Various

Literary
Devices
Learning Objective

By the end of this unit, students will

critically analyze and creatively apply
knowledge of sound devices, figurative
language, literary techniques, and
literary elements in prose to appreciate
21st-century literary texts.
Contents 1 Sound Devices

2 Figurative Language

3 Other Literary Techniques

4 Literary Elements in Prose

 Introduction
Poets are limited in the materials they can use in creating their work – all they have are words
to express ideas and emotions. These words need to be right on several levels at once.

They must be They must

They must They must have arranged in a encourage deep
sound right to a meaning which way that is easy thoughts or
the listener as is clear and to follow but also emotions while
they are read thought- assists the appearing
out aloud. provoking. reader's simple and self-
understanding. contained.
 Introduction

Literary devices or literary techniques -

add meaning or create a more captivating
story or poem.
 Sound Devices
How can sound devices help in reading a literary text?

• reinforce the meaning of poetry

• help form visual images and highlight the
mood and tone of poetry.
Alliteration
repetition of similar sounds, either
consonants or vowels, at the beginning of
closely spaced words.

• Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled

peppers.
• The barbarians broke through the
barricade.
• Suffering Stan stays in the sun to keep
from having to stutter.
Assonance
repetition of vowel sounds that form internal
rhymes in a line.

• The dapper lad chatted to the other

happy chap.
• Faye’s days are lazy and wasteful.
• Go slow over the road to nowhere.
Consonance
repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the
end of words.

• All's well that ends well.

• Wash the leash off of mush to keep Ash
from having a rash.
Cacophony
• use of jarring, unpleasant sounds, usually harsh
because the sounds do not go together.
• is meant to convey disorder and would sometimes be
hard to pronounce.

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves
And the mome raths outgrabe”

Excerpt from “Jabberwocky” by Lewis

Carroll
 Euphony
It is the use of devices such as alliteration,
rhyme, and assonance. It is meant to create a
pleasant experience to the ear.

“Than Oars divide the Ocean,

Too silver for a seam—
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, splashless as they swim.”

Excerpt from “A Bird came down the Walk” by Emily Dickinson

Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate the natural sound of the
thing they describe.

• The clang of the pots and pans and woke

the baby.
• The wolves howled at the moon.
• Zoom! Went the race car as it sped past
the finish line.
• The bacon sizzled in the pan.
 Repetition
The purposeful re-use of words and
phrases to create emphasis or convey a
particular effect.

“In every cry of every man,

In every infant’s cry of fear
In every voice, In every ban
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear”

Excerpt from “London” by William Blake

Rhyme
• repetition of identical (or similar)
sounds in two or more words, most
often at the end of lines in a poem
• There are 4 different kinds of
rhymes: the full rhymes, slant or half
rhymes, near rhymes, and sight
rhymes.
Rhyme
1. FULL RHYMES are words that sound alike on both the
consonant and vowel sounds; all their syllables rhyme.
example: beach, reach, teach

2. SLANT OR HALF RHYMES are words that have the same final
consonant sounds but different initial consonants and vowels.
examples: call, bowl, sell; back, wreck, tuck
Rhyme
3. NEAR RHYMES are words with the same final
vowel sounds but different final consonants.
examples: soil, coin, choice; crane, rake, tale

4. SIGHT RHYMES are when words or the end of

words are usually spelled the same but are
pronounced differently.
examples: love, trove; bough, enough; call, appall
 Figurative
Language

• aka Figures of Speech is also used to

make a literary work more interesting
• enriches a literary text to further elevate
the themes and concepts presented in it.
Analogy
It is a comparison that presents the
similarities between two concepts or
ideas.

• A teacher is like a gardener, nurturing and

shaping the growth of young minds.
 Cliché
It is a word, a phrase, a sentence, or a
Examples:
whole text that used to be perceived as • time will heal all wounds
clever but has become démodé. • Better late than never
• Every cloud has a silver
lining
The frequency of use and that it no
longer provides a surprise to the reader
nor vivid imagery is something that must
be avoided in writing.
Connotation
It is the secondary or suggestive meaning of
the word, one that is not its literal or primary
meaning in the dictionary.
• green home
• green products
• green living
Denotation
It is the literal meaning of the word, one that is
usually its primary meaning in the dictionary.

