Figurative Language “Figuring it Out”

Figurative and Literal Language Literally: words function exactly as defined The car is blue. He caught the football. Figuratively: figure out what it means I’ve got your back. You’re a doll. ^Figures of Speech

Literal My meaning is exactly what I say. To be literal is to mean what you say. For example: If I tell you to sit down, I mean it literally: “sit down,” as in: “sit in your seat now, please.”

Here’s another example. “I’m tired and going home.” This means “I’m tired and I’m going home” there is no other meaning other than what is said. I mean exactly what I say.

If, I tell you: “let’s go chill!” I’m not suggesting we get into the freezer. To be figurative is to not mean what you say but imply something else. For example: 1. Figurative Language

“let’s go chill” … …means let’s relax together and do something fun. It has nothing to do with temperature.

Why Figurative Language? Helps the writer paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

Figurative Language does not always mean what is being said or read, but serves to make it more interesting.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE some sort of imaginative comparison between seemingly unlike things DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE uses images that appeal to the reader’s senses, helping the reader to imagine how a subject looks, sounds, smells, tastes, or feels

2. Simile Comparison of two things using “like” or “as” Examples The metal twisted like a ribbon. She is as sweet as candy.

I am hungry as a horse. You run like a rabbit. He is sneaky as a snake. She is happy as a clam.

Important! Using “like” or “as” doesn’t make a simile. A comparison must be made. Not a Simile: I like pizza. Simile: The moon is like a pizza.

3. Metaphor Two things are compared without using “like” or “as.” It’s saying it IS something else Examples: All the world is a stage. Men are dogs. Her heart is stone.

The road was a ribbon wrapped through the desert. The clown was a feather floating away.

“Brian was a wall, bouncing every tennis ball back over the net.” This metaphor compares Brian to a wall because __________. a. He was very strong. b. He was very tall. c. He kept returning the balls. d. His body was made of cells.

“We would have had more pizza to eat if Tammy hadn’t been such a hog.” Tammy was being compared to a hog because she __________. a. looked like a hog b. ate like a hog c. smelled like a hog d. was as smart as a hog

“Cindy was such a mule. We couldn’t get her to change her mind.” The metaphor compares Cindy to a mule because she was __________. a. always eating oats b. able to do hard work c. raised on a farm d. very stubborn

“The poor rat didn’t have a chance. Our old cat, a bolt of lightning, caught his prey.” The cat was compared to a bolt of lightning because he was _______. a. very fastb. very bright c. not fond of fleasd. very old

“Even a child could carry my dog, Dogface, around for hours. He’s such a feather.” This metaphor implies that Dogface: a. is not cuteb. looks like a bird c. is not heavyd. can fly

Examples The sunlight danced. Water on the lake shivers. The streets are calling me.

The flowers danced in the wind. The hurricane’s winds are yelling while blowing outside my window. The friendly gates welcomed us.

5. Memoir Difference between memoir, autobiography, and biography biography (birth – death/current) -a-about someone’s life -w-written by someone else autobiography (birth – death/current) -a-about their own life -w-written by the person it’s about memoir (1 specific event or time) -a-about their own life -n-not their entire life

What is an interview?