Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia: An onomatopoeia is a word that attempts to mimic a natural sound like “hiss” or “boom”. This device is used to create better imagery for the reader, and it makes the passage more vivid. There are also some onomatopoeias that have definitions of their own such as the word whisper, which means both the sound of people talking in a hushed tone but also describes people performing the action of talking quietly. 
Ex: “I was just beginning to yawn with nerves thinking he was trying to make a fool of me when I knew his tattarrattat at the door.” -  Ulysses by James Joyce
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Joyce uses the onomatopoeia of “tattarrattat” to describe the knocking on the door. This use of onomatopoeia gives the reader better imagery, and helps them to be more immersed in the passage.
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Citations: 
"Onomatopoeia." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
"Onomatopoeia - Examples and Definition of Onomatopoeia." Literary Devices. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
"Onomatopoeia Examples and Definition." Literary Devices. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.
"Onomatopoeia." Hägar Language School. N.p., 08 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.