows a natural pattern of narration, so it’s easily recognizable compared to verses that follow a rhythmic structure.

• “Spring Day” by American poet Amy Lowell
• “Be Drunk” by French writer Charles Baudelaire
• “The Talking Oak” by the British poet Alfred Lord Tennyson

Prose poems are not written in stanza form.

Instead, you read them normally, and they follow standard grammatical structures.

Nevertheless, this style of poetry maintains common poetic elements.

Notable Writers Who Used Prose

Writers use this literary device to get their point across to readers.

Here are some notable writers that use prose in their works:

1. Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s style of prose incorporated elements of journalism into fiction writing.

During the 1920s, many American authors rejected the typical European style of writing.

Hemingway preferred objective writing that integrates straightforward facts.

In doing so, he hid the symbolism of his stories underneath the layers of information and dialogue.

2. Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s prose style stemmed from her husband, Percy Shelley, a famous poet during the Age of Romanticism.

Shelley’s romanticism combined with a style of Gothic literature that she’s known for in her work.

Frankenstein blended that style to romanticize Victor Frankenstein’s monster.

She developed the monster and Victor Frankenstein to ask philosophical questions.  

3. Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe uses all the key elements involved with writing in prose.

His novel The Masque Of The Red Death featured all the essential elements of prose.

Using setting, mood, and characters, Poe paints a picture of the party and those in attendance in the story.

Poe’s natural skill for using poetic prose vividly describes the scene and their grizzly demise.

His prose ensures no reader is left with unanswered questions about what transpires.

What Is the Opposite of Prose?

Prose is the standard for writing, from novels and short stories to news articles and blog posts.

The opposite of prose would be poetry.

Poetry follows a rhythm, is written in various short stanzas, and usually includes rhymes at the end of each line.

Prose vs. Poetry

Writing in prose means there are no line breaks.

Prose has a grammatically-correct structure, written in paragraphs and sentences.

Poetry is known for having line breaks and stanzas to tell its story.

Another difference between prose and poetry is that the author organizes the lines to end with rhyming words and doesn’t focus on traditional grammar.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

There are several literary devices related to prose.

They might be more prominent in specific types of writing, but many can be blended together into a cohesive work.

Knowing what each literary device means can be advantageous, as it could help you incorporate them into your writing:

• Parallelism: Parallelism is a figure of speech that follows the same grammatical structure.
• Metaphors: A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares a word or phrase to an unrelated object or action.
• Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is a literary device that hints at what will happen later in the story.
• Rhyme: A rhyme is a literary device that consists of identical concluding syllables in different words.
• Verbal Irony: Verbal irony is a figure of speech where the meaning of a word or phrase is different from the situation you’re writing about.

Writing Tools to Help You Out

These writing tools will help you in the long run while developing your writing styles and techniques.

1. Writing Helpers

Writing helpers make suggestions for improving clarity, checking grammar, and helping you avoid plagiarism.

This tool also aids with style and engagement so you can fix passive voice usage and hard-to-read sentences.  

2. AI Writing Software

While you may not want software to generate AI-written content to change the entirety of your writing, you can use such tools to work through new topic ideas, create outlines, and develop your SEO strategy.

AI writing software can expand on your idea while letting you rewrite it for clarity and style.

3. Grammar Checkers

Everyone should read over their drafts to check for grammar mistakes.

However, sometimes it’s better to get a second opinion.

After all, content creators want to ensure they’re putting their best work forward for people to see.

With that in mind, consider choosing a tool like Grammarly, one of the best grammar checkers around, to help you proofread your work before it’s released.

4. Content Creators

Content creators are always looking for the best writing tools to ensure their writing, whether it’s blog posts or news articles, sounds professional or knowledgeable.

From eye-catching visuals to centering your content to appeal to your intended audience, the right tools can be helpful when you need to develop content that matches your goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about this literary device?

We have the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions to further help you understand the meaning of prose.

Wrapping Up

No matter what you write, you can use prose to articulate your ideas, bring your imagination to life, make your writing more interesting, and connect with your readers.

Good prose allows a writer to be concise, helping you to convey thoughts using easy-to-follow grammatical structures centered on paragraphs and sentences.

With that in mind, make sure your writing isn’t challenging to understand, as the best prose is accessible to all.

Selecting the right words to use at the right times for the right types of content is called diction.

Diction is a literary device that may look invisible to the untrained eye but works to inform the tone, style, and so many other subtle elements of a piece.

What Is Diction?

Diction is a literary device referring to the choice of words a writer makes.

Specifically, it refers to the word choices that edify clarity, efficiency, or accuracy.

Properly employed diction can transform a text from a colloquial pamphlet to an academic report.

Diction is a vital element of craft for those looking to develop voice and style.

Also Known As

• Phraseology
• Parlance
• Idiom

Simple Definition: How to Explain Diction to a Child

Diction is choosing what words to use and when to use them.

Different words can mean something close but still be a little different.

Those differences can change the meaning entirely.

Why is Diction Used?

A ruby horse, a scarlet horse, and a fiery horse can all refer to a red horse.

