Literary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary DevicesLiterary Devices

Definitions• Tenor – Idea, what am I trying to

describe

• Vehicle – Means of Comparison illuminates the tenor

• Connotations - Associations

Metaphors• Comparison

• Her eyes were pools of blue diamonds

• Tenor – her eyes• Vehicle – pools of blue diamonds• Connotations?

Metaphors con’t• A mighty fortress is our God.

• Tenor – Our God• Vehicle – mighty fortress• Connotations?

Simile• Comparison using like or as

• My love is like a red, red rose.

• Tenor – love• Vehicle – red, red rose• Connotations?

Simile con’t• I love you like a fat kid loves cake.

• Tenor – love• Vehicle – fat kid loves cake• Connotations?

Synesthesia• Comparing things with senses

• Loud shirt

• Tenor – shirt• Vehicle – loud• Connotations?

Synesthesia con’t• He’s hot

• Tenor – he• Vehicle – hot• Connotations?

Synechdoche• Part is the vehicle for an implied

whole

• All eyes up here

• Tenor – implied person• Vehicle – eyes• Connotations?

Implied Metaphor• Look at verb, tenor and vehicle not

obvious

• You got me twisted

• Tenor – me• Vehicle – something twisted• Connotations?

Implied Metaphor con’t• She flew into the room

• Tenor – she• Vehicle – a bird• Connotations?

Metonymy• Something used to represent an

idea

• The White House issued the order lastnight.

• Tenor – American Government, power, Bush

• Vehicle – White House

Metonymy con’t• You’ve gotta have heart.

• Tenor – you• Vehicle – emotion, live, love,

laugh, soul, passion

Personification• Way to describe something inanimate by

giving living characteristics, form of implied metaphor

• The wind whispered

• Tenor – sound• Vehicle – whispered• Connotations?

Onomatopoeia• When something is named for the

sound it makes, tenor usually implied

• He banged his head on the desk.

• Tenor – sound and action of banging• Vehicle – banged

Symbol• Word or object that stands for

another word or object

• White dove – peace

Irony• Opposition or disagreement

between what a writer says and what actually happens

Situational Irony• Disagreement between

expected results and what is actually going to happen.

• A man dies on the way to the airport who is afraid of flying.

Verbal Irony• Author says one thing and

really means something else.

• It is raining out and it says lovely weather.

Tragic/Dramatic Irony• The audience knows

something that the characters do not.

Paradox• Opposites that contradict each other

but still make sense, to think deeper• If God is omnipotent can he create a rock

so heavy that he himself cannot lift it?• He can make anything, but he can also lift

anything.• Lonely in a crowd.• Deep down he is deeply shallow.