Literary Devices & Rhetorical Devices

• Simile: A comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as
• Metaphor: used to make a direct comparison between two things.
• Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human objects, animals, etc.
• Hyperbole: an exaggeration of a sentence that is not meant to be taken literally.
• Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds they describe (e.g., buzz, hiss).
• Idioms: words, phrases, or expressions that CAN'T be taken literally. They don't mean what the words say.
• Allusion: A reference to something outside the text, usually a literary or historical reference.
• Oxymoron: a term that features two words that appear to contradict each other but make sense of the situation overall.
• Imagery: use of language to create a certain picture in the reader's mind of a person, a thing, a place, or an experience.
• Mood: Refers to an emotional response that the writer uses to convey to the reader in the story.
• Repetition: The use of a word or phrase more than once in a sentence or paragraph.
• Symbolism: When objects are used as symbols to represent ideas or concepts.
• Juxtaposition: When two opposing ideas are placed side by side to create something new.
• Irony: a statement made that directly contradicts reality.
• Figurative Language: Language that uses words in a way that is not literal.
• Ethos: strengthening an argument by showing how trustworthy or credible the author is.
• Logos: strengthening an argument by using logical facts, statistics, reasons, and evidence.
• Pathos: strengthening an argument by creating strong positive or negative emotions in the reader or audience.
• Kairos: strengthening an argument by relating it to current events or things that are popular.