A writer will choose a synonym of red to illustrate extra information about the horse.

The economy of words, that is, using the right number of words, benefits from packing information into words.

A writer could say that the horse is regal and red, but by referring to it as ruby the royal connotation and the color get wrapped up into a single word.

Types of Diction

Part of what can make learning to identify diction difficult is that there are many types of diction.

Check out the types and examples below to understand the versatility of diction.

1. Formal Diction

Formal Diction is often heard in courtrooms and official government reports.

These word choices are specific and usually professional.

For example, a lawyer may use formal diction to record, “The client swore at the jury”, rather than record what swear words were used.

2. Informal Diction

Informal diction is the inverse of formal diction. It is related to colloquial diction, as it uses looser, more friendly language.

The distinction is likely made by the author’s view of what constitutes the dominant culture.

Rick Riordan, the revered young adult fantasy author, is known for writing first-person point-of-view books where the speaker uses casual language, as though they are a teenager talking to another teenager.

His first book, the Lightning Thief, opens with a great example of informal diction; “Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood.”

3. Concrete Diction

Concrete diction is the usage of firm, objective terms to describe something.

This technique is often used in sales, especially the sale of food.

While there is nothing less than objective in the phrase “The freshly-made pasta was served with a creamy vodka tomato sauce, with buttery garlic bread on the side”, the sentence is still highly evocative through its use of detail.

4. Abstract Diction

Abstract diction is used to refer to intangible nouns such as justice, love, and the economy.

Shakespeare’s 130th sonnet uses physical words to allude to the abstract feelings the speaker experiences toward the woman in question

5. Pedantic Diction

Pedantic diction is when authors utilize exceptionally convoluted terminology to manifest scenarios of great lugubriousness.

This pretentious style of using unnecessarily complex terminology can be used to indicate arrogance, class tensions, or overeducation.

6. Colloquial Diction

Colloquial diction uses the dialect of a region or culture to accurately portray a group of people.

This type of diction is also sometimes used to mock people.

Colloquial diction is also known as vernacular diction, as both types pull from the spoken dialect of a region over written language.

A popular version of colloquial diction is exaggerated British affectations, such as “Oy, guv! It’s Chewsday, innit?

Git me a woter bo’ole if ya pop down to the shops” meaning “Hello, sir.

I believe it is Tuesday.

Please purchase a bottle of water for me should you visit a store today.”

7. Poetic Diction

Poetic diction is most common in poetry, but it is found in all sorts of writings, from fiction to journalism.

8. Slang Diction

Slang diction is similar to colloquial diction but tends to indicate a time rather than a culture.

Writings from the American 1920s may use phrases like ‘the cat’s pajamas’ or ‘the bee’s knees.’

How Do You Identify Diction?

Diction is omnipresent in writing.

The best way to identify it is to look for places where words can be swapped out.

“I walked to the brick schoolhouse,” in the eyes of an exhausted student, becomes “I slugged my way into the red prison.”

Look for places where synonyms can be used to achieve the desired effect.

How Do You Use Diction in a Sentence?

When you’re learning how to write a blog post, you’ll want to get good at using diction in a sentence.

What Is the Most Popular Example of Diction?

One of the most well-known opening lines in all of literature comes from the first line in Charles Dickens’ book A Tale of Two Cities.

Dickens could’ve written, “The era this book is set in is defined by its paradoxical nature.” Instead, he crafted the following.

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 season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Other Famous Examples of Diction

Shakespeare’s Macbeth

“Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? Or art thou but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressèd brain?

Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ’em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.

Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

Other Modern Examples of Diction

Diction can be found anywhere words are strung together.

Examples of Diction for Kids

• Clifford the Big Red Dog is direct in the inclusion of a dog in the program
• Paw Patrol alludes to the main characters being dogs
• Scooby-Doo names the dog, a famous character in his own right

Examples of Diction in Literature

Most men and women will grow up to love their servitude and will never dream of revolution.

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

Neighbours bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between.

Boo was our neighbor.

He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives.

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

The Great Gatsby, F. Scoot Fitzgerald

Examples of Diction in Speech

• “I’m chuffed.” can mean either being pleased or annoyed, depending on the context.
• “It’s nice to see you,” is a much milder version of a greeting that still may mean “I missed you.”
• “I’m rather hungry.” can be swapped for “I’m ravenous.”

Notable Writers Who Used Diction

All writers employ diction, even if they don’t know the term.

However, some authors use diction in a way that truly makes their work shine.

1. James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room 

James Baldwin was an essayist and an author who used diction to lace his writings with layers of meaning.

He would use precise, exact diction to link together sentences much more profound than the sum of their parts.

2. Madeline Miller, Song of Achilles

Song of Achilles is a retelling of ancient Greek myths.

Miller makes these myths come alive with a faithful retelling that carefully highlights the traits of the characters she has deemed protagonists.

3. Alice Walker, The Color Purple

The Color Purple is an epistolatory novel written from the point of view of a young Black girl living in the Reconstruction era, detailing her growth from child to woman.

