I’ve finished a series on literary devices. (One is more a problem than a supportive device.) As a review, I list the devices, definition hints, and the sentence number(s) of where they show up in my scene below. I invite you to ignore my answers and try to spot the examples(s) for each device. If you want to know more about a device, click on the device’s name to go to my post about it.

Literary Device	Hint	Sentence #
Allusion	a passing reference	3
Amplification	add more information	14
Aphorism	true, short, and witty	45
Asyndeton	omission of conjunctions	11
Authorial Intrusion	author seeks relationship	11
Circumlocution	express in roundabout way	54-60
Diction	word choices	14, 15, 28, 46
Euphemism	less offensive expression	33
Faulty Parallelism	rebel in a series	22
Foil	opposing traits to protagonist	Sam
Foreshadowing	“clue” to the future	1
Hyperbaton	sentence order transposed	29, 31
Imagery	creates strong mental pictures	10
Malapropism	sneaky lookalike	15, 18
Metonymy (Synecdoche)	things called by another name	4, 12
Personification	give things human traits	26
Symbolism	imbue things with deeper meaning	49

¹Sam leaned against the bus stop pole and slid a piece of paper into his pocket. ²“Here comes Jocelyn. ³Time to don my Superman cape.” ⁴He flexed his pecs, expanding his T-shirt sporting the word STUD.

⁵On the bench, Grayson didn’t move. ⁶No way would he check behind him and let Sam blast him with another “gotcha,” especially when it had to do with Jocelyn.

⁷Sam’s eyes lit up and he turned on his I’m-your-man smile.

⁸The guy was telling the truth.

⁹Grayson turned his head until he could sneak a glance at Jocelyn. ¹⁰Her brunette ponytail swished as her pink tennis shoes slapped the sidewalk’s incline. ¹¹You know the type, young, pretty, a fresh look of innocence. ¹²Grayson’s pumper skipped a beat.

¹³“I don’t think the cape’s going to help,” he said. “¹⁴In case you haven’t noticed, we’re loitering at a bus stop.”

¹⁵ “Is your point that bus stops are for suave octogonians to pick up old women with oxygen tanks? Not for macho guys like me?”

¹⁶Grayson rolled his eyes then checked Jocelyn’s progress toward them. ¹⁷“For once, can you act normal?”

¹⁸“I’m no wolf in cheap clothing. ¹⁹I can’t help it I’m a friendly”—he pointed at the word on his shirt—“stud.”

²⁰Had Jocelyn read his note? ²¹Grayson wiped the sweat beading his forehead. ²²She didn’t look particularly happy, bummed, or had a frightened expression. ²³Why had he asked her out in a note? ²⁴How lame was that?

²⁵“Hi, guys.” Jocelyn flashed them her full-lipped smile. See nodded at the bus stop sign. ²⁶“Sam, is your clunker Camaro sick?”

²⁷“Clunker? ²⁸Honey, that ride is a classic in her prime.”

²⁹“So you say.” ³⁰She turned to Grayson.

³¹Here it came. ³²He braced for the shoot-down.

“³³I heard your dog passed away, Grayson. ³⁴I’m sorry.”

³⁵So was he, but what about the note? ³⁶The date?

³⁷Sam tugged out the piece of paper he’d pocketed.

³⁸Grayson did a double take. ³⁹That was the paper he’d scrawled his dumb note on. ⁴⁰Sam had taken it off Jocelyn’s door? ⁴¹The slimeball. ⁴²But wait. ⁴³She hadn’t seen it. ⁴⁴He let out a breath. ⁴⁵Sometimes a buddy in greed was buddy indeed.

⁴⁶“Well, lookie here.” ⁴⁷Sam dangled the paper.

⁴⁸Grayson stood, blood draining from his head. “Sam!” ⁴⁹He eyed the note threatening his doom. ⁵⁰Don’t. ⁵¹I mean it.”

⁵²Jocelyn’s forehead wrinkled as Sam laughed.

⁵³Sam waved the paper. “⁵⁴I decided to ask you out, but when I got to your house what should I see on your door? ⁵⁵It wasn’t a foreclosure notice. ⁵⁶No. ⁵⁷It wasn’t a bill collector’s letter. ⁵⁸No. ⁵⁹It wasn’t an offer for low-cost Internet service. ⁶⁰N—“

⁶¹Grayson lunged and grabbed for the note. ⁶²Sam yanked it out of his reach, guffawing. “⁶³No, it was a note from Grayson asking you out. ⁶⁴How uncool is that?”

⁶⁵Jocelyn stared at Sam then turned to Grayson. ⁶⁶“Sounds sweet to me.”

 See if you can spot seventeen literary devices in a short scene. Click to tweet.

What is your favorite literary device? Why?