Literay Device
Literary Device Glossary
Allusion: An implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing that has to do with another part of a text. Can be direct quotes or it can be indirect things that are implied. Most are from commonly known pieces of literature or history.
Example: “but now he found that he committed himself to the following of a grail” The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.
Function: In this example, Fitzgerald alludes to the Holy Grail. What this does is show how important Daisy is to Gatsby. The Holy Grail is biblically one of the most treasured items ever. Fitzgerald use allusion to show just how much Gatsby wants Daisy.
Smile: a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid.
Example: “be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow” Hamlet by William Shakespeare A3. S1. 138-139. Function: In this example, Shakespeare is using a simile to show how Hamlet feels about Ophelia. Chaste means obtaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse. Hamlet says that just as ice, that Ophelia should not being giving up her virginity to anyone that like snow she should be pure. Snow is one of the most beautiful things in this world so when telling someone the should be as pure as snow its really telling you that you have to be one of the most amazing people in the world. Shakespeare used simile to show how highly hamlet thought of Ophelia.
Symbol: a thing that represents or stands for something else, esp. a material object representing something abstract.
Example: ““Gatsby believed in the green light” The Great Gatsby (128). By F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Function: In the Great Gatsby, the green light is probably one of the most important symbols. Green is the color of hope and it first appears when Gatsby stares across the bay towards a green light at the end of his dock. Later on in the book, we
Allusion: An implied or indirect reference to a person, event, or thing that has to do with another part of a text. Can be direct quotes or it can be indirect things that are implied. Most are from commonly known pieces of literature or history.
Example: “but now he found that he committed himself to the following of a grail” The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald.
Function: In this example, Fitzgerald alludes to the Holy Grail. What this does is show how important Daisy is to Gatsby. The Holy Grail is biblically one of the most treasured items ever. Fitzgerald use allusion to show just how much Gatsby wants Daisy.
Smile: a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid.
Example: “be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow” Hamlet by William Shakespeare A3. S1. 138-139. Function: In this example, Shakespeare is using a simile to show how Hamlet feels about Ophelia. Chaste means obtaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse. Hamlet says that just as ice, that Ophelia should not being giving up her virginity to anyone that like snow she should be pure. Snow is one of the most beautiful things in this world so when telling someone the should be as pure as snow its really telling you that you have to be one of the most amazing people in the world. Shakespeare used simile to show how highly hamlet thought of Ophelia.
Symbol: a thing that represents or stands for something else, esp. a material object representing something abstract.
Example: ““Gatsby believed in the green light” The Great Gatsby (128). By F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Function: In the Great Gatsby, the green light is probably one of the most important symbols. Green is the color of hope and it first appears when Gatsby stares across the bay towards a green light at the end of his dock. Later on in the book, we