Throughout the entirety of the book, the protagonist writes using language that makes sense for her time, culture, race, and age.

The excerpt below is an incredible example of blending flavors of diction.

What Is the Opposite of Diction?

The tone is the opposite of diction.

Choosing when to use diction and when to use tone comes down to the goal of any given piece.

Tone refers to the emotion evoked by a text.

Diction vs. Tone

Diction refers to word choice, working at the unit level of writing.

The tone is a much more zoomed-out way of crafting a piece.

The tone is created by diction, changing the length of sentences, choosing what information to present when, and countless other factors.

Lighthearted diction can serve a heavy tone when masterfully utilized.

Other Related Literary Devices to Know

Literary devices are never soloists.

Familiarizing yourself with these related literary devices will help you utilize diction to the fullest.

• Allusion: An allusion is a reference that does not address the topic at hand directly. The fruit of Eden is a phrase that would allude to apples in much of modern parlance, though the word apple never appears in the Bible where the story of Eden originates from.
• Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is when elements of the story indicate events or revelations that are to come. The detective genre is founded on the principle of foreshadowing. Sherlock Holmes does not arrive at his conclusions without Watson catching glimpses of clues along the way.
• Imagery: Imagery evokes the sense. Rich imagery in writing can often be seen in food blogs and cookbooks, where the author needs to convince the audience that their creations taste delicious without the reader ever encountering said food.
• Metaphors: A metaphor is when a noun is directly compared or even stated to equivocate another noun.
  A common example is ‘Time is Money’. While that wouldn’t appear to be physically true, the metaphor holds up as both are societal constructs that dictate conduct.
• Simile: A simile is similar to a metaphor, but includes words in between to indicate that a comparison is being made. Remarking that a colleague is as quiet as a mouse would be using a simile.

Writing Tools to Help You Out

Not all writing tools are created equal.

Many writers assume that the simple spelling check feature built into their word processor is sufficient to ensure that their work is of high quality.

Thankfully, long before your writing interacts with an editor, you can use digital tools developed to punch up your writing and smooth out any issues.

These tips for writing will save you time and money when writing, as you will need fewer hours from editors.

1. Writing Helpers

Writing helpers use powerful artificial intelligence to suggest style choices to writers.

They also may prompt writers with suggestions on ways to end a sentence or revise sentences to help them make sense.

Writing helpers need input from the writer, as they are a tool that works off of content that is being composed.

These are most useful during composition.

2. AI Writing Software

When it comes to saving time, there’s no option like someone else writing your content.

However, that gets expensive quickly.

The best way to produce content quickly and cheaply is entirely automated.

AI Writing Software is a new type of program where artificial intelligence builds an entire piece of content working off of as little as a single keyword.

While the upfront cost to use such services may seem daunting, they pay off quickly with efficiency and cost.

AI Writing Software is best for rapidly approaching deadlines.

3. Grammar Checkers

Once a piece is done, you’ll want to check it for grammar and spelling issues.

Use grammar checkers to make your piece feel professional and flow smoothly.

4. Content Creators

Use content creators to outsource work.

Even in the digital age, there’s a human touch that can’t be replicated.

Ghostwriters make a huge portion of the content on the internet and are often experienced and capable of producing high-quality content with a short turnaround time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Now that you’re familiar with diction, it might be easy to identify it in a sentence.

But it’s okay if you’re not quite ready to deploy it for yourself.

Wrapping Up

Diction is a vital tool in any writer’s toolbox, especially when shifting genres and assignments.

Many types of writers use diction to deepen sentences without lengthening them and provide additional information via implication.

Different varieties of diction can transform a piece into an entirely new style.

Employing diction will punch up your writing regardless of genre.

It can breathe life into otherwise drab writing and allows the author to demonstrate their personal style.

Once you get into the habit of incorporating personification into your work, it will become instinctual.

Below is everything you need to know about this literary device, examples of personification, and when to use it in your writing.

What Is Personification?

Personification is a literary device that describes non-human objects as having human characteristics.

For example, stars can dance. Skies can weep.

Personification helps writers create unique moments that remain in the reader’s mind long after they finish a blog post or story.

It can also serve as a great entry point for writers looking for things to write about by generating ideas.

Also Known As:

• Prosopopoeia

Simple Definition: How To Explain Personification to a Child

When thinking about personification, it’s helpful to think of the word person.

Personification describes objects, plants, ideas, and more as if they were doing something a human would do.

In real life, for example, stars can’t dance, but through this personification, they can.

Why Is Personification Used?

Writers use personification to bring an invigorating voice to their work that engages readers.

Stories from real life can also take on a more poetic meaning when personification is used effectively.

Types of Personification

This literary device can be used in many contexts to create a dramatic effect within any written work.