• house, home, residence, abode,

dwelling
Euphemism
• It is used to substitute for a description that
is considered harsh or blunt.
• most often used for delicate matters, such
as sex, death or violence, and embarrassing
topics.

• She is with our Creator now.

Hyperbole
• It is a gross exaggeration to achieve an
effect, usually for humor or emphasis.

• I was dying of boredom while I was waiting

in line.
 Metaphor
It compares two seemingly unlike objects that
have similar or common characteristic without
the use of like or as.

• Time is a thief.
• The world is a stage.
• His mind is a sponge.
Metonymy
It is the use of a word or phrase that is
substituted for another that is closely associated
with it.

• The Malacañang Palace released a

statement regarding the President’s
health.
• The crown will find an heir.
Oxymoron
It is a combination of two ideas that
appear to be opposite or contradictory.

• complete break
• dirty white
• tuck out
Paradox
It is an assertion that seems to be
contradictory or silly but actually reveals
some truth.

"I must be cruel to be kind."

- Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Personification
It is a statement or statements in which an
animal, object, or abstract idea is given human
attributes or characteristics.

• The flowers bathe in sunlight, and

the grass reached out to the sky.
• The wind whispered through the
trees.
• The sun smiled down on us.
Simile
Creates a comparison between two things by
using the words 'like' or 'as'.

• The desert was as dry as a bone.

• Her tempers were like an uncontrollable
storm.
• He's as cool as a cucumber.
• Our soldiers are as brave as lions.
Synecdoche
It is used when a part or portion of
something is used to represent the
whole or vice versa.

• I brought my wheels.
• How many heads are coming to
the party?
 Symbolism
When a simple or ordinary object, event,
animal, or person represents deeper meaning
or significance.

• The dove is a symbol of peace.

• A red rose stands for love or romance.
• A skull can represent danger or death.
• A fork in the road may symbolise a choice
or a decision.
Other Literary
Techniques
 Allusion
It is a passing reference, without explicit
identification, to a literary or historical person,
place, or event, or to another literary work or
passage.

• I scored a line of nine in all my exams,

except for math. Math is my waterloo.
 Allegory
• It is a narrative in which the characters and their
actions, and sometimes the setting, are contrived
by the author to represent something happening
in the current situation.
• It may be historical, political or ideological in
form.
Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo is an allegorical novel. “Bapor
Tabo,” for example, was a symbol of the state of the Philippines
wherein Rizal compares the slow movement of our country to
that of the boat because there is no clear direction as to where
it is going.
 Dichotomy
• division into two opposing or very different parts
that show a clear contrast between them.

• used to represent two ideas or concepts that are

sharply opposed or entirely separate

Example: There is a dichotomy between good and evil

in the story.
 Juxtaposition
It is a technique wherein two or more ideas, places, characters,
and their actions are placed side by side to develop comparisons
and contrasts.

In popular culture, the use of “Reality vs. Expectation Memes” is

an example of juxtaposition wherein what a person expects and
what really happens are compared and contrasted.
Literary Elements
in Prose
Plot
It is the sequence of events that make up the story,
told in either a chronological or a non-chronological
order. The usual plot order is:

a. Exposition: introduces the character(s), setting, and situation

b. Rising action: situation becomes complicated, action gains force
c. Climax: highest point of tension in the story
d. Falling action: events that lead to the resolution of the conflict
e. Resolution or Denouement: loose ends are tied up, other matters are
drawn to a close
Atmosphere
In prose, it refers to the creation of a mood or feeling by the
use of descriptions and setting.

