LITERARY TECHNIQUES
MICHELLE B. MAGCALAS
-specific
methods
writers employ in
their works to
convey messages.
1. ANAPHORA
- repetition of a
word or phrase at
the beginning of a
sentence to create
an artistic effect
EX. OF ANAPHORA
1. TOM NEVER READS
BOOKS. TOM NEVER
WATCHES MOVIES. TOM
NEVER TALKS TO HIS
FRIENDS.
2.SARAH WENT TO THE
PLAYGROUND THIS
MORNING. SHE PLAYED ON
THE SWING THIS
MORNING. SHE ALSO ATE
BANANA THIS MORNING.
2. ANTIHERO
-A CHARACTER WHO
DOES NOT POSSESS
THE TRAITS OF A HERO
SUCH AS BRAVERY,
PRIDE AND VALOR.
EX. OF ANTIHERO
1. CAPTAIN JACK
SPARROW FROM
“PIRATES OF THE
CARIBBEAN”
2. GREGORY HOUSE
FROM “HOUSE”
3. JUXTAPOSITION
-USED TO COMPARE TWO
DIFFERENT THINGS OR
TWO CONTRASTING IDEAS
TO BE ABLE TO EMPHASIZE
THEIR DIFFERENCES( GOOD
& EVIL; LIFE & DEATH;
TRUTH & LIES )
EX. OF JUXTAPOSITION
1. TOMORROW IS THE
FUTURE’S ( YESTERDAY/
TODAY )
2. SHE HAD THE ( LOUDEST/
SOFTEST) WHISPER I HAVE
EVER HEARD
3. BETTER ( LATE/ EARLY )
THAN NEVER.
4. FORESHADOWING
LINES OR DIALOGUES IN A
-
STORY WHICH GIVE THE
READER AN IDEA OF WHAT IS
ABOUT TO HAPPEN WITHOUT
SPOILING THE PLOT’S THEME.
-A HINT ON WHAT IS TO
COME LATER ON
EX. OF FORESHADOWING
1. THE WIND IS
HOWLING LIKE THIS
SWIRLING STORM
INSIDE
2.SHE GREW DARING AND
RECKLESS, OVER
ESTIMATING HER
STRENGTH. SHE WANTED
TO SWIM FAR OUT, WHERE
NO WOMAN HAD SWUM
BEFORE.
5. CATHARSIS
- THE CHARACTER’S
EMOTIONAL RELEASE OR
CLEANSING ; USUALLY
BROUGHT BY LEARNING OF
THE TRUTH OR WHEN
CONFRONTED WITH
DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
EX. OF CATHARSIS
. AFTER A LONG SCENE OF
1
INTENSE DRAMA, THE
LOVERS FINALLY EMBRACE
2. RAIN AFTER A
CONFESSION.
SUN AFTER A DARK PERIOD.
6. STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS
- - THE PLOT IS
DEVELOPED BASED ON
THE CHARACTERS’
RECOLLECTION OF
EVENTS AND THOUGHT
7. HAMARTIA
- REFERS TO THE
TRAGIC HERO’S
ERROR IN JUDGMENT
WHICH LEADS TO
HIS/HER DOWNFALL
EX. OF HAMARTIA
1. A HERO IS BLINDED
BY HIS LOYALTY TO
HIS BEST FRIEND,
EVEN THOUGH HIS
FRIEND IS WORKING
TO BETRAY HIM
2.
A HEROINE IS SO
CONSUMED WITH PRIDE IN
HER OWN BEAUTY THAT
SHE FALLS WILLINGLY
INTO THE TRAP SET BY
THE EVIL WITCH.
8. ASSONANCE
-REPEATINGA VOWEL
SOUND THROUGHOUT
A SENTENCE,
PHRASE , PARAGRAPH
OR ENTIRE PIECE.
EX. OF ASSONANCE
1. IT BEATS AS IT SWEEPS
AS IT CLEANS
2. TRY TO LIGHT THE FIRE
3. CLAP YOUR HANDS AND
STAMP YOUR FEET
9. CLIFF HANGER
-USED BY THE AUTHOR
TO AROUSE CURIOSITY
AMONG READERS BY
ENDING A CHAPTER A
STORY ABRUPTLY
EX. OF CLIFF HANGER
1.
A BOOK ENDS WITH
THE PROTAGONIST
SAFE AND SOUND BUT
THE VILLAIN STILL ON
THE RUN
2. A TELEVISION
SERIES GOES TO
COMMERCIAL WHEN
THE BAD GUYS HAVE
TIED THE HERO TO A
CHAIR.
10. FLASHBACK
-AN INTERJECTED SCENE
THAT TAKES THE
NARRATIVE BACK IN
TIME FROM THE
CURRENT POINT IN THE
STORY.
EX. OF FLASHBACK
1. A GIRL WHO IS AFRAID
OF HEIGHTS, THERE IS A
FLASHBACK TO A TIME
WHEN SHE FELL OF THE
TOP OF A PLAYGOUND.