• The Personification of Objects: Personifying objects occurs when non-living things are described as doing something a human might. Personifying objects can be particularly useful when you’re describing household settings such as offices or rooms in homes.
• The Personification of Concepts: Concepts such as love, hate, sadness, and others can also be personified. Personifying concepts helps make abstract ideas feel real and palpable.
• The Personification of Landscapes: The landscape is frequently personified in pastoral writing. This personification occurs when features such as mountains, bodies of water, and even plants exhibit human traits. We commonly see this in terms of weather, particularly when it’s extreme.
• The Personification of Animals: Not to be confused with anthropomorphism, the personification of animals occurs on a subtle scale. Animals aren’t characters when they are personified, but they do exhibit human characteristics. This tactic is often used when adding vivid detail to your writing. These detailed descriptions allow readers to visualize these moments in their minds.

How Do You Identify Personification?

Identifying personification takes practice, but once you get used to keeping an eye out for it, you’ll notice it more and more.

When you’re reading, try to find examples of non-human things doing something a human would do.

Ask yourself: “Can this actually happen in real life?”

If the answer is no, you’ve likely stumbled onto a literary device.

How Do You Use Personification in a Sentence?

Using personification can feel strange at first.

But once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature.

Consider the following examples as you begin crafting your own sentences with personification.

You can also check out other tips for writing and begin the process.

• Example 1: Shadows tiptoed across the cold cement floors.
• Example 2: The ice groaned as we walked across the frozen lake.
• Example 3: The last bit of his pride limped after him.

One helpful trick for trying out personification in a low-stakes environment is to write a list of objects (for example, a tree, knife, or moon) and cover them up.

In the next column, write a verb.

It should be something that a person would do.

You might end up with trees laughing, knives whistling, and the moon sighing sadly.

These won’t be perfect, but they’re a fantastic way to get the juices flowing.

What Is the Most Popular Example of Personification?

The good news is, you’re probably more well-versed in personification than you know.

The literary device appears frequently in children’s fiction, songs, and television.

Nursery rhymes also heavily rely on personification.

Remember “Hey, Diddle diddle”? That rhyme is full of personification.

For example, in the jingle, the dish runs away with the spoon.

You might also recognize personification in one of the most famous poems. Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” features a spooky raven pestering a man by saying “Nevermore.”

The poem offers many instances of personification, from souls burning to lampshades throwing shadows.

This tactic creates an unusual atmosphere that lends itself to the feeling of sorrow at the poem’s core.

Other Famous Examples of Personification

Once you begin paying attention, personification is everywhere.

It’s used by almost all writer types.

The following examples personify concepts, food, landscapes, and more.

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

In this famous poem, Dickinson uses personification to make death into an actual being.

He waits, and they ride together in a carriage.

“Blackberrying” by Sylvia Plath

Plath uses personification to make the blackberries she’s picking feel human.

She explains that they must love her and that the berries themselves arrange themselves neatly in the jar she carries.

The poem also features a personified hill.

Like a human, it has a face and looks out over the ocean.

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

This famous short story describes characters during the war in Vietnam.

They carry essential supplies, but O’Brien also describes the things they carry that go beyond objects.

This choice demonstrates the weight of not only their supplies but also the metaphorical weight that these things carry.

The platoon leader, for instance, carries the weight of responsibility for his men.

Other Modern Examples of Personification

Personification is everywhere, even today.

It’s one of the most commonly utilized literary devices, and for good reason–it lets writers make interesting thematic moves that entice readers.

Examples of Personification for Kids

Personification is great for kids because it helps them see the world in new and exciting ways.

One of the most popular examples of personification for kids is the nursery rhyme “Hey, Diddle, Diddle” from Mother Goose.

In the poem, all manner of animals and objects are described as behaving like humans.

Dishes and spoons run away together, and little dogs laugh at the whole ordeal.

Examples of Personification in Literature and Writing

Shakespeare heavily relied on personification in nearly all of his plays and poetry.

Because the majority of his work was developed for the theater of the time, which had limited theatrical effects, personification helped his audience picture abstract concepts like love, dear, and grief.

Examples of Personification for Poems and Speech

Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech incorporates many literary devices, including personification.

He frequently uses heat to describe the state of injustice in America to help his audience feel the oppressive environment Black Americans faced during the Civil Rights Movement.

Notable Writers Who Used Personification

Personification is employed by beginner writers as well as those who have advanced far in their careers.

Many notable writers used personification to make their work stronger.

1. Jane Austen

The author of Pride and Prejudice and other beloved novels featuring strong female characters frequently used personification.

Because her protagonists are women writers, their use of personification demonstrates why they might love writing in the first place–it allowed them a freedom that society at the time did not.

2. John Steinbeck

As the author of The Grapes of Wrath and many other popular works, John Steinbeck frequently used personification, particularly concerning the land. In his most famous work, set in the Dust Bowl, he described the weather using personification to stress the harsh nature of the environment.

Similarly, in Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck writes about sycamore leaves whispering.

3. Edgar Allen Poe

As mentioned earlier, Poe was a big fan of personification.

By giving creatures, buildings, and other objects human-like qualities, he was able to create a spooky atmosphere where anything was possible.

His characters never feel entirely alone, even though they often physically are.

One of his most famous examples of personification is when he writes about death as a living entity, creating a greater sense of terror for the readers.

What Is the Opposite of Personification?

