Literacy

Literary Devices- Like food with spices!

It’s been a long time since most of us were at school. While we use Literary Devices every day in our speech and writing, and probably read a few in our email or news stories, would you be able to describe them to your child? A literary device is an element or technique that authors use to produce a particular effect in their writing. Literary devices add colour and depth to a work and bring attention to important dialogue, description or action. Literary devices can be either a literary element or a literary technique. There are over 100 literary devices that writers use to communicate a mood, feeling or theme more effectively. Can you match the 10 devices below to the examples?

Literary Devices:

Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Alliteration
Hyperbole
Onomatopoeia
Irony
Oxymoron
Imagery
Symbolism

A. The wind whispered through the trees.

B. Her smile was as bright as the sun.

C. The classroom was a zoo.

D. The buzzing bees flew from flower to flower.

E. I've told you a million times!

F. Jumbo shrimp

G. The silence was deafening.

H. The cold fire of her anger burned within.

I. The golden sunset painted the sky with colours of orange and red.

J. A dove is often used to represent peace.

Can you match the example to the device?

The Victorian Curriculum 2.0 integrates the teaching of literary devices, such as figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification), sound devices, and imagery, across various year levels, framing them as elements used to explore and create texts.

Once students understand how these techniques work, they can change the way the students read, view, speak and write for the better, providing a richer deeper understanding of the world around them.

Sarah Watkins

Acting Assistant Principal

Learning specialist