5 COMMON LITERARY RESOURCES OF A STORY - LITERATURE - 2025

The most common literary devices in a story are metaphor, hyperbole, simile, paradox, and onomatopoeia.

A story is a literary work that can be based on fictional, real or a mixture of both. Among its main characteristics is the short duration, the simplicity of its plot and the use of few main characters.

In a story there is only one main idea, no secondary events unfold. The main purpose of a story usually does not go beyond entertaining or generating a sentimental effect on the reader.

Most used literary resources in a story

As the short duration is one of the main aspects of a story, the author must use various elements that allow him to enhance and express his ideas more easily to the reader.

1- Metaphor

The metaphor is frequently used to create allegories or parallels between different concepts but that can share different characteristics at the literary level.

This means that the use of a metaphor seeks to express an idea, without doing it at the written level, since it is implicit in the sentence as such.

With the metaphor we can compare one object with another, usually alluding to an implicit physical characteristic that does not need to be mentioned directly.

An example of this would be to say that a blonde woman has golden hair, where when comparing the hair with gold, the golden color of the hair would be equated with the gold of gold, in addition to its beauty.

2- Hyperbole

Also known as exaggeration, it is used to abruptly amplify an event, object, or feature.

Although its use is usually related to a humorous tone, it also has a place in drama, where it can be used to arbitrarily highlight a theme.

Exaggeration is a very common literary device, since it is not only used at the written level but in people's daily dialogue.

Phrases like I've been waiting for you a million years, can be found both in a story and in a common conversation, serving to highlight the urgency or annoyance in a situation.

3- Simile

The simile, similarity or comparison, is a literary device that compares two observations (like the metaphor) but in a simpler way, being the expression of the idea easily understandable.

If you want to compare two objects for their obvious characteristics, the simile is the element to be used.

If it were said that someone is hard as a rock, a comparison would be made between the hardness of a rock and that of a person (be it physical, emotional or mental).

4- Paradox

It is a contradiction that seeks to combine opposite ideas, but intermingled they can form a deeper and more enigmatic concept.

It is generally used to express a teaching or clarification that arises between concepts that appear to be incompatible, but deep down they are well related.

The Latin phrase Festina Lente, which means hurry slowly, well exemplifies a paradox, which is used in contexts where speed is necessary, but at the same time it must be taken calmly to obtain good results.

5- Onomatopoeia

It is the recreation of a sound through a term, normally used to imitate the sound of animals. For example, the croak of a frog.

References

1. Characteristics of A Short Story (November 11, 2010). Retrieved on October 7, 2017, from The Literature Path.
2. Literary Analysis (nd). Retrieved on October 7, 2017, from Roane State Community College.
3. Rhetorical or Literary Figures (nd). Retrieved on October 7, 2017, from Rhetorics.
4. Literary Devices and Terms (October 28, 2015). Retrieved on October 7, 2017, from Literary Devices.
5. Literary Resources (Stories) (May 2011). Retrieved on October 7, 2017, from Educativo Venezolano.