Literary Devices essays

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Stevland Hardaway Morris (né Judkins) professionally known as Stevie Wonder was virtually born blind on May 13, 1950. This a fact worth mentioning, as this may have contributed to Stevie’s inclination towards music and multi-instrumentation from a young age. In 1954 Stevie’s family moved to Detroit where he began singing in the choir at Whitestone Baptist Church. By 1962 Stevie had released his first two albums (including ‘Tribute to Uncle Ray) under Motown’s Tamla label and in 1963 he achieved...
2 Pages 1185 Words
In the play ‘No Exit’, Jean-Paul Sartre implements the ideas of the philosophy of ontology and consciousness. In exploration of these philosophical ideas, like ontology, which is the ‘study of what exists’, the author works to emphasize the importance of self-awareness. Ontology, itself, categorizes the nature of existence into three states of being. These states of being include: being-in-itself, being-for-itself, and being-for-others, which all hold connection to the characters. Likewise, consciousness, also explores the idea of being self-aware, and emphasizes...
3 Pages 1375 Words
This paper is going to be about the aspects of juxtaposition in two stories named ‘A Raisin in the Sun’ and ‘A Woman of No Importance’ which have several issues that are both similar and different. The aspect of juxtaposition will show the parallelism in the actions or events in both the plays through the dialogues and the behaviors that the characters show at different circumstances in the story and how these dialogues bring out the symbolism of good and...
4 Pages 1788 Words
The recent rise of suburbia in mainstream media has promoted the suburban lifestyle to be the most desirable and ideal way of life. However, when understood in depth, suburbia often hides a deceptive façade as a means to achieve a sense of social superiority. The short story, ‘The Swimmer’ (Cheever, 1964), explores the social and psychological repercussions of the constant display of a superficial persona in American suburbia. The story concentrates on the middle-aged man Neddy Merrill’s journey through the...
3 Pages 1219 Words
In order to often better connect with stories, the use of literary techniques is extremely important, as it allows the reader to personally engage with the text. Such a technique is used by the author of the novel ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’, Jonathan Safran Foer, a story about a 9-year-old New Yorker, Oskar Schell, who is seeking closure of his father’s death in the September 11 attacks. Mainly, the author capitalizes on the practice of imagery, the use of...
3 Pages 1547 Words
Symbolism is a concept people are exposed to everyday, whether they notice it or not. It is a device that is used in many different forms, from state flags to works of art to the lyrics of one’s favorite song. Many find symbolism to give such things a higher significance or importance, allowing them to become much more than their surface meanings. The symbolism in literature is no different. In literature, symbolism has been used to thoroughly amplify the meaning...
3 Pages 1601 Words
In the novel, ‘Kindred’ by Octavia Butler, and the poem ‘Harlem’ by Langston Hughes, they both use symbolism to communicate how racism destroys the dreams and ambitions of those affected by its grasp. The poem ‘Harlem’ by Langston Hughes uses symbolism to communicate how racism destroys the dreams and ambitions of those affected by its grasp. Hughes opens the poem by saying, “What happens to a dream deferred, does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?” (Harlem, 1-3)....
3 Pages 1176 Words
The definition of the word ‘ransom’ is the sum paid to the kidnappers for the safe return of a kidnapped person. Yet, in O. Henry’s story ‘The Ransom of Red Chief’, the opposite happens. The kidnappers are compelled to pay a fee to the abductee’s father to take the kidnapped boy off their hands. In the story, Sam and Bill hatch a plan to kidnap Johnny and extract a two thousand dollars ransom from his affluent father Ebenezer Dorset; unfortunately,...
2 Pages 911 Words
Allusions Research Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels/Literature: Jonathan Swift, a satirical author, was born in Dublin, Ireland on the 30th of November in 1667. He advanced to Trinity College, obtaining a bachelor of arts degree, and achieved a master of arts degree at Oxford University. During his life, Swift wrote multiple literary works, including Gulliver’s Travels, his most famous novel. The plot follows Lemuel Gulliver, a sailor who shipwrecks and winds up in a mysterious place called Lilliput, which is inhabited...
