Literary Terms/Devices (Notes) B. A. III Sem. VI Paper No. XII (Introduction to Literary Criticism)

K. N. Bhise Arts, Commerce and Vinayakrao Patil Science College,

Vidyanagar, Bhosare

Department of English

B. A. III Sem. VI Paper No. XII (Introduction to Literary Criticism)

Literary Terms/Devices (Notes)

 Theme

As a literary device, theme refers to the central, deeper meaning of a written work. Writers typically will convey the theme of their work, and allow the reader to perceive and interpret it, rather than overtly or directly state the theme. As readers infer, reflect, and analyze a literary theme, they develop a greater understanding of the work itself and can apply this understanding beyond the literary work as a means of grasping a better sense of the world. Theme is often what creates a memorable and significant experience of a literary work for the reader.

Themes are often subject to the reader’s perception and interpretation. This means that readers may find primary and/or secondary themes in a work of literature that the author didn’t intend to convey. Therefore, theme allows for literature to remain meaningful, “living” works that can be revisited and analyzed in perpetuity by many readers at once or by a single reader across time.

Here are some common examples of literary themes:

• Love
• Redemption
• Mortality
• Human versus nature
• Good versus evil
• Power
• Isolation
• Coming of age
• Revenge
• Courage and perseverance
• Quest
• Individual versus society
• Faith versus doubt
• Chaos versus order
• Gender roles

Tone

Tone is a literary device that reflects the writer’s attitude toward the subject matter or audience of a literary work. By conveying this attitude through tone, the writer creates a particular relationship with the reader that, in turn, influences the intention and meaning of the written words. However, though the writer’s tone may reflect their personal attitude or opinion, this literary device may also strictly apply to convey the attitudes and feelings of a certain character or narrator. Therefore, it’s essential for readers to look closely at the literary choices made by the writer so as not to unfairly assign a tone to them and to interpret tone judiciously.

Here are some common examples of tone used by writers to convey feeling:

• nostalgic
• regretful
• joyful
• envious
• persuasive
• dry
• playful
• assertive
• pessimistic
• petulant
• facetious
• inspirational
• sympathetic
• ironic
• conflicted
• fearful
• reverent
• nervous
• anticipating
• derisive

Mood

As a literary device, mood refers to the emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story. This response can range anywhere from feelings of calm, fear, anger, or joy depending on the literary work. In general, short stories and poems feature a consistent mood due to their length. Novels can feature more than one mood, although readers will typically identify an overall emotional response to the work as a whole. Mood allows a writer to create a memorable and meaningful story with which the reader can connect. In addition, writers reveal their artistic use of language and creative skills when establishing the mood of a literary work.

For example, in her novel about the relationships between mothers and daughters, Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club utilizes mood as a literary device to evoke emotions in the reader as a parallel for the way the mother characters attempt to emotionally connect with their daughters.

 

Imagery

Imagery is a literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader. By utilizing effective descriptive language and figures of speech, writers appeal to a reader’s senses of sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound, as well as internal emotion and feelings. Therefore, imagery is not limited to visual representations or mental images, but also includes physical sensations and internal emotions.

For example, in his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes imagery as a literary device to create a sensation for the reader as a means of understanding the love felt by the protagonist, Hester Prynne.

Symbol

Symbol is a literary device where an object, action, or event represents a larger concept, idea or emotion. A symbol can be a concrete object, like a rose, or an abstract concept, like freedom, and it carries a deeper meaning beyond its literal interpretation. Symbols are used in literature to create layers of meaning and to convey themes, ideas, or messages to the reader in a more subtle way. Through the use of symbols, writers can give their greater emotional impact and engage readers on a deeper level, allowing for a more immersive and memorable reading experience.

Examples of symbol:

The white whale in Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” represents obsession and the destructive nature of revenge.

