2. Literary Elements and Figurative Language

3. Figurative Language Language (words or phrases) describing something that is not meant to be taken literally (word for word). Example: –Trees don’t really talk. –Wind doesn’t whisper. –A clock is really just a clock, although it can stand for something else...

4. Tone vs. Mood What’s the difference? Tone has to do with the author. Mood has to do with the reader.

5. Mood The emotional quality or atmosphere of a story. Graphic details of setting and character, word choice, and punctuation can help to establish mood. To figure out the mood of something you are reading (or listening to), ask yourself: How does this poem (or story) make me feel?

6. Tone The author’s attitude towards her or his subject. Tone is how the author creates a mood. Ask Yourself: How does the author feel about what she or he is writing about? Does s/he admire it? Scorn it?

7. IMAGERY The “word pictures” that writers create to help evoke an emotional response. They appeal to one or more of the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather... from “Those Winter Sundays” The woman stepped out of the car. In front of the bakery, the enormously pregnant lady squeezed out of the microscopic Volkswagen bug. The bread smelled good. Dripping with butter, the garlic breadsticks caused my stomach to growl and my mouth to water.

8. Comparing two similar things to point out how similar they are. Examples: –Analogy comparing a heart to a pump. –Analogy comparing winter to death. –Analogy comparing spring to life. DNALADDER –Comparing DNA to a LADDER. ANALOGY

9. Symbolism When a person, place, thing, or event that has meaning in itself also represents, or stands for, something else. = Innocence = America = Peace

10. SIMILES Similes compare two things They use the word like or as when comparing. Example: The earth was black as midnight. This is a good simile because: –It compares two things (earth and midnight). –It uses the word like or as when comparing. –If you take out the word AS, it becomes a metaphor.

11. Metaphors A comparison of two things without the use of connectives such as LIKE or AS. The earth was black midnight. The girl was an angel. His eyes were sparkling gems. –Challenge: Change all of the above into similes.

12. Onomatopoeia Words that imitate a certain sound. Examples: –Bzzzzz –RRRRINNNG –GRRRRR –Bang

13. Hyperbole Exaggeration often used for emphasis or humorous effect. ( hi - per – bowlee ) I had the WORST day EVER! You’ve asked me a million times!

14. PERSONIFICATION An animal or object given human-like or life-like qualities. Examples: –The wind tickled my ear. –Nature spoke to my heart. –The lightning's anger was apparent in its flashes.

15. ALLITERATION Consonant sounds repeated at the beginnings of words If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?