At low tide, when the bed was dry and the rocks glinted with broken
bottles, the stone fence of the Spaniard’s compound set off the house
as if it were a castle. Sunrise brought a wash of silver upon the roofs of
the laundry and garden sheds which had been built low and close to
the fence. On dull mornings the light dripped from the bamboo screen
which covered the veranda and hung some four or five yards from the
ground.

Excerpt from “The Bread of Salt” by N. V. M. Gonzalez

Characterization
refers to how the author describes the character, either directly or
indirectly through action, using details or nuances to add depth.

The first children who saw the dark and slinky bulge approaching through
the sea let themselves think it was an enemy ship. Then they saw it had no
flags or masts and they thought it was a whale. But when it washed up on
the beach, they removed the clumps of seaweed, the jellyfish tentacles,
and the remains of fish and flotsam, and only then did they see that it was a
drowned man.

Excerpt from “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel

Garcia Marquez
Conflict
It is the problem or challenge faced by the character or
characters in the story. There are three possible conflicts:
Man vs. Man
Some conflicts may be between a character and
another character in the story. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The
Hobbit, Gollum has a conflict with Bilbo Baggins over
passing the cave. Their conflict led to playing a riddle
game, which Bilbo won and led him to have the ring.
Conflict
It is the problem or challenge faced by the character or
characters in the story. There are three possible conflicts:

Man vs. Nature

This kind of conflict arises when the hero of the
narrative is struggling against forces of nature. This
kind of conflict is evident in epics from the Philippines
and around the world. It is also present in certain
biblical stories. For example, Noah faced a struggle
against the great flood.
Conflict
It is the problem or challenge faced by the character or
characters in the story. There are three possible conflicts:

Man vs. Himself

This kind of conflict is seen when a character is
struggling in his or her decisions or actions. In J.R.R.
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Frodo faced many
different internal conflicts. Whether to take the
journey or not and whether to destroy the ring or not
are among them.
 Point of View
the perspective or vantage point of the speaker or the
narrator. There are four common types of point view that can
be used and observed in a literary work.

First person — The character within the story is the

one telling it and uses his or her perspective. It uses
the pronoun I in the main narrative of the story.

Example: As I walked along the shore, the sun was

setting, and the waves were starting
to crawl to my feet.
Point of View

Second person — The narrator in the story is

talking to the reader as if the reader is also a
character in the story. It uses the pronoun you in
the main narrative of the story.

Example: You are about to take part in a

wonderful journey.
Point of View

Third-person objective - The narrator gives an

unbiased point of view since the telling of the story
does not mention the characters’ thoughts,
opinions, or feelings.

Example: Ms. Garcia entered the class. The whole

class fell silent.
Point of View
Third-person omniscient — The narrator is not part of the
story but could see and narrate what the characters are
feeling and thinking.

Example: The students were all excited for the first day of
class. Students of section Acacia did not know who their
adviser will be. Since their section is known to be the noisiest in
their batch, most teachers would like to avoid being their
adviser. As Ms. Garcia, the strictest teacher in school, entered
their room, the whole class fell silent, and she thought it was
just as well that they knew they should be quiet in her class.
Matt, usually the noisiest one, gulped and looked anxious,
already knowing his antics would not be tolerated when Ms.
Garcia is around.
Setting
• the time and place where the story is set
• can also include the weather, the social and
political climate, and the cultural environment.

In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White

Elephants,” the train station and its location
serve as a third character, representative of
the psychological state of the two main
characters.
Theme
It refers to the central idea of the
story, and to an extent, the purpose
of its utterance.

One of the main themes in Samuel

Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” is the
absurdity of human life.
 Literary
Techniques Used
in Prose
 Flashback It is a scene or a passage that interrupts the
present action of a plot to introduce a past event.

A scene of a woman taking care of her baby

flashing back to the time when she could not
conceive and had been going to the hospital with
her husband.

the use of clues or indications suggesting a future

Foreshadowing event in the story; builds up suspense

A locked cabinet mentioned early in the story turns

out to contain a valuable art piece that will save the
protagonist from financial difficulties.