Literary techniques

Writers might include literary techniques to add depth and colour to their writing.

Here are some literary techniques a writer might choose to use in a text:

Device	Definition	Example	Effect
Metaphor	A comparison made without using 'like' or 'as'.	"His home was his castle."	His home is presented as a secure and safe place to be.
Simile	A comparison made using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to create a vivid image.	"She had a smile like the sunrise."	Her smile seems bright and full of hope.
Personification	A type of imagery in which non-human objects, animals or ideas are given human characteristics.	"The wind screamed through the trees."	The wind is given the human characteristic of "screaming." This creates an uneasy atmosphere.
Motif	Any repeated idea, theme or image that has a symbolic significance in the text.	“rotten apple…feverish heat… plague of flies…sickened trees…”	The repeated references to illness could symbolise the moral sickness within the narrative.
Repetition	Words, phrases or ideas are repeated for effect.	"Stephen tried and tried and tried to get the ball in the net."	The repetition emphasises the effort exerted and Stephen’s desperation at his failed attempts.
Listing	A number of connected items written one after the other.	“Phoebe saw that the garden was over-flowing with foxgloves, lupins, daisies, sun-flowers and pretty weeds of all shapes and heights.”	The listing gives a vivid sense of the garden’s abundance and beauty.
Alliteration	The repetition of the same sounds (mainly consonants) usually at the beginning of words.	"The suffocating steam filled the room."	The repetition of the ‘s’ sound adds to the discomfort of the room.
Onomatopoeia	The sounds of words to express or underline their meaning.	"Howling, the cat ran through the house."	We get a sense of the cat’s terror from the sound of the word "howling."

Device	Metaphor
Definition	A comparison made without using 'like' or 'as'.
Example	"His home was his castle."
Effect	His home is presented as a secure and safe place to be.

Device	Simile
Definition	A comparison made using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to create a vivid image.
Example	"She had a smile like the sunrise."
Effect	Her smile seems bright and full of hope.

Device	Personification
Definition	A type of imagery in which non-human objects, animals or ideas are given human characteristics.
Example	"The wind screamed through the trees."
Effect	The wind is given the human characteristic of "screaming." This creates an uneasy atmosphere.

Device	Motif
Definition	Any repeated idea, theme or image that has a symbolic significance in the text.
Example	“rotten apple…feverish heat… plague of flies…sickened trees…”
Effect	The repeated references to illness could symbolise the moral sickness within the narrative.

Device	Repetition
Definition	Words, phrases or ideas are repeated for effect.
Example	"Stephen tried and tried and tried to get the ball in the net."
Effect	The repetition emphasises the effort exerted and Stephen’s desperation at his failed attempts.

Device	Listing
Definition	A number of connected items written one after the other.
Example	“Phoebe saw that the garden was over-flowing with foxgloves, lupins, daisies, sun-flowers and pretty weeds of all shapes and heights.”
Effect	The listing gives a vivid sense of the garden’s abundance and beauty.

Device	Alliteration
Definition	The repetition of the same sounds (mainly consonants) usually at the beginning of words.
Example	"The suffocating steam filled the room."
Effect	The repetition of the ‘s’ sound adds to the discomfort of the room.

Device	Onomatopoeia
Definition	The sounds of words to express or underline their meaning.
Example	"Howling, the cat ran through the house."
Effect	We get a sense of the cat’s terror from the sound of the word "howling."

Example

In this opening from Margaret Atwood’s novel Alias Grace, the main character Grace describes a dream-like vision.

What is the effect of the language choices in this extract?

Out of the gravel there are peonies growing. They come up through the loose grey pebbles, their buds testing the air like snails’ eyes, then swelling and opening, huge dark-red flowers all shining and glossy like satin. Then they burst and fall to the ground.

In the one instant before they come apart they are like the peonies in the front garden at Mr. Kinnear’s, that first day, only those were white. Nancy is cutting them. She wore a pale dress with pink rosebuds and a triple-flounced skirt, and a straw bonnet that hid her face. She carried a flat basket, to put the flower in; she bent from the hips like a lady, holding her waist straight. When she heard us and turned to look, she put her hand up to her throat as if startled.

Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood

Analysis notes

The frequent use of ‘ing’ in the opening paragraph gives the flowers a sinister energy and movement: “…growing…testing…swelling…opening…shining…”.
The writer’s choice of language to describe the flowers gives the setting a dream-like appearance.
The strange “...testing the air like snails’ eyes…” adds to the dream-like feel.
The of the peonies seems particularly important and the writer gives them a symbolic significance. For example, the peonies at the start are "dark-red", but in the next paragraph "…those were white."
The white peonies, perhaps symbolising innocence, are linked to the character of Nancy. This image of innocence is reinforced by the "pale dress with pink rosebuds."
The character of Nancy has her clothes described in detail: “..triple-flounced skirt, and a straw bonnet…” This links to the simile “…like a lady…” and suggests that the character of Nancy is elegant and well-dressed.
The flowers are linked to the feminine here, but there is also a sinister mood linked to the red peonies. This sinister mood is reinforced by the phrase “…as if startled.”
The calm image of a woman cutting flowers is contrasted with the disturbing image of the red peonies. The effect may unsettle the reader.

Structure of fiction texts

Language

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Language and structure - CCEALiterary techniques