The complete opposite of personification is the literal description of something that makes no metaphorical literary movements.

However, there is also a literary device known as reverse personification.

This device allows writers to attribute non-human traits to people and characters.

Personification vs. Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is another device that differs greatly from personification.

At first glance, these tools might seem to be the same.

Both give non-human beings or objects human characteristics.

Anthropomorphism, however, focuses mostly on animals but can also be used in the portrayal of gods or objects.

Anthropomorphism can be found in works like Charlotte’s Web or Animal Farm, where animals are the main characters that learn and grow like people.

Personification is used more minimally, creating an emotional feel by creating strong imagery.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

Personification is an important literary device, but there are many more literary techniques you should learn about and incorporate into your work to become a stronger writer.

• Allusion: An allusion is a covert reference to something outside the text.
• Diction: Diction focuses on words and phrases used within a text.
• Alliteration: Alliteration occurs when the same letter or sound is used at the beginning of adjacent or connected words. Unlike assonance, alliteration uses consonants, not vowels.
• Allegory: Allegories are stories with moral or political hiding meanings you can interpret and learn a lesson from.
• Colloquialism: This device refers to informal words used in casual conversation, such as slang or regional phrases.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Memorizing the many literary devices can feel daunting, but there are several resources to make it easier.

Once you have a handle on them, your writing will improve as you continue to incorporate these techniques into your writing.

These writing tools will save you time (and money) while you learn.

1. Writing Helpers

If you need help developing content for your blog or other creative content, consider using helpers for writing content.

Writing helpers are available to assist you in several areas of writing and can even help you learn how to write a blog post.

2. AI Writing Software

If you’re looking to produce content for your blog without much effort, consider utilizing writing software powered by AI.

As technology develops, creating content utilizing computers can set the stage for writing projects.

3. Grammar Checkers

Is grammar not your strong suit?

No worries.

There are many tools to check your grammar available to help ensure your work is polished and ready to publish.

4. Content Creators

Do you have a unique idea for a blog but don’t have a lot of time to produce content?

Content creators can help you develop ideas and create strong content to engage your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about personification?

Here are two common questions about this literary device.

Wrapping Up

Whether creating content for your blog or working on personal creative works, using personification and other literary devices will strengthen your writing.

Because it generates such powerful imagery, builds deeper thematic resonance, and engages readers, personification is an essential tool for writers at any stage of their careers.

Now that you know what personification is, try experimenting with it and enhancing your writing or copy.

Allusion can show up in almost any type of writing.

So whether you’re learning how to write a blog post or are getting started on the next great American novel, allusion can serve you well.

Keep reading to learn more about what allusion is and how you can use it to make your writing more interesting.

What Is Allusion?

An allusion is a literary device that references a literary work, pop culture, history, a well-known figure, and more.

Allusions can directly or indirectly reference a topic but usually don’t explicitly mention it.

Allusions typically reference topics from the cultural zeitgeist so that most readers will understand them.

Also Known As:

• Echoism
• Homage
• Reference

Simple Definition: How To Explain Allusion to a Child

You can explain that an allusion hints at or refers to something many people are familiar with.

The simplest way to describe an allusion is to use concrete examples.

A well-known example is Superman and Kryptonite (Superman’s weakness).

Authors may refer to something as someone’s kryptonite, like “puppies are her kryptonite.”

That means that puppies are her weakness.

Why Is Allusion Used?

Allusion has many uses. It can be used to enhance an idea or strengthen imagery.

Sometimes authors use it to create a bond with the reader, helping them connect with a particular culture or generation, making a piece more relatable.

Sometimes, by drawing a connection between two (seemingly) different things, the author can create a deeper meaning.

Types of Allusion

By understanding the different types of allusion, you’ll understand how to use them most effectively.

• Apparent Allusion: An apparent allusion refers to a specific subject but challenges it in some way.
• Casual Allusion: A casual allusion is more of a passing reference.
• Corrective Allusion: A corrective allusion references a specific subject but corrects it in some way. It can often change the way people see an original work.
• Multiple Reference: Some texts continue to refer to a specific subject throughout the writing. Multiple references may also be called conflation.
• Self-Reference: For self-reference, the author recalls one of their own works.
• Single Reference: A single reference alludes to one specific work. It’s mentioned once, and the text moves on.

How Do You Identify Allusion?

Allusions can sometimes be tough to spot. If it’s a common reference, you may be able to easily identify the allusion.

Some allusions have become so commonplace that people don’t even realize it’s a reference.

For example, many people say, “There’s no place like home,” even if they’ve never seen or read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

You can sometimes identify allusions if you spot something unfamiliar in a text.

If something doesn’t make sense or you don’t recognize a name, it may be an allusion.

You’ll need to research it to be sure, though.

How Do You Use Allusion in a Sentence?

Writing a great allusion takes a few steps.

First, you must identify a clever or relevant reference to allude to in your text.

You can look to popular works or topics like the Bible, classic literature, famous songs, films, and important historical events.

Find one that fits with the idea you’re trying to express.

Next, write the sentence or paragraph using plain language.

