Figurative Language

Figurative Language Language that communicates ideas BEYOND THE LITERAL MEANING of the words used Figurative language can make descriptions more detailed and colorful; and unfamiliar or difficult ideas easier to understand.

Simile a figure of speech in which two unlike things are directly compared, using the words like or as Examples: Michael scattered his pocket change on the table like crumbs of bread. My grandmother’s laugh was like a warm blanket or familiar song. The truth was like a bad taste on the tongue. The classroom was as quiet as a tongue-tied librarian.

Metaphor a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared when one thing is said to be another thing Examples: The mother arrived at the grocery store with an army of kids. The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur. The daggers of heat pierced through his black t-shirt. Scars are the roadmap to the soul. A typical teenage boy’s room is a federal disaster area. Katie’s plan to get into college was a house of cards on a crooked table.

Personification a figure of speech in which human qualities are given to animals, inanimate objects, or abstract ideas Examples: Money is the only friend I can count on. I heard that last piece of cake in the refrigerator calling my name. Thunder grumbled overhead, and the raindrops reported for duty. The business world can chew you up and spit you out on the curb.

Hyperbole a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or for humorous effect Examples: That question was the easiest one ever asked on a test. I’ve seen that movie a million times. Old Mr. Johnson has been teaching since the Stone Age. This class is taking forever. Everyone in the world knows that Michael Jordan is the best player of all time. After school, I made the biggest sandwich in the world.

Oxymoron a figure of speech in which there is a combination of words that have contradictory or opposite meanings Examples: jumbo shrimp same difference civil war pretty ugly found missing alone together

Idiom a style or form of expression that is unique to a people, region, industry, or culture Examples: something fishy is going on here that cost me an arm and a leg woke up on the wrong side of bed he put his foot in his mouth she let the cat out of the bag it was raining cats and dogs this morning

Symbolism the use of an object, word, or picture to represent an abstract idea Examples: Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character. Blue represents peacefulness and calm. He is a rock: This metaphor is symbolic because it signifies that he is strong and dependable. A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things. A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth or ascension.

Imagery specific details that activate the senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) to create a visual scene in the reader’s imagination Example: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him. The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage and old rag mats.” – from 1984 by George Orwell

Tone the attitude of the poet/writer toward a subject or an audience; “the writer’s tone” Example: “And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.” – from “The School” by Donald Barthelme

Mood the feelings and emotions that a poem creates in the reader; “the reader’s mood” Example: mysterious: "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary" or "And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain“ – from “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe idyllic & peaceful: “The river, reflecting the clear blue of the sky, glistened and sparkled as it flowed noiselessly on.“ – from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens