Literary Devices and terms used in class 10 English ncert text books

1. Simile

Definition::Comparing two things using “like” or “as.”

Examples:

1. Her smile was as bright as the sun.

2. The night was as dark as coal.

3. His voice was like velvet.

2. Metaphor

Definition: Directly equating one thing with another.

Examples:

1. Time is a thief.

2. The world is a stage.

3. He has a heart of stone.

3. Personification

Definition: Giving human qualities to non-human entities.

Examples:

1. The wind whispered through the trees.

2. The flowers danced in the breeze.

3. The car groaned as it climbed the hill.

4. Alliteration

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Repetition of initial consonant sounds.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘
1. She sells seashells by the seashore.

2. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

3. The big, bad bear bellowed.

5. Assonance

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Repetition of vowel sounds.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain.

2. Hear the mellow wedding bells.

3. The light of the fire is a sight to admire.

6. Onomatopoeia

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Words that imitate sounds.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The bees buzzed in the garden.

2. The clock went tick-tock.

3. The bacon sizzled in the pan.

7. Imagery

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The golden sunlight poured through the open window, casting a warm glow on the wooden floor.

2. The scent of freshly baked bread filled the air, making my mouth water.

3. The icy wind cut through my coat, chilling me to the bone.

8. Symbolism

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Using an object or action to represent something abstract.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. A dove symbolizes peace.

3. The American flag stands for freedom and democracy.

9. Irony

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A contrast between expectation and reality.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. A fire station burns down.

2. A pilot has a fear of heights.

3. The police station got robbed.

10. Foreshadowing

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Dark clouds gathering on the horizon indicated an impending storm.

2. A character finding a mysterious key early in the story hints at its significance later.

3. A character’s cough foreshadowing a serious illness.

11. Hyperbole

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

2. I’ve told you a million times.

3. This bag weighs a ton.

12. Allusion

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A reference to a well-known person, event, or place from literature, history, etc.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. He met his Waterloo.

3. It was a real David and Goliath battle.

13. Oxymoron

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A combination of contradictory words.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Jumbo shrimp.

2. Deafening silence.

3. Bittersweet.

14. Symbol

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A person, place, thing, or event used to represent something else.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The phoenix represents rebirth.

2. A white flag symbolizes surrender.

3. A broken mirror signifies bad luck.

15. Allegory

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a
moral or political one.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” represents the Russian Revolution.

2. Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” explores human perception.

3. John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress” represents a Christian’s journey to salvation.

16. Anaphora

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. “Every day, every night, in every way, I am getting better and better.”
2. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
foolishness.”

3. “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in
the streets.”

17. Paradox

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A statement that appears to be self-contradictory but may reveal a deeper truth.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Less is more.

2. This is the beginning of the end.

3. I know one thing; that I know nothing.

18. Euphemism

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Passed away instead of died.

2. Correctional facility instead of jail.

3. Big-boned instead of overweight.

19. Enjambment

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Continuation of a sentence or clause over a line-break.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1.

“The sun hovered above

The horizon, suspended

Between night and day.”

2.

“I wonder, by my troth, what thou and I

3.

“A thing of beauty is a joy forever:

Its loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness.”

20. Epiphany

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A sudden realization or insight experienced by a character.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Suddenly, she realized that all the answers were in front of her.

2. He understood in that moment the true meaning of happiness.

3. It hit him that he had been wrong all along about his father.

21. Satire

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock people’s stupidity or vices.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.”

2. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”

3. The TV show “South Park.”

22. Cliché

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A phrase or expression that has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning
or effect.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Time heals all wounds.

2. Plenty of fish in the sea.

3. What goes around comes around.

23. Juxtaposition
‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Placing two or more things side by side for comparison or contrast.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The beauty of the new city skyline next to the ruins of the old.

2. Wealth and poverty.

3. Good and evil in a story.

24. Motif

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A recurring element, symbol, or theme in a work of literature.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The recurring presence of the color green in “The Great Gatsby.”

