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What are some examples of literary devices used in modern literature?

Attilio Yitzowitz

As a bookworm and a lover of literature, I must say that this is an extremely exciting question to answer. Modern literature has certainly not disappointed when it comes to its use of literary devices. There are so many wonderful examples to choose from, but I'll do my best to keep things brief.

Let's start with one of my favourites: symbolism. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. It's not a new literary device by any means, but it's definitely used in modern literature in some very creative ways. For example, in Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale", the red cloak worn by the main character, Offred, represents both her fertility (as she is a handmaid forced to bear children for a higher-ranking couple) and her oppression (as she is stripped of all agency and autonomy).

Next up, we have metaphor. A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes something by saying it is something else. One of my favourite modern examples of metaphor can be found in Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist". The entire book is a metaphor for life's journey, with the main character, Santiago, representing all of us as we try to find our place in the world and fulfil our purpose.

Then, we have simile. A simile is similar to a metaphor, but it uses "like" or "as" to draw comparisons. An example of this can be found in Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner", where the main character, Amir, describes the sound of a rocket as being "like a giant's footsteps". This simile not only creates a vivid image in the reader's mind, but it also highlights the sense of fear and danger that permeates the novel.

Another literary device commonly used in modern literature is foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when an author drops hints or clues about what might happen later in the story. An excellent example of this can be found in George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" series (yes, I know it's also a TV show, but bear with me). Martin is a master of foreshadowing, dropping hints about characters' fates long before they come to fruition. For example, the direwolves that are found by the Stark children early in the first book are a clear foreshadowing of both the characters' personalities and the events that will unfold later in the series.

Last but not least, we have imagery. Imagery is the use of language to create vivid mental pictures for the reader. A fantastic example of this can be found in Anthony Doerr's "All the Light We Cannot See". Doerr's imagery is so lush and detailed that you can practically see, hear, and feel the world he has created. Here's just one example: "The streets are narrow and overhung with striped awnings, each building a different shade of gold. The sky is a draining sink of color, almost inarguably blue." Can't you just picture it?

There are so many other literary devices used in modern literature, from personification to alliteration to irony. But hopefully, this brief overview has given you a taste of some of the creative and imaginative ways that modern authors use language to tell their stories. After all, as the great Neil Gaiman once said, "Stories you read when you're the right age never quite leave you. You may forget who wrote them or what the story was called. Sometimes you'll forget precisely what happened, but if a story touches you, it will stay with you, haunting the places in your mind that you rarely ever visit."