Narrative techniques and literary devices are discussed including allusion, attitude, tone, mood, point of view, dialogue, flashback, foreshadowing, apostrophe, aside, stereotypes, turning points, internal monologue, soliloquy, manipulation of time, and in medias res. Examples are provided to illustrate each technique or device.

1. Narrative Techniques &
other Literary Devices
Mr. Ruiz & Ms. Cybulski

2. Allusion
What is it?
A figure of speech that makes
reference things outside of the
literary work.
Such as…

3. Biblical Allusions
For Example :
“I thought Mary was a sincere friend, until I
found out she ratted me out for skipping,
showing what a Judas she was. “
A reference to anything, or anyone who pertains
to the Bible, in a literary work.

5. Historical Allusions
For Example :
“School should be renamed Auschwitz.”
A reference in a literary work pertaining to
historical events or people.

6. Dante's Inferno
Dante's guide through his journey is a famous
Roman poet by the name of Virgil

7. Literary Allusion
For Example :
“Jane walked through the Mall, looking in awe
at all the stores, like every piece of clothing
were giant mushrooms, and talking animals.
She stayed so long that when her mother came
to pick her up she thought she said “Off with
her head!” “
A reference to other literary works.

8. White Rabbit
...”And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
To call Alice, when she was just small...”
-Jefferson White

9. Cultural Allusion
For example :
“ Krista sang like a God. She was the missing
member of The Supremes.“
A reference that alludes to cultural influence or
famous people.

10. Till the fat lady sings!
A frequent term used in society, which alludes
back to the day when Opera singers where
usually over weight women, who where the
main role, and usually sang the last song.

11. Attitude
This is the way a speaker or author feels about a
certain situation.
For Example :
The speaker may be punished by his parents for
bad grades so his attitude would be annoyed…

12. Think... How does a situation make you feel.
BUT! You haven't expressed those feelings.

13. Tone
The way the speaker or author expresses his
attitude and how he feels about a certain
situation.
For Example:
When the speaker is punished for getting bad
grades he expresses it in a bitter tone.

14. So say you feel annoyed by something...
You would express it with anger, maybe
screaming!

15. Mood
The atmosphere created by the setting.
For Example:
The mood created between the parent and the
child would be hostile from him getting bad
grades and getting punished.

16. So if your angry with everyone...wouldn't it create
a hostile atmosphere? YES!
That is what mood is, Atmosphere!

17. Reliability
How dependable is the work.
If the author / characters are bias.
- Think, does the speaker have feelings toward any
other character?
Dont trust a characters description of another
characters if they hate them, it would obliviously
would be a horrid description

18. The best speaker to rely on is
Third Person Omniscient!

19. Repetition
Repeating a word or a phrase for emphasis.
We listened to the gun fire beyond the walls. We listened to the walls being hit by
shrapnel, ricochets, and blind fire, at least it's what I thought it could of been. We
listened to the creaking the windows made when they opened and shut due to
the wind from the outside. We listened to the cries of our men, and the prayers
they made to their gods. We listened, but said nothing.
They where clearly listening to something...

20. Imagery
Making images and pictures through diction, and
other figurative devices.

21. Choice of Details
Details are items that make up a larger story or
picture.The detail that Othello was black and at
higher rank than Iago cause the main conflict in
the story.

22. Point of View
The perspective the story is
being told in.

23. First Person
-Limited access to other
characters
-Usually another character
-Key words : “I” , “We”, “Us”

24. Third Person
- Can be omniscient or limited
- Key words “ He”,
“She”,”They”...

25. Dialogue
Character interaction with
or through conversation.

26. Bill: Bob! Wait! Please!
Bob : Ugh! Everyone says your a home schooled,
jungle freak, who is a less hot version of me.

27. Flashback
Going back in time during a present
situation for different purposes.

28. Foreshadow
A subtle reference to whats to
come.

29. Apostrophe
Addressing or talking to a lifeless object, almost
expecting it to reply.
For Example:
“Oh homework, why must you be so painful, let
me have a social life!”

30. Think of a trophy (apostrophe), they usually have
a little person on the top doing something. It's
lifeless but its in action.

31. Aside
A dramatic device where the
character speaks to the
audience.

32. Act II Scene II
Juliet.
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.
Romeo.
[Aside.] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

33. Stereotypes
Cliched or predictable situations
and situations.

34. Turning Points
-Point of View is changed
-Climax reaches its highest tension
For Example:
A turning point in The Lion King is when Mufasa
dies.

35. Internal Monologue speech.
Thinking in words, or inner
Could be a verbal stream of
conscious.
For Example:
Someone could be thinking “Wow
what is she wearing?!” but could
tell that person “What a cute
skirt!”

36. Soliloquy
A device where a character talks to
himself, sharing with the audience his
feelings without any other character
knowing.

37. Hamlet!

38. Manipulation of Time
When an author changes the time in which
characters are at for emphasis of different
situations.
For example:
-Foreshadowing
-Flashback

39. In medias Res
Meaning “In the middle of things.”
When a story begins in the middle or at the end,
rather than the beginning.
For Example:
A hero can wake up in the middle of a battle, torn
and hurt, but that's where we started reading,
we have no clue how he got there!