5 Pages 2084 Words
The novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the life of a Puritan woman named Hester Prynne who commits adultery. Hawthorne uses the repetition of various motifs throughout the novel because he wants to convey to the reader that sin should not prevent a person from living. From the very beginning of the novel, Hawthorne employs the motifs of flowers and weeds in order to juxtapose Hester with Puritan society. While describing the prison as a gloomy and lifeless...
2 Pages 780 Words
Human rights are an ongoing universal issue. They are the so-called rights inherent to all human beings regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Throughout time, when Human rights have been withheld from individuals, powerful men and women have sought justice. For example, America’s racial tensions were...
2 Pages 709 Words
The Lion King the Musical Since I was little, I like the movie 'The Lion King'. The powerful music hit me every time I heard the songs. When I was little, I learned all the songs by heart. I loved the soundtrack. After the film, however, the musical impressed me, I thought that the movie was Disney's best creation, but after the musical, my ideas changed. The film was now second next to the amazing Broadway musical. Listening to the...
6 Pages 2865 Words
Individual and social sacrifices are prevalent in A Tale of Two Cities. Charles forgoes the family legacy to hide the stigma of his family’s immoral conduct. For the sake of his eventual dignity, Dr. Manette chooses to forgo his independence. Many French lives were sacrificed in the revolution to ultimately eliminate dictatorship. All in all, sacrifice guides both ordinary people and greater national businesses to greater prosperity and satisfaction. Although making sacrifices is difficult when only considering short-term benefits, in...
2 Pages 971 Words
The story of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is narrated by Scout in an uncertain future, in the form of a flashback. That way, it is possible to monitor closely the formation of character in character during childhood. The simple narrative provides a readable to get involved quickly, where the point of view of Scout adds sweetness and a nostalgic tone to the plot. The many secondary characters are built from the discoveries of Scout, like Calpurnia, the family’s maid, and...
1 Page 547 Words
“We must believe in free will because we have no choice.” This event was one of the most profound statements that have ever been spoken to me, and I heard it from my grandfather, Grandpa Bob, days before he passed away. The reason he uttered these words while in the hospital was because of a conversation that triggered a discussion of the concept of determinism. At the time, I was a confused 11-year-old visiting a sick relative and wasn’t educated...
3 Pages 1422 Words
Native Son opens with the ringing bell of an alarm clock—a wake-up call not only for Bigger and his family but also a warning to America as a whole about the dangerous state of race relations in the country in the 1930s. Wright sees a black population that, though freed from outright slavery, still lives under terrible conditions, is unable to vote, and is terrorized by groups like the Ku Klux Klan. The North is somewhat more integrated, but many...
2 Pages 873 Words
J.D. Salinger's “The Catcher in the Rye” is an American coming-of-age fiction novel that was initially published in July 1951, it takes place during the American post-World War 2. The novel is about the narrator himself, Holden Caulfield who is a 16-year-old boy who had just been expelled from Pency Preparatory School. He tells the experiences he had when he was at prep school and after. He searches for authenticity in a society that is of a consumerist culture and...
2 Pages 755 Words
O’ Henry’s story is an emotional prologue that sparks emotions upon reading it, especially for people who have experienced the challenges in marital life. Marriage is a good tradition as it can help nourish as a whole, yet the healthy cactus in Henry’s story shows the symbolism of what pain can inflict on someone. The symbolism in the novel shows that marriage and divorce go hand in hand. Love is healthy, yet the marriage tradition is full of flaws when...
2 Pages 760 Words
American attorney Michael Josephson once remarkably proclaimed, “Don’t let others define you. Don’t let the past confine you. Take charge of your life with confidence and determination and there are no limits on what you can do or be.” Everyone is pretentious, everyone is competitive, and everyone has intentions. We live in a society that is a dog-eat-dog world or also known as every man for themselves. Mr. Josephson suggested, that people should advocate for themselves as no one else...
