Literary Devices

Literary Devices



Alliteration Alliteration occurs when a series of words have the same first consonant sound. For example, “Jesse’s jaguar is jumping and jiggling jauntily.” (~yourdictionary.com)Alliteration is most commonly seen in tongue twisters, but it is also used in poems, song lyrics, and even store or brand names. Becky Burrows the Abashed Balancer Becky Burrows brusquely brushed back her bangs before bouncing up onto the balcony baluster and barreling down the beam. Blinded by her bushy bangs, Becky Burrows blundered over the balustrade and landed in a bubble bundle. Abashed about her blunder, Becky Burrows never barrelled down the balcony baluster again.



Metaphors A metaphor is a figure of speech containing an implied or hidden comparison between two thingsthat are unrelated but share some common characteristics. For example,“the classroom was azoo,” (~yourdictionary.com) meaning that the classroom was very busy, just like an animal zoo.A metaphor compares two things that are unrelated but share some common characteristics. The DreamI was faced with a rainbow of choices. Having many options should be a good thing, right? Nope.The griffin in front of me was busy describing my alternatives to reach the temple of Rashia andbecome a knight.I could fight him with my sword, which would probably result in being killed by his strong bodyand sharp claws.

I could climb over the mountain that stood between us and the temple, but that would take manyweeks and supplies that I did not have. Or, I could journey underneath the mountain and through its tunnels.There was really only one choice: face my fear and travel through the tunnels. So I set off and soon reached the door to the dark passageway. I learned early on that I was afraidof the dark, so as the door to the outside world closed behind me with a thud, I chanted in my head:fear is a beast that feeds on attention, fear is a beast that feeds on attention… But it didn't work. Ihad expected that there would be some kind of light source, maybe fireflies or holes in the tunnelthat let sunlight in, but there was nothing but darkness. I felt like I had been left high and dry and Isupposed that that was the point of this test.I could feel the panic start to kick in. My heart was a train pounding down the tracks, my legs werestrings of cooked spaghetti. I groped blindly down the tunnel, sweat dripping down my forehead,stinging my eyes. My terror propelled me and I began to run. Slam! I hit a solid surface. It seemedto be a door. Gasping, I found a handle and pulled the door open. Sunlight hit my face as Icollapsed, momentarily blinded .

A figure appeared above me offering me water. As I shakily took the offering, the figure spoke: “Youwill travel through this tunnel again and again until you no longer fear the darkness, and what lies init.” I was at a point of no return, so I bucked down and went through the tunnel again.I would like to tell you that I passed with flying colours on my second try but I would be lying. It tookme exactly a week and two days to finally overcome my fears of the dark. In the end, I did become aknight, and because my greatest fear was the dark, the other knights nicknamed me the Dark knight,the one who truly overcame his fear.



Personification Personification is when you make an object, idea, animal, or force of nature do something only a human can do, as in “my alarm clock yells at me every morning.” (~yourdictionary.com) The Heavens Children Lightning danced across the sky as I stood and watched the clouds go by. The twinkling stars were slowly tucked beneath the blanket that was the heavens.The stars for their part refused to sleep just like a child who was eager to be awake. They played under the moonlit sky until the thunder grumbled like an angry parent who had enough of their excitement.I watched all of this with a smile, as the wind whispered through my branches and sang ballads about the sky and its children.A new dawn finally broke through the fringes of the night and tiptoed across the dewy meadow as the grasses waltzed to the tune of the bluejays call.



RhymesA rhyme happens when two or more words end in the same sound. We often find rhymes in poems and songs. Lady Spring From beneath the snow the lady wakes Her dress of green still sprinkled with snowflakes She walks the earth with silent grace As she breathes new life into every space With the wave of her hand and the call of her voice Feathered friends alight and rejoice The snowdrops and crocus look up to the sky To the warm sunshine that is finally nigh Spring has arrived.



Similes A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, that shows similarities between two different things using the words “like” or “as”. For example, when someone says you are “as happy as a clam,” (~k12reader.com), they are using a simile to compare two different things: a person and a clam. The Circus Here I was standing at the entrance to the red and blue circus tent. Staff were bustling around,taking in cash and giving back change, telling the eager visitors which circus shows were the best,while parents helped excited children to fasten their wristbands. The circus was like a massivebusy beehive!

Above all the clammer, I could hear the distant roar of the lions. I had come to see the massive cats,lined up on their stools, shaking paws with the lion trainers. “Would you like to enter the circus?”Asked the ticket girl. “Yes please” I said as she click-clacked on the cash register which dinged asmy wristband printed. “12.50 please.” “Where are the lions kept?” “Tent 15, enjoy the circus!”I raced to tent 15, dodging the great black horses that neighed and stamped their dinner platehooves, the monkeys pickpocketing unaware visitors and howling every time they came up lucky.As I neared tent 15, there seemed to be a commotion inside: roaring, screaming and yelling visitors,cameras swinging around their necks, scrambling out of the tent with terrified expressions.I hurried to the entrance to see a lion tamer, thin as a rake, a whip in one hand and lions circlinghim. They were massive - as big as a buses! They lost interest in the tamer and ran to the exit whereI was standing! Four of them jumped around me while the fifth ran straight at me. He was a beautyof a beast, a frenzy of fierceness, with paws that could've killed me in one swipe. The lion dove and,somehow, I ended up on his back. Quickly I wound my hands around his thick golden mane.People screamed as we dashed through popcorn vendors and ice cream stations. The lion was asstrong as an ox and did not seem to care who or what was in his way.

I was having the time of my life, it felt like we had wings. As we were about to dash through thegates to the glowing city in the distance, there was a roar. I did not want to see where it was comingfrom, but slowly like a turtle coming out of its shell, I opened my eyes. My mother was standingover me saying “Get up Sam! It's time for breakfast.”



Symbols A symbol contains several layers of meaning, which are often hidden at first sight. Symbols use an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning. For example, “a newdawn” (~yourdictionary.com) does not only mean the beginning of a new day; it can also indicate a new start and the end of a hard time. Moonlit Rose You stood there yesterday my moonlit rose. My heart did leap when I beheld a rainbow in the sky. So bright was it my rose, my moon, that I turned thee head to find it was only bitter autumn after all. The rivers did flow yellow and the storms did thrash that night. The only thing stopping thee was the oak whose branches did dip below for thee. A ladder was all that held thee when the ravens last caw lashed through the dark. I wish thee could go east and come back to thee. But thee will have to wait with the key as the last sun sets below the sea.

By Kindi Mimeault March 4, 2017