For example, “Forced to take care of his alcoholic mother, the boy seemed burdened by his life.”

Next, rewrite the sentence with your allusion.

Your sentence becomes, “Forced to take care of his alcoholic mother, the boy carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

The allusion references the story of Atlas.

For another example, you could say, “Andrea was one of the kindest people I’d met, always helping others in need.”

To add an allusion, change it to “Andrea was a Good Samaritan, always helping others in need.”

What Is the Most Popular Example of Allusion?

There are many famous allusions, but perhaps the most famous allusions are inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

Films, songs, TV, comics, and even medical conditions reference the book.

The Matrix contains many Alice allusions, including when Trinity urges Neo to “follow the white rabbit.”

The famous Jefferson Airplane song, “White Rabbit,” alludes to the story as a metaphor for drug use.

In everyday speech, we use the phrase “down the rabbit hole” to describe a convoluted experience.

There are many comic book characters named after Alice characters, including the Mad Hatter and Cheshire.

Other Famous Examples of Allusion

Some works are rich with allusions, while others create inspiration for authors wanting to utilize allusion in other works.

The Bible

The Bible is one of the most-read books of all time, so it only makes sense that it would be the source of many allusions.

Eden and Heaven have both become synonyms for Paradise. We also refer to untrustworthy people as snakes.

Shakespeare

Shakespeare is the source of many allusions, but The Bard was also gifted at crafting his own allusions.

The Taylor Swift song “Love Story” references Romeo and Juliet.

Throughout his plays, Shakespeare also makes several references to Greek and Roman characters.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter series has many allusions.

Rowling famously draws from Greek and Roman mythology along with classic fantasy works for her stories.

For example, the character Sirius is named after the dog star. It’s also later revealed that his Animagus is a dog.

Other Modern Examples of Allusion

Below are a few more examples of allusion to inspire you.

Examples of Allusion for Kids

Allusions for kids have to reference subjects that kids are likely to be familiar with.

• A Cinderella story: This type of story features an underdog who rises far above their station, like the beloved Princess.
• Just keep swimming: This line from Finding Nemo has become a common phrase we use to remind someone to keep going.
• He’s such a Scrooge: We use the name Scrooge from A Christmas Carol to refer to someone who doesn’t like Christmas.

Examples of Allusion in Literature and Writing

Almost all writers use allusions in some form.

• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton: The book has multiple references to Robert Frost’s poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” especially the iconic line near the end, “Stay gold, Ponyboy.”
• Moby Dick by Herman Melville: The opening line, “Call me Ishmael,” is a reference to the Biblical character.
• I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr.: In his iconic speech, King references Lincoln’s iconic speech with his use of the phrase “five score years ago.”

Examples of Allusion in Language

We use lots of allusions in everyday speech, often without realizing it.

• Achilles’ Heel: We use the term to refer to someone’s weakness, just as Achilles’ heel was the one vulnerable spot on his body.
• Turning into a pumpkin: We often tell someone to be home on time or they’ll turn into a pumpkin, just like Cinderella’s coach.
• Forbidden fruit: We talk about forbidden fruit as something we want but can’t have, referring to the fall in the Garden of Eden.

Notable Writers Who Used Allusion

Almost all types of writers use allusion. Below are a few of the most famous:

Gregory Maguire

Gregory Maguire uses extended allusions in his retelling of fairy tales and children’s books in novels like Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. 

For example, Wicked is set before The Wonderful Wizard of Oz takes place.

It tells the story of Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (Glinda) but makes many references to the original book and film.

Even Elphaba’s name is an allusion to the author L. Frank Baum – her name sounds like his initials.

Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman makes multiple allusions to the Bible and turns biblical themes on their heads in the His Dark Materials series.

The series follows Lyra and Will, two kids from parallel universes.

Throughout the series, they learn about evil, lose their innocence, and take the place of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Ernest Kline

Ernest Kline’s futuristic gamer novel Ready Player One is full of 1980s pop culture references.

One of the characters is building a replica of the Iron Giant.

An entire sequence has many allusions to The Shining.

The two main characters drive a souped-up DeLorean from Back to the Future and a motorcycle inspired by the one from the Japanese anime Akira.

What Is the Opposite of Allusion?

Since allusion references another work, the opposite would be to ignore the work completely, even if there is a connection.

Instead, the author would describe the subject in a unique way.

Allusion vs. Allegory

An allusion is often a quick reference to another work, event, or person.

An allegory is usually extended throughout part or all of a work.

It’s used to elaborate on a larger idea.

It can sometimes be a seemingly simple story with a more complex underlying meaning, such as The Chronicles of Narnia.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

Below are a few other important devices related to allusion that can help you when writing different content types:

• Allegory: Allegory often uses a simple story to convey a loftier idea with political or moral significance.
• Metaphor: A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated subjects.
• Diction: In writing, diction is a writer’s particular word choice and style.
• Colloquialism: Colloquialisms are similar to slang and aren’t typically used in more academic styles of writing. However, slang is more informal.
• Euphemism: Authors use euphemisms as a substitute for saying something that may be inappropriate, embarrassing, or unpleasant.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Do you want to incorporate more literary devices like allusion into your writing?