 

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound or letter at the beginning of multiple words in a sentence or phrase. It is used to create a musical or rhythmic effect, to add emphasis to certain words, or to make a phrase more memorable. Alliteration can be found in poetry, song lyrics, and even in everyday speech. It is often used for its poetic qualities, to create a sense of harmony or to draw attention to certain words or ideas. Alliteration can also be used to create a specific mood or atmosphere in a piece of writing.

Examples of alliteration:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

She sells seashells by the seashore.

Silly Sally swiftly shooed seven silly sheep.

A big black bug bit a big black bear.

Bobby’s bicycle bounced by Brenda’s bakery.

Dan’s dog dug deep down in the dirt.

Freddy frog fancied feasting on fresh flies.

Greta greeted guests with a gracious grin.

Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia is a literary device that involves the use of words that imitate the sound of the object or action they refer to. These words are intended to evoke the sound that they describe and create a sensory experience for the reader. For example, words such as “buzz,” “hiss,” and “boom” are examples of onomatopoeia. This literary device is often used in poetry, where it can create vivid images and sensory experiences, but it can also be used in prose and other forms of writing.

Examples of onomatopoeia:

“The buzzing of the bees filled the air.”

“The crackling fire warmed the chilly room.”

“The wind howled through the trees.”

“The clanging of the church bells echoed across the town.”

“The hissing snake slithered across the grass.”

 

Repetition

Repetition is a literary device that involves intentionally using a word or phrase for effect, two or more times in a speech or written work. For repetition to be noticeable, the words or phrases should be repeated within close proximity of each other. Repeating the same words or phrases in a literary work of poetry or prose can bring clarity to an idea and/or make it memorable for the reader.

For example, in the statement “What you own ends up owning you,” own is repeated in two different ways. This repetition gives greater clarity to the meaning of the statement as a whole.

Rhyme

Rhyme is a literary device, featured particularly in poetry, in which identical or similar concluding syllables in different words are repeated. Rhyme most often occurs at the ends of poetic lines. In addition, rhyme is principally a function of sound rather than spelling. For example, words rhyme that end with the same vowel sound but have different spellings: day, prey, weigh, bouquet. This is true for words with the same consonant ending as well: vain, rein, lane. Rhyme is therefore predominantly independent of the way words look or are spelled. Writers use rhymes as a way to create sound patterns in order to emphasize certain words and their relationships with others in an artistic manner.

 

Antithesis

Antithesis involves the writer employing two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another. Whether they are words or phrases of the same sentence, an antithesis is used to create a stark contrast using two divergent elements that come together to create one uniform whole. An antithesis plays on the complementary property of opposites to create one vivid picture. The purpose of using an antithesis in literature is to create a balance between opposite qualities and lend a greater insight into the subject.

Examples of antithesis:

“To be or not to be, that is the question” – This famous line from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” uses antithesis to contrast the ideas of existence and non-existence, emphasizing the weight of the decision facing the character.

“Love is an ideal thing, marriage a real thing” – In this sentence, the contrast between the ideal and the real creates an antithesis that highlights the differences between the two concepts.

 

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a literary device that involves using exaggerated statements or claims to emphasize a point or create a dramatic effect. It is an intentional exaggeration that is not meant to be taken literally, but rather used to make a point or create a vivid image in the reader’s mind. Hyperbole can be used to express strong emotions, create humor, or to emphasize a particular point in a text.

Examples of hyperbole:

In “The Odyssey” by Homer, the protagonist Odysseus is described as having “a heart as hard as iron.” This hyperbole emphasizes the character’s resilience and toughness.

In “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator Nick Carraway describes the mansion of the title character as having “a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy.” This hyperbole creates an image of opulence and grandeur.

 

Puns

Puns play with words in a humorous or clever way by using a word or phrase that has multiple meanings, or by using words that sound similar but have different meanings. Puns are often used to create wordplay and humor in literature, jokes, and advertisements. They can be used to create double entendres, where a phrase can have both a literal and a figurative meaning. Puns are a common form of wordplay that can add wit and humor to writing and speech, and they are often used in creative ways to add a unique and memorable touch to a piece of work.

Examples of puns:

“I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough” – This is an example of a pun that plays on the double meaning of “dough” as both a type of bread and slang for money.

“Why do we tell actors to ‘break a leg?’ Because every play has a cast.” – This pun uses the multiple meanings of “cast” as both a group of actors and a plaster cast used to set a broken bone.

 

Metonymy

Metonymy is a literary device that involves using a word or phrase to represent something else that is closely associated with it, often based on context or cultural significance. For example, using the phrase “the White House” to refer to the U.S. government or “the crown” to refer to the monarchy. Metonymy is often used in literature to create vivid and concise descriptions.

Examples of metonymy:

“The Oval Office was in turmoil.” This example from a news article uses the Oval Office as a metonymy for the U.S. presidency.

“He’s not the sharpest tool in the shed.” In this example, “the sharpest tool in the shed” is used as a metonymy for intelligence.

 

Climax

Climax, a Greek term meaning “ladder,” is that particular point in a narrative at which the conflict or tension hits the highest point.  It is a structural part of a plot, and is at times referred to as a “crisis.” It is a decisive moment or a turning point in a storyline at which the rising action turns around into a falling action. Thus, a climax is the point at which a conflict or crisis reaches its peak, then calls for a resolution or Denouement (conclusion). In a five-act play, the climax is close to the conclusion of act 3. Later in the 19th century, five-act plays were replaced by three-act plays, and the climax was placed close to the conclusion or at the end of the play.

Examples of Climax in Literature

Let us analyze a few climax examples in literature:

Example #1: Romeo and Juliet (By William Shakespeare)

In William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet, the story reaches its climax in Act 3. In the first scene of the act, Romeo challenges Tybalt to a duel after he (Tybalt) killed Mercutio:

“And fire-eyed fury be my conduct now!
Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again
That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio’s soul
Is but a little way above our heads …”

As soon as he killed Tybalt, Romeo says:

“O! I am Fortune’s Fool!”

He realizes that he has killed his wife’s cousin. This juncture in the play is a climax, as the audience wonders how Romeo would get out of this terrible situation. Similarly, it qualifies as a climax because, after this act, all the prior conflicts start to be resolved, and mysteries unfold themselves, thus moving the story toward its logical conclusion during the coming scenes.

Anti-Climax

Anti-climax is a rhetorical device that can be defined as a disappointing situation, or a sudden transition in discourse from an important idea to a ludicrous or trivial one. It is when, at a specific point, expectations are raised, everything is built-up, and then suddenly something boring or disappointing happens — this is an anti-climax. Besides that, the order of statements gradually descend in anti-climax.

Examples of Anti-Climax in Literature

In literature, there are lots of examples of anti-climax, whether narrative or as a figure of speech. Let us consider a few of them:

Example #1: The Rape of the Lock (By Alexander Pope)

“Here thou, great Anna, whom three realms obey,
Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tea…”

In the extract, it is used as a figure of speech. Pope is drawing the attention of readers to the falseness. Anna is Queen of England, who holds meetings, and indulges also in afternoon tea customs. Ludicrous effect is created by using the anti-climax.

 Conceit

As a literary device, a conceit is a comparison that is convoluted, unconventional, and/or improbable. Conceit is comparable to simile, metaphor, and allegory in that they all make use of comparison or symbolic imagery. However, conceit is differentiated from these other devices in the degree to which its comparison between things is so unlikely that there must be an imagined connection. An example of conceit would be: “A broken heart is like a damaged clock.”

Example : The Flea (By John Donne)

We find another striking example of conceit in John Donne’s poem, The Flea:

“Oh stay! three lives in one flea spare
Where we almost, yea more than married are.
This flea is you and I, and this
Our marriage-bed and marriage-temple is…”

In the above lines, the poet tells his darling that she has no reason to deny him sexually, as the flea has sucked blood from both of them, and their blood has mingled in its gut, so the flea has become their “marriage bed,” though they are not married yet.