FIGURATIVE LANGAUAGE

Metaphor

Definition: A comparison of two unlike things. The tree was tremendous, an irate, steely

black steeple beside the river” (Knowles 14).

He is a beast.

“The world is a vampire, sent to drain”

Similes

Comparison of unlike objects using ‘like’ or ‘as’

I wandered lonely as a cloud.

You are like a hurricane.

She is as fast as the wind.

Extending Metaphors

World = Stage People = Actors Births and deaths? What else?

All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely playersThey have their exits and their entrances

-Shakespeare

Extending Metaphors

Pick a topic Politics Being a student Sports

(baseball, soccer, basketball, etc).

Growing up Falling in love Life Siblings English class

Pick a metaphor – be specific – if possible A baseball game A box of

chocolates A prison sentence A battle A marathon A vacation A plant A season

-Is

-Are

-Is Like

Personification

Giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas.)

Examples: The rain poured angrily. Chaos is a friend of mine.

Technically, an animal cannot be personified. The proper word is…

Anthropomorphism!

Allusion

Makes a reference to, or representation of, a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art, either directly or by implication.

Examples: Fluffy from Harry Potter = Cerberus in Greek

mythology

Hyperbole

An exaggeration used for emphasis

I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. I have 1000 things to do.

Oxymoron

Combining of contradictory terms.

Two word paradox

“Jumbo Shrimp” “Living Dead”

Theater Terms

Soliloquy – a character speaks to him or herself while the audience watches and listens.

Aside – Remark by a character in a ply intended to be heard by the audience but not by other characters.

Monologue – Long speech by a character.

Tone

Attitude a writer takes toward a subject, character, or audience.

- Hints towards a certain plot development

Foreshadowing

Pun

Form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, often used with similar sounding words.

Same word, multiple meanings-A horse is a very stable animal.- "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a

banana."

Different word; same soundPerson 1: “Surely you can’t be serious”Person 2: “I am serious, and don’t call me

Shirly”

Bad Puns