Writing tools include some of the best tips for writers and can even help you discover things to write about.

• Writing Helpers: Writing helpers are tools for helping you write by making suggestions for improving clarity, checking grammar, and helping you avoid plagiarism. It doesn’t create the content for you but checks the text you’ve already written.
• AI Writing Software: While you may not want to let AI writing software take over the entirety of your writing, it can help you find new topics, create outlines, and improve SEO rankings. It can significantly speed up your process as it can guide you through much of the planning.
• Grammar Checkers: Even if you read over your drafts carefully and self-edit, you’ll want to choose one of the best grammar checkers on the market to help with the final proofreading process.
• Content Creators: Content creators don’t offer many features like AI writing software but will generate content for you. Although you’ll need to do a lot of editing, it can be helpful when you’re short on time or out of ideas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about this literary device? We have answers to common questions about allusions below!

Wrapping Up

No matter what you write, you can use allusion to make your writing more interesting and connect with your readers.

If your goal is to be concise, then allusion can get an idea across much quicker than a full explanation.

Allusion and other literary devices can spice up your writing.

Be sure to keep reading and taking in new content so you’ll have fresh source material for your writing.

Anyone who struggles to find things to write about will appreciate looking at language from a different perspective.

Satire, in particular, can help you take a unique approach to an issue and put a silly spin on the subject matter.

What Is Satire?

Satire is a humorous way to poke fun at harsh reality.

It uses exaggeration to inspire readers to look at a serious subject or public figure in a funny way.

Satire typically spotlights the absurdities in life and human nature.

In satirical writing, the characters often symbolize real people, and the work intends to reach a lesson or inspire critique of real-life situations.

Also Known As:

• Exaggeration
• Humorous Critique
• Parody

Simple Definition: How To Explain Satire to a Child

Satire is a way to present an issue to your audience while inspiring their amusement.

Understanding satire helps you learn how to write a blog post using this literary device.

The humor can be light-hearted enough to engage your readers and inspire them to comment and interact with your content.

Why Is Satire Used?

Exaggeration helps satire call attention to issues people might otherwise overlook.

The humorous approach to the problem engages the audience and presents the flaws and harsh reality differently.

In many cases, satire can inspire people to take action against injustice or unfair practices.

Other types of content have many layers to reach their intended audience.

Types of Satire

The definition of satire is broad, so you might want more specific information about it.

Three major types of satire focus on particular styles and themes.

Each has a different way of spotlighting an issue and ensuring the audience sees the truth.

• Horatian Satire: This satire is most commonly used to ridicule a public figure or current event. It also includes parody and is light-hearted.
• Juvenalian Satire: This type is darker than Horatian satire. While it still works to poke fun at serious issues, it comes from a place of frustration and can be controversial.
• Menippean Satire: This satire broadens its scope to critique entire cultures or belief systems instead of individuals. As the literary device attempts to cover more ground, it often needs a whole television series or novel to reach its goal.

How Do You Identify Satire?

You can tell if the content is satire if it seems too funny and honest to be a real news piece.

Any accompanying images usually display exaggerated features, or the caption doesn’t correctly identify what’s happening in the picture.

How Do You Use Satire in a Sentence?

The word satire is a noun.

An example of satire in a sentence is, “This book isn’t a true biography of the former president, but rather a satire that mocks his approach to leadership.”

What Is the Most Popular Example of Satire?

Political cartoons are the most popular examples of satire.

These images appear in respectable newspapers and magazines to provide commentary.

The panels often exaggerate the appearance and intelligence of political figures.

The humor is present in the visual imagery and the written dialogue, highlighting the foolishness.

Other Famous Examples of Satire

There are many famous instances of satire, especially in the current culture where memes and humor are the best way to demand attention.

The Onion

This online newspaper creates silly headlines and articles mocking current events and the state of the world.

It also often humorously addresses human nature, inspiring people to look at their foolish behavior honestly.

The publication is especially noteworthy as many real headlines now read like satire, blurring the line between satire and reality.

The Simpsons

This animated TV series has satirically tackled issues like education, politics, gun control, and family expectations since 1989.

Much of the show is incredibly silly, but it’s always rooted in real life, almost a more ridiculous parallel universe of where we live.

Scary Movie

This movie and its sequels exaggerated the common tropes of horror films.

The screenwriters and directors took the stereotypical cliches like girls running upstairs and Black characters dying first and added ridiculousness to the concept, which showcases the silliness of the original films.

Other Modern Examples of Satire

The instances above are only a few examples of satire.

The following sections include representations of satire in other areas of pop culture.

Examples of Satire for Kids

Using humor to poke fun at real-life issues might seem too advanced for children, but satire is a perfect way to engage with kids.

These examples help you understand how kids experience satire in different ways.