11. IMAGERY
- USED FOR
LANGUAGE AND
DESCRIPTION THAT
APPEALS TO OUR
FIVE SENSES
EX. OF IMAGERY
1.I COULD HEAR THE
POPPING AND CRACKLING
AS MOM DROPPED THE
BACON INTO THE FRYING
PAN, AND SOON THE
SALTY, GREASY SMELL
WAFTED TOWARD ME.
12. ALLITERATION
THE USED OF CLOSELY
-
SPACED WORDS THAT HAVE
THE SAME INITIAL SOUNDS
EX.
1. SHE SELLS SEASHELLS BY
THE SEASHORE
13. BIOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT
- AUTHOR’S LIFE AND
THE FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCED HIS/ HER
CONDITION WHILE
DOING THE
MASTERPIECE
14. CONTEXT
- THE BACKGROUND OF
THE TEXT WHICH MAY
HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED
THE AUTHOR’S LIFE,
LANGUAGE, SOCIETY AND
CULTURE
A. EXERCISES
1. PAT PICKED
THE PURPLE
PLATE ON THE
PANTRY
2.
A STORY BEGINS WITH
A SCENE OF DESTROYED
TOWN. THEN A SCENE
TAKING BACK TO A TIME
WHEN THE TOWN WAS
FULL OF LIFE AND PEOPLE
3. GLITTERING
WHITE, THE BLANKET
OF SNOW COVERED
EVERYTHING IN SIGHT
4. THE GOLDEN YELLOW
SUNLIGHT FILTERED DOWN
THROUGH THE PALE NEW
LEAVES ON THE TREES,
COMING TO REST ON JESSICA’S
BROWN TOES THAT WERE
SPLAYED IN THE RED MUD.
5.A CHAPTER ENDS
WITH THE
PROTAGONIST FACING
A TOUGH DECISION
ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT TO FORGIVE A
6.MEN SELL
THE WEDDING
BELL.
7. A MOVIE ABOUT A
BASEBALL TEAM ENDS WITH
THE TEAM WINNING THE
SERIES, BUT WITH A NEW
ROOKIE JOINING THEM IN
THE LOCKER ROOM FOR
SPRING TRAINING
8. IN FROZEN, ELSA
NEARLY DESTROYS HER
SISTER AND HER KINGDOM
BECAUSE SHE REFUSES TO
ACCEPT HERSELF- LOVE
HERSELF AND ALLOW
OTHERS TO LOVE HER IN
9. MOTHER AND
DAUGHTER HUGGED
EACH OTHER AFTER
KNOWING THAT THEY
ARE BIOLOGICALLY
RELATED.
10. SNOW WHITE IS
TOO TRUSTING, AND
SHE WILLINGLY TAKES
A POISENED APPLE
FROM THE DISGUISED
QUEEN
B. ACTIVITY
1.
“ONE MINUTE TO GO AND
HE’D BE ELEVEN. THIRTY
SECONDS…TWENTY…TEN…
NINE- MAY BE HE’D WAKE
DUDLEY UP, JUST TO
ANNOY HIM- THREE…TWO
…ONE… BOOM!”
2.
A HERO IS BLINDED BY
HER LOYALTY TO HER
BESTFRIEND, EVEN
THOUGH HER FRIEND IS
AN ACCESSORY ON HER
DOWNFALL.
3.
DON QUIXOTE- TALL,
GAUNT, FICTION
OBSESSED NOBLEMAN;
A KNIGHT- NOBLE,
IDEALISTIC, FOOLISH
4.
IT
WAS AT THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT, BLACK
AND DULL
EVERYWHERE, THEN
WE HEARD A
DEAFENING CRUSH
5.
THE CHAPTER STARTED
WITH A SCENE HAPPENED
IN THE PREVIOUS
CHAPTERS, TO RELAY
THE CHARACTER’S
THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
6.
THE REVELATION OF
THE CHARACTERS’
REAL IDENTITIES,
LEADING THE ENDING
OF THE STORY INTO A
HAPPY ONE.
7.
A CLUMSY AND
IMMATURE CHARACTER
BUT WAS ABLE TO
SAVE HIS FAMILY INTO
A DISASTER
8.
KITJOINS THE GROUP;
KIT SHOWS HIS TALENTS
WITH THE GROUP; KIT
SUCCESSFULLY SHOWS
WHO HE IS IN THE
GROUP.
9.
.A STORY BEGINS WITH A
SCENE OF DESTROYED
TOWN. THEN A SCENE
TAKING BACK TO A TIME
WHEN THE TOWN WAS
FULL OF LIFE AND PEOPLE
10.
A MOVIE ENDED WITH THE
WEDDING OF THE
COUPLE; BUT WITH THE
BOY’S EX GIRLFRIEND
SMILING, WITH PLAN IN
HER EYES.
A. EXERCISES
B. ACTIVITY
1. CLIFF HANGER
2. HAMARTIA
3. JUXTAPOSITION
4. IMAGERY
5. FLASHBACK
6. CATHARSIS
7. ANTIHERO
8. ANAPHORA
9. FLASHBACK
10. CLIFF HANGER
