Figurative Language

Definition

Also called Figures of Speech, writing or speech meant to be understood imaginatively instead of literally. They include metaphors, similes, hyperbole, onomatopoeia, personification, idioms, analogies, imagery, alliteration, assonance, and symbolism.

Metaphors

● A direct comparison between two dissimilar items

● One thing is spoken or written about as if it were another

● Formula: The (first subject) is a (second subject).

Romeo

Juliet

Juliet is the Sun!!!

This is SO

not worth it!

Simile● An indirect comparison between two

dissimilar items● Uses the words: like, as, than, appears, and

seems.● A comparison using like or as● Formula: (Subject A) is like (Subject B)

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get.”

- Forest GumpAs good as gold.

- Charles DickensShe walks in

beauty like the night

- Lord Byron

Juliet Metaphor

Like/As

Simile

Difference Between Metaphor and Simile

Direct

Indirect

Hyperbole● A boldly exaggerated statement

that adds emphasis without intended to be literally true

● An exaggeration made for effect

Your hiding something cuz it's burning through your eyes.

- New Found Glory An hundred years should go to praise thine eyes and on they forehead gaze

- Andrew Marvell

Onomatopoeia● The use of words or phrases that sound

like what they name● Can also refer to an entire line of text

where the sounds of the words are used to convey the meaning of the text

My stick fingers click with a snicker and chuckling, they knuckle the keys.

- John Updike

Oh

CRASH!

my

BASH!

it's

BANG!

the

ZANG!

Fourth

WHOOSH!

of

BAROOM!

July

WHEW!

Personification● Human characteristics are attributed to nonhuman things

● Something not human is described as if it were human

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

- Dylan Thomas

Quoth the Raven,

“Nevermore!”

- Edgar Allen Poe

Idioms● An expression whose

meaning cannot be determined by the literal meanings of the words, but has a figurative meaning based on conventional use

● Very similar to a slang term

Wild Goose Chase

Threw him a curve ball

I'll cross that bridge when I come to it

Analogies● An analogy is a

comparison of things that are alike in some ways but different in others

● Formally seen as: “Shoes are to feet as tires are to cars.”

● Formula: A:B::C:D

A country boy in the city acts like a small fish in a big pond in that they're both completely unprepared, and both have a lot of adapting to do.

Alliteration● the same sound

appears at the beginning of two or more consecutive words

● Commonly seen in Tongue Twisters

● Kit Carson County Community College

● Descending Dewdrops

● Keen Car

Assonance● Repetition of the

same vowel sound in nearby words

● Most commonly found within the word, not at the beginning

The black cat whacked the rat with a bat.

Hear the mellow wedding bells

Imagery● Language that

creates a concrete representation of an object or experience

● Anything that addresses the senses, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, or actions

● Sizzling bacon● Scent of fresh

flowers● Feel of sand

beneath your feet● Dark clouds

looming on the horizon

● Bitter taste of saltwater

Symbolism● Something that

stands for or represents itself and something else

● Something that evokes a range of meaning beyond its literal meaning

Tyger, tyger burning bright in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry

- William Blake

The Tyger stands as an actual tiger but also all other things considered evil

Your Assignment● Using your poetry booklet, you are to find 5

examples of each type of Figurative Language which the following exceptions: Alliteration, Assonance, Analogies

● Along with identifying it, pick one example and explain how it meets the definition of the Figure of Speech on your Graphic Organizer

She is sly like a fox

Clank

It feels like I hit a brick wall!

The mountain held the town

The sea will be his watery grave

He ate everythingat the house

Squeeze the silent, startled snake in

September

The jingling bells

All the worldis a stage

Dead as a doornail

Kicked the bucket

I could eata horse

The pen ranacross the paper

The big bee buzzed behind the bonnet

Flash in the pan

His voice is the roarof a lion

The pig sighedin disbelief

He threw ita thousand

miles per hour

As big as the sky

Boom

The clouds cried

Hanging by a moment

Spun like a top

Always arrestangry alligators

War rages on likea forest fire

The windwhispered a

secret

She appearedlike an angel from

the sky