What are literary devices?
Literary devices are the strategies that the writer employs to make the work of literature rich and meaningful in order to create an impact on the readers. These tools are not used only to fascinate the text, however they have several important roles in the literature.
Why Do Authors Use Literary Devices
The authors use literary devices in their works to improve the quality of storytelling, add depth to the meaning and engage the readers. The reasons of using literary devices are mentioned here briefly.
1- Enhancing Imagery and Sensory Experience
One of the significant reasons, the writers employ the literary techniques is to produce evocative imagery and sensory perceptions for the readers. These devices include metaphors, similes and personification. They allow the writers to create imagery with words and make the scenes more substantial and engaging.
Metaphor and Simile
Both the literary devices contrast two unlike things. They indicate similarities in that way, which make the description more expressive.
For example, the phrase “Her smile was a ray of sunshine” is a metaphor and “Her smile was like a ray of sunshine” is an example of simile. They produce a bright and pleasant image in the minds of the readers.
Personification
The authors provide human characteristics to non-human entities. In this way, they are able to create the environment in a story like a live presentation.
For example, the phrase “The wind whispered through the trees” assigns the wind a voice, which intensify the mood and atmosphere.
2- Creating Mood and Atmosphere
The use of literary devices is helpful in creating mood and atmosphere of the piece of work.
By using these stylistic techniques, the authors are able to invoke the particular emotions and set the tone for their narratives.
Alliteration and Assonance
These devices are considered as sound devices. There is a repetition of consonant and vowel sounds in these devices, and they produce a musical quality in prose or the poetry.
This technique increases the mood, either in the terrifying repetition of the sounds in a horror story or the soft rhythm in the romantic scene.
Imagery
This kind of language that creates pictures in the readers’ minds makes it easier to create a world that readers can occupy.
For example, when painting a picture of a scene with words such as “the cold, damp air clung to their skin, and the distant howl of a wolf sent shivers down their spines”; the reader gets the creeps.
3- Adding Depth and Layers of Meaning
Literary devices usually sustain symbolic meanings. They add depth to the story.
By using the symbols, allegory and irony, the writers are able to convey the intricate themes and ideas to the readers in a subtle manner.
Symbolism
In the narratives, symbols are employed at a larger scale in shape of objects, characters or events to find deeper significance.
For example, the green light in “The Great Gatsby” symbolizes the unachievable dreams of Gatsby as well as the the American Dream itself.
Allegory
Allegory is a form of extended metaphor. By using the allegory, the author present the abstract ideas and principles.
In the novel, “Animal Farm”, the allegory has been used to indicate the Russian Revolution and the rise of Soviet communism, with the help of farm animals.
Irony
In irony, the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning. This literary device add multiple elements, themes to the story, which make it intricate. It is also used to create humor, emphasize themes and indicate inconsistency.
4- Enhancing Characterization
The authors employ literary devices in development of the characters. They make them more relatable, intricate, and significant.
Hyperbole
In hyperbole, the words are exaggerated to indicate the features of the character’s and emotions. For example, the phrase uttered by the character that “he was so hungry they could eat a horse” reflects the extreme hunger.
Dialogue and Dialect
The characters way of communication, their choice of words and regional tone give their background information, personality and relationships.
The use of regional dialects in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” helps to identify Huck and other characters, which provides genuineness and depth.
5- Structuring the Narrative
Literary devices play an important role in shaping the structure of the story. The literary techniques, such as, foreshadowing, flashbacks and parallelism are helpful to arrange the story in a way that intensify its impact.
Foreshadowing
This literary device suggests the coming events that create suspense and prepares the readers for the progress of the narrative.
Flashbacks
This literary device breaks the chronological flow of the narrative and give background information. It helps the readers to understand the motives of the character.
Parallelism
This literary technique is used in related phrases with similar structures to create rhythm and emphasize connections between ideas. For instance, in the phrase “It was the best of times, it was the worst of time”, the use of parallel structure is evident.
6- Engaging and Retaining Reader Interest
To engage the readers in a piece of work is a basic target of any writer. In this regard, the literary devices play an important role. These devices add variety, surprise and depth to the story.
Cliffhangers
It is a technique, through which the writer leaves the ending chapters or sections unanswered in order to encourage the reader to move forward to find out the outcome.
Plot Twists
The unexpected twists and surprises refresh the story and engage the readers to find out that what will happen next.
7. Conveying Themes and Messages
Through the use of literary devices, the writers minutely impart the themes and messages of their work. These tools are helpful to share intricate ideas in an convenient and appealing manner.
Motifs
Motifs are the repetition of aspects in a story, such as a repeated symbol or phrase. They fortify the primary themes.
For instance, the repeating motif of darkness and light in “Romeo and Juliet” indicates the variance between love and hate, youth and age.
Juxtaposition
By using this literary technique, the authors put contrary elements next to each other, which show their differences and indicate the specific themes or messages.
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the juxtaposition of innocence and racialism is used to criticize the social discrimination.
8- Exploring and Experimenting with Language
The literary devices permit the writers to play with the language, test its form and function in order to create a unique and captivating stories.
Allusion
It is a reference to another work of literature, individual or event. Allusion add depths of meaning and connect the story to the cultural and historical perspective. For instance, the poem of T.S. Eliot “The Waste Land” is abundant with allusions to numerous literary and religious texts.
Puns
It adds humor and wit to the story. Shakespeare uses the puns for entertainment and to add depth to his plays. For example, the multiple meanings of the word “grave” in the play “Hamlet.”
9- Creating Emotional Resonance
Literary devices are necessary to create emotional impact in a story. They are helpful to invoke sympathy, evoke thought, and extract strong emotional responses from the readers.
Pathos
By invoking the emotions of the readers, the writers make their stories more affecting.
Euphemism and Dysphemism
Both these devices are used to soften or harshen the way things are explained. They influence the emotional response of the readers.
For example, the reference to death as “passing away” (euphemism) and “kicking the bucket” (dysphemism) invokes very different emotions.
Final Words
Literary devices are very fundamental in the writing process. These are used for various functions, which include, and not limited to, reinforcing images and moods, providing layers, building characters, and capturing the reader’s attention. These tools can be used to deliver certain topics, test linguistic possibilities, and tell stories that engage the readers’ emotions. Thus, identifying these strategies, the readers will be able to understand the shades of meaning in the given story and the efforts of its author.
