Devices of Style

What are they?

Devices of Style/Literary Devices/Figures of Speech are
parts of language that depart from customary construction,
word order, or significance to add new meaning to phrases
beyond what the words are literally expressing. Figures of
speech/literary devices are important when one is writing
as they help to make one’s writing colourful and more
creative. Writing is a craft that one must master.
SONIC DEVICES
sonic
Adjective
denoting, relating to, or of the nature of sound
or sound waves
ASSONANCE
The repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close
to each other. It is used to reinforce the meanings of
words or to set the mood.
Eg. And in the stream the long-leaved flowers weep
Effect: Used to grab the reader’s attention, makes
writing intriguing, adds rhythm
What is the effectiveness of the use of
assonance in this example?
A LONG LIGHT SHAKES ACROSS THE LAKES
AND THE WILD CATARACTS LEAP IN GLORY.
ALLITERATION
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds at the
beginning of words.

Eg. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled
me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before

Effect: Focuses reader’s attention on a particular section of the text,creates

rhythm and mood and can have particular connotations. Eg. Repetition of
the S sound often suggests a snake-like quality, implying slyness or
danger.
What is the effectiveness of the use of
alliteration in this example?
Black reapers with the sound of steel on stones are
sharpening scythes
ONOMATOPOEIA
Onomatopoeia: The use of words that imitate the sounds
associated with the objects or actions they refer to.
Eg. whoop, throb, clank
Effect: They grab the reader’s attention, evokes auditory
imagery, adds humor, brings writing to life.
IDENTIFY EXAMPLES
OF ONOMATOPOEIA IN
THIS POEM:
ANTITHESIS
Antithesis: is used as a literary device to put two contrasting
ideas together. This emphasizes the difference between the two
ideas and adds interest to writing.
E.g. “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for
mankind.” - Neil Armstrong
Effect: It makes the reader better understand a point.
ANASTROPHE
Anastrophe: Changing the syntax (structure) of a sentence such that the
subject, object, verb, adjectives, etc. are in an unusual grammatical order.

By inverting the normal order of the words, a speaker can give added
emphasis to a particular word; e.g., “I value liberty the most.” vs “Liberty,
I value the most.”

Effect: The unusual word order forces us to think a bit longer to

understand the sentence, giving it a wiser, more profound quality.
Comparative Devices
The Simile
A simile is a comparison between two things. The
comparison is made explicit by using the words “like” or
“as”.
The comparison adds to the meaning and makes the writing
vivid and interesting. It appeals to the reader’s imagination as
well as his senses by the associations it evokes. Successful
similes invite us to use our memory and imagination when we
hear or read them.
The appropriateness or effectiveness of the simile may be
evaluated through the following questions:

● Is it striking, vivid, original, interesting?

● Does it make the meaning clearer?
● Does it provide enjoyment?
● Does it appeal to feeling as well as thought?
● Does it add to thr meaning?
● Does it stimulate the reader’s imagination?
● Does it appeal to the senses?
An African Thunderstorm
From the west
Clouds come hurrying with the wind
Turning
Sharply
5
Here and there
Like a plague of locusts
Whirling,
Tossing up things on its tail
Like a madman chasing nothing.
10
Pregnant clouds
Ride stately on its back,
Gathering to perch on hills
Like sinister dark wings;
The wind whistles by
15
And trees bend to let it pass.
In the village
Screams of delighted children,
Toss and turn
In the din of the whirling wind,
20
Women -
Babies clinging on their backs
Dart about
In and out
Madly;
25
The wind whistles by
Whilst trees bend to let it pass.
Clothes wave like tattered flags
Flying off
To expose dangling breasts
As jagged blinding flashes
Rumble, tremble and crack
Amidst the smell of fired smoke
And the pelting march of the storm.

Abioseh Nicol
 Words of Wisdom and Love
Words are like shells
Many see only their outer hardness
But the wise hold and open them
And sometimes find within them hidden pearls.

Words are like lightening strokes

Many see only frightening flashes
But the wise pause and wait
And hear the echo of their great thunder.
 Words of Wisdom and Love
Words are like moonflowers by day
Many see only their bunched leafy fists
But the wise linger till after twilight
And watch them open spilling out their sweet fragrance.

Words are like high towering waves

Many see only the hurl of their long angry curl
But the wise stand waiting by the white sand
And feel the gentle soothing trickle of their spent force.
 Words of Wisdom and Love
So, Africa, when you say to me
In quiet urgency you love me
(Oh you are a torn confused and ravaged land
Your strange uncertain love like shifting tides)
That I must stay and serve your needs
I pause and ponder
I stop and wonder.

Perhaps you hold within you

Some hidden gleaming pearl
Some future majesty
Some strange sweet fragrance of moonlit nights
I walk along your foam-flecked shores
Your words hold promise
And are not empty
I have gained wisdom and shall wait.
The Metaphor
A writer uses metaphor when he/she compares one thing,
object or person to another. Whereas the simile says one
thing is like another, the metaphor says one thing is
another.

The comparison is implied rather than directly stated in

the metaphor. Metaphors invite us to discover
similarities between one thing and another. They are
briefer, sharper, amd offer more surprise to the reader
than the simile.
Personification
 Personification is a literary device in which an
inanimate object is endowed with human attributes.

