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Literary techniques are storytelling methods used in various narrative forms. They can create mood, establish character, and engage an audience. In medias res, iambic pentameter, and film noir are examples of literary techniques. Tropes can generate familiarity, while clichés should be avoided. Onomatopoeia is a useful narrative trick.
A literary technique is a method of telling a story or part of a story. While the word “literary” usually refers to written literature, these techniques can be used in a broader sense in any narrative form, including film, television, and comic books. For example, the literary technique called foreshadowing, which alludes to future events in a story, is common to all types of fiction. Certain literary techniques apply to a wide range of stories, such as twisted endings in the mystery fiction genre. Others may be specific to a particular author or work.
The art of storytelling is an essential human activity that predates recorded history. Some literary forms, such as poetry, drama, or the novel, are hundreds or thousands of years old. Other media such as film, comics and television arrived with the technological revolutions of the 19th and 20th centuries; each medium has since established its own techniques and borrowed others. Some are essentially storytelling shortcuts that are used to quickly pass or skip information that the media-savvy audience will already know. Other types of literary techniques can create mood, establish character, or engage an audience.
In medias res is an example of a literary technique that has been used extensively in stories for centuries. The Latin phrase refers to a story that begins in the middle of the action and then employs flashbacks or character dialogue to describe earlier events. This often has the effect of immediately drawing the audience into the story, eliminating scenes that aren’t important. The Iliad, Homer’s epic poem about the Trojan War, used this technique almost 3,000 years ago. The modern TV series Lost also began this way, with the revelations of previous events forming a large part of the series’ narrative.
Some literary techniques are matters of form. Shakespeare wrote his works using a poetic technique called iambic pentameter so that the dialogue had a pleasant rhythm. Film noir is a cinematic technique that employs dark images, calculating characters, and dark plots. Originating with the American crime films of the 1940s, it was subsequently borrowed from filmmakers around the world. Noir has since been imitated on television, in comics and even in video games, effectively becoming a widespread literary technique.
Popular literary techniques can become so widely known that most audiences will recognize them instantly; these are called tropes. When used correctly, they can generate a sense of familiarity with the story and characters and reduce the time normally spent on presentation. When the literary technique becomes too familiar, however, it is referred to as a cliché, one that most writers try to avoid. Other techniques are simple useful narrative tricks, such as onomatopoeia. This is the use of words to mimic real-life sounds, a common literary technique used by writers around the world.
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