• Shrek: This popular animated movie uses light Horatian satire to mock classic fairy tales. There are also role reversals where the princesses are smarter and stronger than the knights, adding a layer of humor.
• The Lego Movie: This movie uses satire to poke fun at Legos for how they’re made and critique how many people live their life striving for a perfect society and not realizing what they’re missing.
• Mrs. Doubtfire: This movie is slightly darker when you inspect its satirical core. A father doesn’t see his children enough, so he dresses as an elderly nanny to spend time with them. It pokes fun at custody issues while depending on an extreme solution.

Examples of Satire in Television Shows

Television shows have ideal opportunities to use satire because they have more time.

Throughout the season, they have dozens of episodes that can focus on specific issues and develop deep satirical storylines.

Over the scope of a series, they can address many problems.

• Saturday Night Live: This sketch comedy show uses Horatian satire to poke fun at current events that people understand and find relatable.
• The Colbert Report: Comedian Stephen Colbert created a parody of a news show to cover politics from a satirical angle. He uses humor to expose the sad truth of many real issues.
• South Park: The show uses Menippean satire to humorously critique racism, homophobia, classism, and other cultural issues. Since it’s a long-running series, it’s more likely to tackle a theme per show and take time to explore the nuances.

Examples of Satire in Movies

Movies are a popular vehicle for satire because the audience can relate to the initial premise.

They’re drawn in, and then the screenwriters and directors turn the subject upside down with satire.

• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb: This Stanley Kubrick movie uses Horatian satire to expose the absurdity of Cold War politics.
• 1984: This film, based on a George Orwell novel, critiques totalitarian government by exposing its flaws from a place of anger.
• A Clockwork Orange: This movie uses black humor to expose the youth violence growing more prominent in culture. It uses dystopian elements to prove a point.

Notable Writers Who Used Satire

Many writer types use literary devices to help get their point across.

The following three authors are well-known for their use of satire.

Jonathan Swift

In A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift suggested that Irish people who are too poor to afford groceries eat their babies instead.

The piece was a commentary on population control and shocked many people who took it seriously.

In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift ridicules science, education, and human nature by exaggerating the characters.

Mark Twain

Mark Twain used satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to show hypocrisy in the adult characters.

He also wrote about the stupidity of certain cultures and the tourism industry in The Innocents Abroad.

Twain’s works invite readers to peel back the layers and inspect the ridiculousness of human nature and the world.

George Orwell

George Orwell used satire in Animal Farm and 1984 to comment on human nature and the potential downfalls of political power.

These novels presented reality but spotlighted problem areas such as the attempt to make things look better than they are and the natural inequality in the world.

What Is the Opposite of Satire?

The opposite of satire is irony.

Irony is when you expect one thing to happen, and the result is completely unexpected.

Sometimes, people explain irony as bad luck, but that’s not the case.

Instead, it simply doesn’t deliver the intended outcome.

A fire station burning down is an example of situational irony because firefighters know how to solve that problem.

Satire vs. Irony

The biggest difference between satire and irony is that irony shows the opposite of an expected outcome, feeling, or response.

Satire uses humor to criticize people, lifestyles, and events.

Satire is a literary device and also a genre, while irony is only a literary technique.

Other Related Literary Devices To Know

Seeking out tips for writing will help you improve your craft.

For example, satire is an effective literary device for many writers.

The following five devices can also help you elevate your writing from words on a page to an immersive experience for the reader.

• Humor: Humor is an entertaining literary device that makes your reader laugh.
• Imagery: Imagery immerses the audience in the story by describing what the characters see, feel, smell, and taste so the reader can vividly imagine the situation.
• Repetition: Repetition of a word or phrase helps it stand out to the reader and adds emphasis on a certain concept or can showcase the character’s obsessive state of mind.
• Mood: Mood relies on words and descriptions to set the tone of the work, so the audience feels certain emotions while reading.
• Suspense: Suspense is an unsettling feeling readers experience when they worry that something bad is about to happen, based on subtle clues the writer leaves behind.

Writing Tools To Help You Out

Writing can be a lonely job, but it doesn’t have to be hard.

The best writing tools will help streamline your process.

Tools help you brainstorm ideas and find the best keywords to bring organic traffic to your site.

You can generate content and polish the finished product to have a professional, engaging blog.

• Writing Helpers: People struggling with regularly creating content or developing new ideas can benefit from using writing helpers to simplify the task. Use them to organize your posts or come up with innovative topics.
• AI Writing Software: Even writers with exciting ideas can get bogged down in the writing process. AI-powered writing software allows you to enter keywords and get automatically-generated content with the click of a mouse.
• Grammar Checkers: The most engaging content can still turn away readers if it’s riddled with errors. The best grammar checkers on the market polish your content before it goes live. The program highlights errors and helps you make your work easy to read.
• Content Creators: Tools like content creators help you brainstorm topics and keywords. You’ll understand how to write or record the information to share with your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve learned about satire, how to use it in your work, and how other writing tools can help you.

If you need more information, check out these frequently asked questions.

Wrapping Up

Satire is an excellent device to use in your writing because it uses humor to present a serious issue to your audience.

You can tackle tough subjects with a hint of amusement.

Satire inspires people to comment and engage with your content, too, so consider using it in your next blog post.