7 Common Literary Devices and Their Spellbinding Examples

Raise your hand if you ever: laugh, cry, or bite your nails when reading a book! Have you ever wondered what’s behind all of the magic that invokes such profound emotions within you? Well, these magic are called literary devices. They are the tools writers wield to transform mere words into vivid landscapes, unforgettable characters, and adrenaline-filled adventures. Let’s explore some of the most common literary devices examples to see them in action.

Pro tips for teachers: Make the lesson about literary devices more engaging with different interactive activities, like asking them to submit a technique/style/strategy on a live word cloud! They will be sure to love it.

1. Metaphor

First up, we have metaphors, those sneaky shape-shifters that say one thing is another, helping us see the world in a new light. Take Shakespeare, who was a master of metaphors. In “As You Like It”, he writes, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”. Just like that, life becomes a play, and we’re all just actors. Metaphors don’t mess around; they dive straight into the deep end to bring abstract ideas into sharp relief.

2. Simile

Similes use comparative language, often using “like” or “as” to compare things. They’re like a chef’s pinch of salt, adding flavour to descriptions. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” fear is “like a current”, electrifying the air around Scout. Similes make the connection clear and give our imaginations a tangible comparison to grasp.

3. Hyperbole

Hyperboles are all about the drama, exaggerating for effect and often injecting humour or emphasis into a scene. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.” Does that sound familiar? Charles Dickens loved a good hyperbole. In “A Christmas Carol”, Marley’s ghost laments being “as dead as a doornail”, a vivid exaggeration underscoring the permanence of his ghostly state.

4. Personification

Ever read about winds whispering secrets or time dragging its feet? That’s personification, breathing life into the non-living. It’s a favourite of poets, like Emily Dickinson, who wrote of death as a kind suitor in “Because I Could not Stop for Death”. It turns abstract concepts into relatable characters, making the intangible touchably close.

5. Irony

Irony is storytelling’s trickster, flipping expectations on their head. It’s in the difference between what’s said and what’s meant, what’s expected and what happens. O. Henry was a maestro of irony; his short story “The Gift of the Magi” tells of a couple who sell their most prized possessions to buy each other Christmas gifts, only to find their gifts are now useless. Irony adds a layer of complexity and often, a punch of poignancy or humor.

6. Alliteration

Alliteration is all about the sound, where words in close proximity start with the same letter. It’s the musical element of writing, adding rhythm and mood. Tongue twisters are pure alliteration, but they’re also used for emphasis and flair. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” thrives on alliteration: “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing.” The repeated “d” sounds mimic the tapping and rapping at the chamber door, enhancing the poem’s eerie atmosphere.

7. Imagery

Lastly, imagery invites us to experience the story with all our senses. It’s the brushstroke that paints pictures in our minds. Ernest Hemingway, known for his concise style, still used imagery to powerful effect. In “The Old Man and the Sea”, he describes the sea with such sensory detail that you can almost taste the salt on your tongue and feel the ocean spray on your face.

Wrapping Up the Enchantment

We’ve gone over a ton of different literary devices and examples that authors use to spice up their writing and deepen readers’ understanding. We hope learning about these tools has you seeing literary works in a whole new way. The next time you pick up a book or poem, you’ll be glancing between the lines like a pro. Spotting how irony, symbolism, imagery and others are being used will take your reading comprehension skills to new levels. And who knows – it may even inspire you to start experimenting with these techniques in your own creative projects.