MYP Key Stylistic Features

Allegory

An allegory is a story that is used to represent a more general message about real-life (historical)
issues and/or events. It is typically an entire book, novel, play, etc.

Example: George Orwell’s dystopian book Animal Farm is an allegory for the events preceding the
Russian Revolution and the Stalinist era in early 20th century Russia. In the story, animals on a
farm practice animalism, which is essentially communism. Many characters correspond to actual
historical figures: Old Major represents both the founder of communism Karl Marx and the
Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin; the farmer, Mr. Jones, is the Russian Czar; the boar
Napoleon stands for Joseph Stalin; and the pig Snowball represents Leon Trotsky.

Alliteration

Alliteration is a series of words or phrases that all (or almost all) start with the same sound. These
sounds are typically consonants to give more stress to that syllable. You’ll often come across
alliteration in poetry, titles of books and poems (Jane Austen is a fan of this device, for example—
just look at Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility), and tongue twisters.

Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers." In this tongue twister, the "p" sound is
repeated at the beginning of all major words.

Allusion

Allusion is when an author makes an indirect reference to a figure, place, event, or idea originating
from outside the text. Many allusions make reference to previous works of literature or art.

Example: "Stop acting so smart—it’s not like you’re Einstein or something." This is an allusion to
the famous real-life theoretical physicist Albert Einstein.

Anachronism

An anachronism occurs when there is an (intentional) error in the chronology or timeline of a text.
This could be a character who appears in a different time period than when he actually lived, or a
technology that appears before it was invented. Anachronisms are often used for comedic effect.

Example: A Renaissance king who says, "That’s dope, dude!" would be an anachronism, since this
type of language is very modern and not actually from the Renaissance period.
Colloquialism

Colloquialism is the use of informal language and slang. It's often used by authors to lend a sense of
realism to their characters and dialogue. Forms of colloquialism include words, phrases, and
contractions that aren't real words (such as "gonna" and "ain’t").

Example: "Hey, what’s up, man?" This piece of dialogue is an example of a colloquialism, since it
uses common everyday words and phrases, namely "what’s up" and "man."

Epigraph

An epigraph is when an author inserts a famous quotation, poem, song, or other short passage or
text at the beginning of a larger text (e.g., a book, chapter, etc.). An epigraph is typically written by
a different writer (with credit given) and used as a way to introduce overarching themes or
messages in the work. Some pieces of literature, such as Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick,
incorporate multiple epigraphs throughout.

Example: At the beginning of Ernest Hemingway’s book The Sun Also Rises is an epigraph that
consists of a quotation from poet Gertrude Stein, which reads, "You are all a lost generation," and
a passage from the Bible.

Hemingway, deep in thought about what quotation to choose for his epigraph.
Euphemism

A euphemism is when a more mild or indirect word or expression is used in place of another word or
phrase that is considered harsh, blunt, vulgar, or unpleasant.

Example: "I’m so sorry, but he didn’t make it." The phrase "didn’t make it" is a more polite and
less blunt way of saying that someone has died.

Flashback

A flashback is an interruption in a narrative that depicts events that have already occurred, either
before the present time or before the time at which the narration takes place. This device is often
used to give the reader more background information and details about specific characters, events,
plot points, and so on.

Example: Most of the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is a flashback from the point of
view of the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, as she engages in a conversation with a visitor named
Lockwood. In this story, Nelly narrates Catherine Earnshaw's and Heathcliff's childhoods, the
pair's budding romance, and their tragic demise.

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing is when an author indirectly hints at—through things such as dialogue, description,
or characters’ actions—what’s to come later on in the story. This device is often used to introduce
tension to a narrative.

Example: Say you’re reading a fictionalized account of Amelia Earhart. Before she embarks on her
(what we know to be unfortunate) plane ride, a friend says to her, "Be safe. Wouldn’t want you
getting lost—or worse." This line would be an example of foreshadowing because it implies that
something bad ("or worse") will happen to Earhart.

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is an exaggerated statement that's not meant to be taken literally by the reader. It is
often used for comedic effect and/or emphasis.

