Examples

Allusion

• a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance.
• It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers.
• the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

"Senator Obama's call to 'ask not just what our government can do for us, but what we can do for ourselves' had an even more direct connection to the inaugural address of the first G.I. Generation president of the United States."
(Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais, Millennial Makeover. Rutgers Univ. Press, 2008)

Senator Obama makes a brief reference to a very popular quote said by Pres. John F. Kennedy

Allegory

• An allegory is a symbolism device where the meaning of a greater, often abstract, concept is conveyed with the aid of a more corporeal object or idea being used as an example. Usually a rhetoric device, an allegory suggests a meaning via metaphoric examples.

Faith is like a stony uphill climb: a single stumble might send you sprawling but belief and steadfastness will see you to the very top.

Comparing having Faith to that of climbing uphill helps the reader to understand the meaning of faith.

Antithesis

• An antithesis is used when the writer employs two sentences of contrasting meanings in close proximity to one another. Whether they are words or phrases of the same sentence, an antithesis is used to create a stark contrast using two divergent elements that come together to create one uniform whole.

When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon it might have been one small step for a man but it was one giant leap for mankind.

"one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind" by saying this it allows for these to things to become equal and balanced. The purpose of using an antithesis in literature is to create a balance between opposite qualities and lend a greater insight into the subject.