Literary Device vs. Rhetorical Device vs. Figure of Speech

Literary device rhetorical device figure of speech definition examples featured image

Published: July 8, 2024 | Last Updated: July 9, 2024

If you also get confused by all the categories of literary terms, you’re not alone. Some of the confusion stems from the fact that some terms may fall into several categories.

In this article, I hope to clear up some of that confusion and explain the difference between a figure of speech, a literary device, and a rhetorical device.

Rhetorical devices, literary devices, and figures of speech are related but distinct concepts, each with a specific focus and usage.

In Table 1, you can see a breakdown to differentiate them:

TermDefinitionScopeExamples
Literary DeviceA broad term that covers various techniques used by writers to create meaning, tell stories, and evoke emotions.Includes narrative techniques, structural elements, and stylistic tools.Plot, character development, foreshadowing, symbolism, irony, and imagery.
Rhetorical DeviceA technique specifically used in writing or speaking to persuade, influence, or please an audience.A subset of literary devices focused on persuasion and effective communication.Anaphora, antithesis, rhetorical questions, ethos, pathos, and logos.
Figure of SpeechA specific type of literary device that involves the use of language in a non-literal or imaginative way.A subset of literary devices focused on stylistic and expressive language use.Metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, and alliteration.
Table 1: The difference between Figure of Speech, Literary Devices, and Rhetorical Devices.

Relationship and Comparison

An illustration of how literary devices is a broad term, rhetorical devices can be considered a subset of literary devices, and figure of speech can be considered a subset of rhetorical devices:

Literary Devices
└── Rhetorical Devices (focus on persuasion)
    └── Figures of Speech (stylistic language use)

Literary Devices are the broadest category, including all techniques used to enhance writing and a wide range of techniques used to create engaging and meaningful texts.

Rhetorical devices are a subset of literary devices aimed at persuasion and effective communication. They are specifically geared towards persuasion and effective communication within literary devices.

Figures of Speech are a subset of literary devices (and sometimes rhetorical devices) that involve creative and non-literal language use. Depending on their usage, they are stylistic tools that fall under both literary and rhetorical devices.

So, while these terms overlap and are interrelated, they each serve distinct functions within writing and speaking.

Up Next: The screenwriter’s toolkit of Literary Devices and Elements

By Jan Sørup

Jan Sørup is a indie filmmaker, videographer and photographer from Denmark. He owns filmdaft.com and the Danish company Apertura, which produces video content for big companies in Denmark and Scandinavia. Jan has a background in music, has drawn webcomics, and is a former lecturer at the University of Copenhagen.

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