Example: "I’m so hungry I could eat a horse." The speaker will not literally eat an entire horse
(and most likely couldn’t), but this hyperbole emphasizes how starved the speaker feels.

Imagery
Imagery is when an author describes a scene, thing, or idea so that it appeals to our senses (taste,
smell, sight, touch, or hearing). This device is often used to help the reader clearly visualize parts of
the story by creating a strong mental picture.

Example: Here’s an example of imagery taken from William Wordsworth’s famous poem "I
Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden Daffodils;
Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Irony

Irony is when a statement is used to express an opposite meaning than the one literally expressed by
it. There are three types of irony in literature:

 Verbal irony: When someone says something but means the opposite (similar to sarcasm).

 Situational irony: When something happens that's the opposite of what was expected or
intended to happen.

 Dramatic irony: When the audience is aware of the true intentions or outcomes, while the
characters are not. As a result, certain actions and/or events take on different meanings for
the audience than they do for the characters involved.

Examples:

 Verbal irony: One example of this type of irony can be found in Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Cask
of Amontillado." In this short story, a man named Montresor plans to get revenge on
another man named Fortunato. As they toast, Montresor says, "And I, Fortunato—I drink
to your long life." This statement is ironic because we the readers already know by this
point that Montresor plans to kill Fortunato.

 Situational irony: A girl wakes up late for school and quickly rushes to get there. As soon as
she arrives, though, she realizes that it’s Saturday and there is no school.

 Dramatic irony: In William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo commits suicide in order
to be with Juliet; however, the audience (unlike poor Romeo) knows that Juliet is not
actually dead—just asleep.
 Poe was a fan of irony—and ravens.

Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is the comparing and contrasting of two or more different (usually opposite) ideas,
characters, objects, etc. This literary device is often used to help create a clearer picture of the
characteristics of one object or idea by comparing it with those of another.

Example: One of the most famous literary examples of juxtaposition is the opening passage from
Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities:
"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 …"

Malapropism

Malapropism happens when an incorrect word is used in place of a word that has a similar sound.
This misuse of the word typically results in a statement that is both nonsensical and humorous; as a
result, this device is commonly used in comedic writing.

Example: "I just can't wait to dance the flamingo!" Here, a character has accidentally called the
flamenco (a type of dance) the flamingo (an animal).

Metaphor/Simile

Metaphors are when ideas, actions, or objects are described in non-literal terms. In short, it’s when
an author compares one thing to another. The two things being described usually share something in
common but are unalike in all other respects.

A simile is a type of metaphor in which an object, idea, character, action, etc., is compared to
another thing using the words "as" or "like."

Both metaphors and similes are often used in writing for clarity or emphasis.

Examples:

"What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." In this line
from Romeo and Juliet, Romeo compares Juliet to the sun. However, because Romeo doesn’t use the
words "as" or "like," it is not a simile—just a metaphor.

"She is as vicious as a lion." Since this statement uses the word "as" to make a comparison between
"she" and "a lion," it is a simile.

Metonym

A metonym is when a related word or phrase is substituted for the actual thing to which it's
referring. This device is usually used for poetic or rhetorical effect.

Example: "The pen is mightier than the sword." This statement, which was coined by Edward
Bulwer-Lytton in 1839, contains two examples of metonymy: "the pen" refers to "the written
word," and "the sword" refers to "military force/violence."
Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a word (or group of words) that represents a sound and actually resembles or
imitates the sound it stands for. It is often used for dramatic, realistic, or poetic effect.

Examples: Buzz, boom, chirp, creak, sizzle, zoom, etc.

Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a combination of two words that, together, express a contradictory meaning. This
device is often used for emphasis, for humor, to create tension, or to illustrate a paradox (see next
entry for more information on paradoxes).

Examples: Deafening silence, organized chaos, cruelly kind, insanely logical, etc.

The Penrose stairs = a classic example of a paradox. Are they going up or down?!

Paradox

A paradox is a statement that appears illogical or self-contradictory but, upon investigation, might
actually be true or plausible.