2. Light and darkness in “Romeo and Juliet.”

3. The use of the journey motif in “The Odyssey.”

25. Stream of Consciousness

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A narrative mode that depicts the flow of thoughts and feelings of a character in their
mind.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. James Joyce’s “Ulysses.”

2. Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway.”

3. William Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury.”

26. Parallelism

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The use of similar grammatical structures or patterns to express related ideas.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. “She likes cooking, jogging, and reading.”

2. “He came, he saw, he conquered.”

3. “Easy come, easy go.”

27. Analogies
‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Comparisons between two things to highlight similarities.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Life is like a box of chocolates.

2. Just as a sword is the weapon of a warrior, a pen is the weapon of a writer.

3. Finding a good man is like finding a needle in a haystack.

28. Flashback

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A scene that interrupts the chronological flow of a narrative to depict events that
happened earlier.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. A character remembers their childhood.

2. A war veteran recalling a past battle.

3. A detective piecing together clues from a past crime.

29. Diction

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Formal diction in a graduation speech.

2. Informal diction in a text message.

3. Poetic diction in a sonnet.

30. Meter

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The rhythmical pattern of a poem, determined by stressed and unstressed syllables.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Iambic pentameter in Shakespeare’s sonnets.

2. Trochaic tetrameter in “The Song of Hiawatha.”

3. Anapestic trimeter in “The Night Before Christmas.”

31. Rhyme Scheme

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. ABAB rhyme scheme.

2. AABB rhyme scheme.

3. ABBA rhyme scheme.

32. Sarcasm

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The use of irony to mock or convey contempt.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. “Oh, great, another homework assignment.”

2. “Nice job cleaning your room,” said to a messy room.

3. “Yeah, because that’s exactly what we need,” when it’s not needed at all.

33. Synecdoche

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ A figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole or vice versa.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Referring to a car as “wheels.”

2. Calling a business executive a “suit.”

3. Saying “all hands on deck” to mean all crew members.

34. Tone

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The author’s attitude toward the subject or audience conveyed through the language
and style of the

Sure, here are the definitions and examples for the remaining terms:

35. Understatement

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Presenting something as less important, serious, or significant than it really is.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘
1. Saying “It’s a bit chilly” when it’s below freezing.

2. Referring to a major disaster as “not ideal.”

3. Describing a disastrous event as “not the best outcome.”

36. Anachronism

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Placing something or someone in the wrong historical period.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. A character in a Shakespearean play checking their wristwatch.

2. A movie set in ancient Rome featuring a modern car.

3. Using the term “internet” in a novel set in the 1800s.

37. Conflict

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The struggle between opposing forces in a story, such as character vs. character,
character vs. society, character vs. nature, etc.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. Character vs. Character: Harry Potter vs. Voldemort in “Harry Potter.”

2. Character vs. Nature: The battle against the whale in “Moby Dick.”

3. Character vs. Society: Katniss vs. the Capitol in “The Hunger Games.”

38. Mood

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The atmosphere or emotional tone of a piece of writing, which evokes certain feelings in
the reader.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. A spooky, eerie mood created by descriptions of a haunted house.

2. A romantic, hopeful mood set by a sunset scene on a beach.

3. A tense, suspenseful mood developed through a high-stakes chase scene.

39. Point of View

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ The perspective from which a story is told, such as first-person, second-person, third-
person limited, or third-person omniscient.
‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. First-person: “I walked to the store.”

2. Third-person limited: “She walked to the store, feeling anxious.”

3. Third-person omniscient: “She walked to the store, feeling anxious, while across town, he was
unaware of her worry.”

40. Imagery

‘ ‘Definition: ‘ ‘ Vivid language that appeals to the senses, creating mental images for the reader.

‘ ‘Examples: ‘ ‘

1. The crisp autumn leaves crunched underfoot as the cool breeze brushed against her cheeks.

2. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, mingling with the sweet scent of
cinnamon rolls.

3. The blinding light of the midday sun reflected off the clear, blue ocean waves.