6 Pages 2652 Words
In the allegorical novel, Lord of The Flies, author William Golding explores the essence of human nature in its purest form. From a group of stranded boys on an island to create an inner 'beast', Golding writes a story about the inevitable deterioration of order and civility when evil arises in mankind. Golding reveals harsh truths about the boys' savagery and urges, connecting to several biblical stories. In Lord of The Flies, Golding uses religious allegories from three well-known biblical...
2 Pages 881 Words
“Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.” Barbara De Angelis When you hear the name Shakespeare, what comes to mind? I am sure it’s his timeless play, Romeo and Juliet. This play has also been contemporized and made into a movie by the same name, but the...
2 Pages 1146 Words
In the modern context, the concept of ‘old’ and ‘new’ money is difficult for an average reader to understand. With a massive influx into the ranks of the hyper-rich by those who have gained their wealth through means like the Internet, values and perceptions of these concepts have drastically changed. Today's culture among developed nations romanticizes the concept of a ‘rags-to-riches’ story, a self-made person who makes their own fortune through hard work and entrepreneurial efforts. In the environment of...
1 Page 650 Words
“I cannot make you understand. I cannot make anyone understand what is happening inside me. I cannot even explain it to myself.” The preceding quote is an excerpt from Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis” which is a novella about Gregor, a salesman, who unexpectedly turns into a huge, unidentified insect one morning. ‘The Metamorphosis” is an allegory for humankind and Gregor’s transformation is more of a symbolic one than a physical one. The book is sectioned into three sections and the...
2 Pages 833 Words
“You can't tell any quite a story while not having some kind of a subject matter, one thing to mention between the lines”(Robert Wise). a subject matter is that the message or messages Associate in Nursing author is making an attempt to convey by incorporating them into their writing. Theme plays a very necessary role in each book, serving it to progress and have a temperament. while not theme, a story would be flat and have obscurity to travel. several...
3 Pages 1455 Words
The short stories can be comprehended as the modern-day written version of tales rendering the folktales that are mostly written with many moral insights and cultural values. Allan H. Pasco, a distinguished professor of Nineteenth-Century Literature, defines a short story as short, literary prose fiction, open to any topic or material, but the deciding factor is usually not the presence or absence of a saint or supernatural events, but rather the artistry in the creation of a reality whose existence...
4 Pages 1628 Words
The author Thornton Wilder uses dialogue in the play ‘Our Town’. There is a lot left to the imagination as the sets are simple and throughout the acts, the narrative provided by the Stage Manager sets the scene in what is known as the dream play technique. The stage set is very basic with only a few props, table and chairs, the audience is left to conjure up the scenery from their imagination. Wilder does this on purpose to lead...
2 Pages 774 Words
The Great Gatsby was written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald back in 1925. It continues to be one of the most studied novels in the modern world. It discusses themes such as the wealth of the ‘old money’ society, segregation, and the illusion of the American Dream. Gatsby was a young man who ran to accomplish astonishing wealth. Despite his more insignificant than prestigious history, he is still repudiated by those who were born in money. Addressing Gatsby’s example, this event...
1 Page 521 Words
The Kite Runner is a first-person narration with everything presented in the text coming from a character's point of view. This novel structure has a strong influence on how the reader views the characters. For example, using a narrative structure the reader understands why a character behaves in a certain way and is also able to empathise with them. The reader can view the scenarios the character is experiencing as if they are them. In other words “getting inside their...
2 Pages 745 Words
Narrative Style The Alchemist is a novel written by an anonymous third person omniscient, we know this as the narrator always refers to the characters as she, he or they, “they come in search of new things”. Throughout the novel the narrator focuses mainly on Santiago, but the narrator know the feelings and thoughts of every character involved in the story and expresses they using a simple tone. Character Analysis Santiago - The protagonist of the novel. Santiago is a...
2 Pages 789 Words
Many writers use symbolism in there writing to add more life behind the words. They often use common symbols or uncommon symbols. Pieces of literature from back then use more uncommon symbols then modern works. Symbolism is a figure of speech that is utilized when an author wants to create specific state of mind or feeling in a work of literature. It is the utilization of an item, individual, circumstance or word to speak to something different, similar to a...
3 Pages 1417 Words
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