Note that a paradox is different from an oxymoron: a paradox is an entire phrase or

sentence,whereas an oxymoron is a combination of just two words.
 Example: Here's a famous paradoxical sentence: "This statement is false." If the statement is
true, then it isn’t actually false (as it suggests). But if it’s false, then the statement is true! Thus,
this statement is a paradox because it is both true and false at the same time.

Personification

Personification is when a nonhuman figure or other abstract concept or element is given human-like
qualities or characteristics. It is used to help the reader create a clearer mental picture of the scene
or object being described.

Example: "The wind moaned, beckoning me to come outside." In this example, the wind—a
nonhuman element—is being described as if it is human (it "moans" and "beckons").

Repetition

Repetition is when a word or phrase is written multiple times, usually for the purpose of emphasis. It
is often used in poetry (for purposes of rhythm as well).

Example: When Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the score for the hit musical Hamilton, gave his
speech at the 2016 Tony’s, he recited a poem he’d written that included the following line:

And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.

Soliloquy

A type of monologue that's often used in dramas, a soliloquy is when a character speaks aloud to
himself (and to the audience), thereby revealing his inner thoughts and feelings.

Example: In Romeo and Juliet, Juliet’s speech on the balcony that begins with, "O Romeo, Romeo!
Wherefore art thou Romeo?" is a soliloquy, as she is speaking aloud to herself(remember that
she doesn't realize Romeo's there listening!).

Symbolism

Symbolism refers to the use of an object, figure, event, situation, or other idea in a written work to
represent something else—typically a broader message or deeper meaning that differs from its
literal meaning.

The things used for symbolism are called "symbols," and they’ll often appear multiple times
throughout a text, sometimes changing in meaning as the plot progresses.
 Example: In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby, the green light that sits across from
Gatsby’s mansion symbolizes Gatsby’s hopes and dreams.

Synecdoche

A synecdoche is a literary device in which part of something is used to represent the whole, or vice
versa. It's similar to a metonym (see above); however, a metonym doesn't have to represent the
whole—just something associated with the word used.

Example: "Help me out, I need some hands!" In this case, "hands" is being used to refer to people
(the whole human, essentially).

Time to become your own Sherlock Holmes!

How to Identify and Analyze Literary Devices: 4 Tips

In order to fully interpret pieces of literature, you have to understand a lot about literary devices in
the texts you read. Here are our top tips for identifying and analyzing different literary techniques:

Tip 1: Read Closely and Carefully

First off, you’ll need to make sure that you’re reading very carefully. Resist the temptation to skim
or skip any sections of the text. If you do this, you might miss some literary devices being used and,
as a result, will be unable to accurately interpret the text.

If there are any passages in the work that make you feel especially emotional, curious, intrigued, or
just plain interested, check that area again for any literary devices at play.

It’s also a good idea to reread any parts you thought were confusing or that you didn't totally
understand on a first read-through. Doing this ensures that you have a solid grasp of the passage
(and text as a whole) and will be able to analyze it appropriately.

Tip 2: Memorize Common Literary Devices

You won’t be able to identify literary devices in texts if you don’t know what they are or how they’re
used, so spend some time memorizing the 24 devices above. Knowing these (and how they look in
writing) will allow you to more easily pinpoint these techniques in various types of written works.

Tip 3: Know the Author’s Intended Audience

Knowing what kind of audience an author intended her work to have can help you figure out what
types of literary devices might be at play.

For example, if you were trying to analyze a children’s book, you'd want to be on the lookout for
child-appropriate devices, such as repetition and alliteration.

Tip 4: Take Notes and Bookmark Key Passages and Pages

This is one of the most important tips to know, especially if you're reading and analyzing works for
English class. As you read, take notes on the work in a notebook or on a computer. Write down any
passages, paragraphs, conversations, descriptions, etc., that jump out at you or that contain a
literary device you were able to identify.

You can also take notes directly in the book, if possible (but don’t do this if you’re borrowing a book
from the library!). I recommend circling keywords and important phrases, as well as starring
interesting or particularly effective passages and paragraphs.

Lastly, use sticky notes or post-its to bookmark pages that are interesting to you or that have some
kind of notable literary device. This will help you go back to them later should you need to revisit
some of what you’ve found for a paper you plan to write.