Eg. The car complained as the key was roughly turned in

its ignition.
Personification stretches the boundaries of reality to make
literature and poetry more vivid. Personification can also
be used to better explain concepts and ideas.
Hyperbole
A figure of speech that involves an extreme
exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis.
The purpose of hyperbole is to create a larger-than-life
effect and overly stress a specific point. Such sentences
usually convey an action or sentiment that is generally
not practically/ realistically possible or plausible but
helps emphasize an emotion.
Eg. “I am so tired I cannot walk another
inch”
“I’m so sleepy I might fall asleep standing
here”.
Oxymoron
Oxymoron is a figure of speech in which two
opposite ideas are joined to create an effect. The
common oxymoron phrase is a combination of an
adjective preceded by a noun with contrasting
meanings, such as “cruel kindness,” or “living
death”.
However, the contrasting words/phrases
are not always glued together. The
contrasting ideas may be spaced out in a
sentence, such as, “In order to lead, you
must walk behind.”
§Open secret §Tragic comedy
§Seriously funny §Awfully pretty
§Foolish wisdom §Original copies
§Liquid gas
The above oxymoron examples produce a comical effect.
Thus, it is a lot of fun to use them in your everyday speech
Parodox
The term paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon, which
means “contrary to expectations, existing belief, or perceived
opinion.”
It is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or
silly, but which may include a latent truth. It is also used to
illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted
traditional ideas. A paradox is often used to make a reader
think over an idea in innovative way.
§Your enemy’s friend is your enemy. §I am nobody.
§“What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.” – George
Bernard Shaw

§Wise fool §Truth is honey, which is bitter.

§“I can resist anything but temptation.” – Oscar Wilde

A paradox is often used to make a reader think over an idea

in innovative way.
Paradox VS.
Oxymoron
It is important to understand the difference
between an oxymoron and a paradox. A
paradox may consist of a sentence, or even a
group of sentences. An oxymoron, on the
other hand, is a combination of two
contradictory or opposite words.
A paradox seems contradictory to the general
truth, but it does contain an implied truth. An
oxymoron, however, may produce a dramatic
effect, but does not make literal sense. Examples
of oxymoron are found both in casual
conversations and in literature.
Irony
Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in
such a way that their intended meaning is different
from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be
a situation that ends up in quite a different way than
what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a
difference between appearance and reality.
On the grounds of the above definition, we distinguish two basic types of
irony: (1) verbal irony, and (2) situational irony.
Verbal irony involves what one does not mean. For example, when in
response to a foolish idea, we say, “What a great idea!” This is verbal
irony.

Situational irony occurs when, for instance, a man is chuckling at the

misfortune of another, even when the same misfortune is, unbeknownst
to him, befalling him.
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is derived from the French word sarcasmor, and also
from the Greek word sarkazein, which means “tear flesh,” or
“grind the teeth.” Somehow, in simple words it means to speak
bitterly.
Generally, the literal meaning is different than what the speaker
intends to say through sarcasm. Sarcasm is a literary and
rhetorical device that is meant to mock, often with satirical or
ironic remarks, with a purpose to amuse and hurt someone, or
some section of society, simultaneously.
When a husband comes home after a long day at work:
I work 40 hours a week for us to be this poor.

When you expected something to happen, especially after warning someone

about it:
Well, what a surprise.

When a roommate is acting bizarre:

Is it time for your medication or mine?

When someone says something that is very obvious:

Really, Sherlock? No! You are clever.
*The difference between irony and sarcasm: Both
convey the opposite of their intended meaning but
"[P]eople may be unintentionally ironic, but sarcasm
requires intention. What is essential to sarcasm is that it
is overt irony intentionally used by the speaker as a form
of verbal aggression" (Talk Is Cheap, 1998).
Rhetorical
Question
A rhetorical question is asked just for effect, or to lay emphasis
on some point being discussed, when no real answer is
expected. A rhetorical question may have an obvious answer,
but the questioner asks it to lay emphasis to the point. Some
examples are:
● Who knows?”
● “Are you stupid?”
Pun
A pun is a play on words that produces a humorous effect by using a
word that suggests two or more meanings, or by exploiting similar
sounding words that have different meanings.

Humorous effects created by puns depend upon the ambiguities the words
entail. These ambiguities arise mostly in homophones and homonyms. Some
examples are:

· A horse is a very stable.

· The life of a patient of hypertension is always at steak.

Euphemism
Euphemism is a figure of speech commonly used to
replace a word or phrase that is related to a concept which
might make others uncomfortable. Euphemism refers to
figurative language designed to replace phrasing that
would otherwise be considered harsh, impolite, or
unpleasant. This literary device allows for someone to say
what they mean indirectly, without using literal language,
as a way of softening the impact of what is being said.
The reason for this would be for the sake of politeness, discretion,
and other means of mitigating communication. Euphemisms are used
for certain abstractions such as death, sex, aging, getting fired, bodily
functions, and others.
here are many common examples of euphemism used in everyday conversation and writing. Here are
some well-known uses of this figure of speech:
● porcelain throne (toilet) ● see a man about a horse (go to
● friends with benefits the bathroom)
(friends having sex) ● senior (old)
● pre-owned (something ● gentlemen’s club (strip club)
used) ● economically challenged
● bun in the oven (pregnancy) (poor)
● number one (urination) ● put to sleep (euthanize)
● between jobs (unemployed)
● number two (defecation)
● upchuck (vomit)
● roll in the hay (have sex)
● big-boned (overweight)
Ellipsis
Ellipsis is a literary device that is used in narratives to omit
some parts of a sentence or event, which gives the reader a
chance to fill the gaps while acting or reading it out. It is usually
written between the sentences as a series of three dots, like this:
“…”
Apart from being convenient, ellipses also help in advancing the
story. Leaving out part of a sentence or an event by substituting
it with ellipses is often done to either save time, or as a stylistic
element.