Figurative Figurative LanguageLanguage

The Reading DetectiveThe Reading Detective

C. Block; C. Beckwith; M. Hockett; D. WhiteC. Block; C. Beckwith; M. Hockett; D. White

Figurative vs. LiteralFigurative vs. Literal

Figurative Figurative languagelanguage uses uses words to mean words to mean something something other than other than their their dictionary dictionary meaningmeaning..

Literal Literal languagelanguage describes how describes how something something actually actually looks, feels or looks, feels or sounds.sounds.

You try….You try….

Martin looked Martin looked strong.strong.

The muscles in The muscles in Martin’s arms looked Martin’s arms looked like bowling balls.like bowling balls.

Areli is a bird riding Areli is a bird riding gently on the breeze.gently on the breeze.

Areli is flying Areli is flying through the air on through the air on her hang glider.her hang glider.

SimileSimile

A simile A simile uses the uses the word “like” word “like” or “as” to or “as” to compare compare two things.two things.

MetaphorMetaphor

A metaphor A metaphor makes a makes a comparison comparison by suggesting by suggesting that one thing that one thing isis the other. the other.

Which one is a simile? Which one is a simile? Why?Why?

His lined face His lined face was a map of was a map of his life.his life.

She floated in She floated in the air like a the air like a feather.feather.

Let’s try another one….Let’s try another one….

New green leaves appear New green leaves appear on the trees. The on the trees. The leaves slowly unfold leaves slowly unfold like the tiny fingers on like the tiny fingers on a newborn baby’s a newborn baby’s hands. Pink and white hands. Pink and white blossoms open like blossoms open like popcorn popping on popcorn popping on the branches. Each the branches. Each tree is a lovely lady tree is a lovely lady dressed in her finest dressed in her finest gown. Spring is here!gown. Spring is here!

IdiomIdiom

An accepted phrase or An accepted phrase or expression contrary to the expression contrary to the usual meaning…not literalusual meaning…not literal

You try….You try….

My father My father blew his blew his stack last stack last night.night.

Try this one….Try this one….

Mom was fit to be Mom was fit to be tied when she tied when she heard I was going heard I was going to be late for to be late for dinner. I tried to dinner. I tried to explain, but she explain, but she wouldn’t listen.wouldn’t listen.

PersonificationPersonification

When an object or When an object or abstract idea is abstract idea is presented in presented in human terms.human terms.

You try…You try…

I watch the daffodils I watch the daffodils poke their sleepy poke their sleepy heads through the heads through the soil. In a matter of soil. In a matter of days, bright yellow days, bright yellow daffodils are nodding daffodils are nodding cheerfully in the in cheerfully in the in the garden. Clusters the garden. Clusters of purple hyacinth of purple hyacinth stand at attention stand at attention between them.between them.

AnalogyAnalogy

Comparing two things that are Comparing two things that are normally quite different in normally quite different in order to make you see them order to make you see them in a new way.in a new way.

You try…You try…

She said he had a She said he had a rock for a heart, rock for a heart, cold and hard. She cold and hard. She said it would take said it would take a strong chisel to a strong chisel to open it up and see open it up and see what was inside.what was inside.