general literary techniques

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general literary techniques description, imagery and contrast sentence structure and syntax meaning and interpretation

General literary techniques

This is Artemis’ general glossary page! Here you will find relevant literary devices to help deepen your critical analysis of a text, helping you understand how these devices are used to create different effects within a chosen work! These techniques range from building tension, to highlighting key themes, or creating evocative imagery within a piece of writing. We have split up devices so finding

Here is an example sentence to help you apply these techniques to your own writing! Make sure you address the Quote, Technique, Effect on the audience and its broader effect on the overall meaning of the text, linking back to your relevant Question.

The author builds tension through the use of truncated sentences in the quote “She stopped. Watched. Nothing.” evoking not only the character’s alertness but creating a sense of anxiety within the reader, allowing greater immersion within the text.

Description, Imagery and Contrast
Technique	Definition	Example	Effect
Metaphor	When something is non literally referred to as another to suggest similarity or layered meaning	Grief is an anchor dragging him down.	Shapes the reader’s interpretation and perspective Influences tone and emotion Suggests multiple interpretations, inferring deeper meaning
Simile	Comparing two things using ‘like’ or ‘as’ to denote similarity	His voice trembled like glass about to shatter.	Similar to metaphor in creating vivid imagery, influencing tone as well as shaping reader perspective
Personification	When personal or human characteristics are assigned to something non-human	The sun smiled down on us	Shapes tone or mood Infers deeper meaning onto an object or animal, often creating an emotional connection with the reader Often carries a symbolic meaning
Sensory imagery	Descriptive or figurative language to appeal to any of the five senses	The air smelled of smoke and damp earth.	Builds vivid mental pictures, enhancing realism and engaging the reader more personally through sensory stimulation Creates atmosphere and mood
Hyperbole	Where the writer or speaker exaggerates a certain aspect of a subject for emphasis	The crowd’s roar shook the sky.	Accentuates strong feelings, revealing a particular state or attitude Dramatises an event Adds humour or irony
Oxymoron	Where two contradictory or opposing words are placed together or within the same sentence	She felt a painful pleasure.	Expresses complexity or ambiguity References contradicting feelings, deepening emotional impact
Antithesis	The pairing of two contrasting elements: ideas, words, etc., within a balanced phrase	We must learn to live together, or we will die alone.	Gives rhetoric authority to the text through strengthening a point Gives a parallel structure, creating balance

Sentence Structure and Syntax
Technique	Definition	Example	Effect
Truncated sentences	Shortened sentences where words are often left out but understood through context	She stopped. Watched. Nothing.	Creates tension or suspense Mirrors an emotional state Adds an authoritative or conversation tone
Repetition	Repeated words, phrases, sentences or sounds	This is the time to act. This is the time to change.	Emphasises an idea or theme Creates a feeling of persistence or inevitability Builds intensity or emotion such as expressing a character’s anger
Listing	Objects, phrases, ideas or words placed together in a series	He felt fear, guilt, regret, shame.	Infers diversity and abundance Conveys realism through listed description Strengthens credibility
Asyndeton	Omission of conjunctions such as and in a sequence or list	I came, I saw, I conquered	Conveys urgency and intensity, even chaos by speeding up pace Sharpens a phrase, adding drama and persuasive power through emphasis
Periodic structure	Holding of the main clause until the end of a sentence	With every door closed, every promise broken, every path blocked, she stood alone.	Builds tension and anticipation to create a climactic effect, directing the reader’s focus Creates authority through controlled delivery
Chiasmus	Reversal of words, phrases or grammatical structures in following phrases	He entered the war seeking glory, but left the glory seeking peace.	Creates balance and symmetry, often forcing the audience to reflect on the contrast of two ideas Adds rhetorical authority

Meaning and Interpretation
Technique	Definition	Example	Effect
Symbolism	Where the use of symbols in a text is used to reference something else, an idea or quality	“Out, damn spot!” (In this quote from Macbeth the ‘spot’ symbolises Lady Macbeth’s immovable guilt)	Represents ideas and emotions adding layers of meaning beyond a literal level Carries more emotional weight than a simple explanation
Allusion	An unexplored reference to a person or thing outside of the text, often another literary work, historical event, or philosophy. This can be direct or indirect	It was as if he were opening Pandora’s box	Adds layers of complexity to a text, linking it to a broader literary, cultural, or historical context Adds authority and shapes tone dependent on the reference May be used as foreshadowing or to suggest certain characteristics through comparison
Intertextuality	The implicit or explicit exploring of another work of literature or art within the text, using recognisable aspects of the referred text	T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land makes reference to Shakespeare and Dante among others	Invites comparison, allowing readers to evaluate contrasts across texts Critiques or subverts initial text Adds authority and shapes tone
Allegory	A text that uses symbolic elements such as characters, setting or even the whole plot to reference outside events or meanings, acting as an extended metaphor throughout the work	Henry Miller’s The Crucible being used as allegory for McCarthyism and The Red Scare	Makes political, moral or social commentary relating to the author’s context Highlights the universality of explored themes
Paradox	An element within the story that seems unnatural or contradictory	The louder he spoke, the less he was heard.	Forces challenging of assumptions, exposing a deeper truth Encourages multiple interpretations, revealing complexity of an idea
Irony	Use of words to express something that is not their literal meaning	Saying “Oh perfect!” when something goes wrong	Creates humour, often used to critique or mock ideas, in turn establishing an underlying theme with subtlety Produces tension or tragedy
Analogy	A comparison between two things to make explanation clearer or aid persuasion	Hope in hard times is like a candle in a storm.	Aids in rhetoric authority and persuasion through clarification and simplicity Shapes the reader’s perspective and opinion Creates vivid imagery
Motif	A repeating element throughout the text	Fire as a motif in The Lord of the Flies to show survival, power and destruction	Emphasises certain events and links these throughout the text Creates unity and structure Builds emotional impact