This list includes 28 Literary devices that start with R, from “Real-time narration” to “Running gag”. These devices often shape voice, rhythm, emotional impact, and comedic timing.
Literary devices that start with R are rhetorical and narrative techniques writers use to shape meaning and effect. Several trace back to classical rhetoric and oral storytelling traditions, appearing across genres and cultures.
Below you’ll find the table with ‘Term’, ‘Definition’, ‘Example’, and ‘Notes’.
Term: Lists each device alphabetically so you can quickly find the rhetorical or narrative technique you need.
Definition: Gives a concise description of the device in about 15–30 words to clarify its function for you.
Example: Provides a short contextual example showing the device in use, making it easier to recognize in texts.
Notes: Highlights variations, related terms, or common uses so you can decide whether to apply the device in writing or analysis.
Literary devices that start with R
| Device | Type | Alternate names | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repetition | rhetorical device | reiteration, reiteration of words | Never, never, never give up |
| Refrain | poetic device | chorus, repeated line | A stanza ends with “We’ll meet again” |
| Rhyme | sound device | rhyming | cat and “hat” |
| Rhyme scheme | poetic structure | rhyme pattern | Stanza labeled “ABAB” |
| Rhyme royal | poetic form | Chaucerian stanza | Seven-line stanza ABABBCC |
| Rime riche | sound device | rich rhyme | write and “right” |
| Rhythm | sound device | meter, cadence | da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM |
| Rhetorical question | rhetorical device | interrogatio | Who wouldn’t agree? |
| Rhetoric | stylistic category | persuasive language | Appeal to emotion or logic |
| Rising action | plot device | buildup | Tensions escalate toward the climax |
| Reverse chronology | narrative device | reverse order | Story unfolds from end to beginning |
| Retrospective narration | narrative device | memoir mode, hindsight narration | Narrator recounts past events with reflection |
| Reversal | plot device | peripeteia | Sudden turn of fortune for hero |
| Red herring | plot device | false clue | Suspicious suspect misleads detectives |
| Rule of three | rhetorical principle | triad, tripling | Life, liberty, and the pursuit |
| Running gag | comic device | recurring joke | A character always slips on a peel |
| Round character | characterization term | dynamic character, complex character | Protagonist shows moral conflict and growth |
| Real-time narration | narrative device | real time | Events happen as they are narrated |
| Reflexivity | metafictional device | self-reflexivity, self-consciousness | Narrator comments on writing the book |
| Reprise | structural device | thematic return, reprise of motif | A theme reappears in the final chapter |
| Ring composition | structural device | chiastic structure, inclusio | Ending mirrors the opening scene |
| Retardation | rhetorical technique | delay, postponement | Withholding a key fact to build suspense |
| Rhetorical appeal | persuasive technique | ethos, pathos, logos | Appeal to audience’s emotions |
| Riddle | poetic/device | enigma, conundrum | What has keys but no locks? |
| Resolution | plot element | denouement, conclusion | Conflict resolved in final chapter |
| Reframing | narrative technique | change of perspective, recontextualizing | New context alters reader understanding |
| Rhetorical pause | stylistic device | pregnant pause, deliberate pause | He hesitated — then spoke. |
| Rhetorical climax | rhetorical device | climax, gradatio | He came, he saw, he conquered. |
Descriptions
Repetition
Repeating words, phrases, or structures to emphasize ideas, create rhythm, or unify a passage.
Refrain
A line or lines repeated at intervals in a poem or song to emphasize theme and create musical or emotional return.
Rhyme
Matching of similar end sounds in words, often at line endings, to create musicality and reinforce connections.
Rhyme scheme
Pattern of end rhymes in a stanza or poem, shown with letters to reveal formal structure.
Rhyme royal
A seven-line stanza form (often iambic pentameter) with a specific ABABBCC rhyme scheme, used for formal narrative poems.
Rime riche
A rich rhyme where words are phonetically identical or nearly identical, often homophones used for effect.
Rhythm
Patterned recurrence of stressed and unstressed syllables shaping pace, mood, and musical flow in verse or prose.
Rhetorical question
A question asked for effect or emphasis rather than an answer, used to persuade or provoke thought.
Rhetoric
The art and techniques of persuasive writing and speaking, including devices that influence audience belief and feeling.
Rising action
Series of events that increase conflict and suspense, propelling the narrative toward its climax.
Reverse chronology
Narrative arranged backward in time, revealing effects before causes to shape mystery or thematic emphasis.
Retrospective narration
Narration of past events from a later perspective, often adding reflection, interpretation, or moral judgment.
Reversal
A dramatic change in a character’s situation or the plot’s direction, often producing surprise or tragic irony.
Red herring
A misleading detail or clue intended to distract readers from the true issue or culprit.
Rule of three
Grouping ideas in threes for rhythm, emphasis, memorability, and persuasive force.
Running gag
A joke or humorous situation repeated across a work, growing funnier through expectation and variation.
Round character
A multi-dimensional character who changes or reveals complexity, appearing realistic and psychologically developed.
Real-time narration
Storytelling that presents events at their actual duration, creating immediacy and heightened tension.
Reflexivity
When a text draws attention to its own construction or fictionality, breaking the illusion of seamless realism.
Reprise
Return of a musical, thematic, or narrative element to reinforce unity, echo earlier moments, and underline themes.
Ring composition
Symmetrical narrative structure where elements return or mirror earlier parts, creating balance and emphasis.
Retardation
Deliberate slowing or delaying of narrative information to heighten suspense, curiosity, or emphasis.
Rhetorical appeal
Strategies to persuade an audience ethically, emotionally, or logically; core to argument and persuasion.
Riddle
A puzzle-like question or statement used in literature for mystery, symbolism, or to test wit.
Resolution
Final stage of a narrative where conflicts are settled and loose ends are tied up.
Reframing
Presenting events or details in a new light to change interpretation or emphasize different meanings.
Rhetorical pause
A deliberate pause in speech or writing to create emphasis, suspense, or emotional resonance.
Rhetorical climax
A sequence of phrases or clauses arranged in increasing force or importance to build intensity and emphasis.