Aspects of literary style: literary devices

Pay attention to metonymy and synecdoche, where a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa.
Look out for cases of hyperbole, extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Recognise instances of anaphora, where the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of successive sentences.
Observe epiphora (or epistrophe), the repetition of a word or phrase at the end of multiple sentences or verses.
Be aware of the presence of chiasmus, a type of sentence structure where the order of the main elements are reversed in the second clause.
Notice the implementation of litotes, an understatement where negative expressions are used to assert positive truths.

Discuss the use of visual imagery to paint a picture in the reader’s mind.
Understand the significance of symbolism where an object or action represents something more profound.
Examine the presence of different forms of imagery such as auditory imagery (sound), gustatory imagery (taste), olfactory imagery (smell), tactile imagery (touch) and kinaesthetic imagery (movement).

Identify instances of direct speech and consider its effect on reader engagement and understanding of characters.
Investigate the use of rhetorical questions that do not require a response but make a point stronger.
See the use of dialogue to fully portray characters and to advance the narrative.

Become familiar with the use of trope, a figurative expression or a figure of speech.
Know the types of figures of speech such as simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, and how they enrich the narrative.
Identify common Latin sayings, idioms or proverbs used in the text.

Discern the tone of the text, it’s the author’s attitude towards the subject or character.
Analyse the mood, the atmosphere created in the narrative and its effect on the reader’s emotions.
Notice how shifts in tone and mood can reflect character development or critical plot points.