1. Figurative Language
Ms. Brooks
February 2006

2. Symbolism Imagery Simile Metaphor Personification Hyperbole
Figurative Language
Symbolism
Imagery
Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Hyperbole

3. Symbolism
Understanding Images

4. What is Symbolism? A rose is a symbol for love and beauty.
Symbolism involves using a person, place, event, or object that suggests a deeper meaning than its literal meaning.
A rose is a symbol for love and beauty.

5. Symbols are everywhere.
What do these symbols mean?

6. What do these symbols represent?
peace
freedom
courage
danger
love

7. What symbol could represent these qualities?
bravery
strength
happiness

8. Symbolism in Music "The Storm Is Over Now" ~ R. Kelly
And I can see the sunshine
(Somewhere beyond the clouds)
I feel Heaven, yeah
(Heaven is over me)
Come on and set me free, whoa
Now in the midst of my battle
All hope was gone
Downtown in a rushed crowd
And felt all alone
And every now and then
I felt like I would lose my mind
I've been racin' for years
And still no finish line, oh
I was in a tunnel
And couldn't see the light
And whenever I'd look up
I couldn't see the sky
Sometimes when I'm standin'
It seems like I done walked for miles
And my heart could be cryin'
Dead in the middle of a smile
But then I climbed the hills
And saw the mountains
I hollered help 'cause I was lost
Then I felt the strong wind
Heard a small voice sayin'
~ R. Kelly

9. Symbolism in Literature
“The Road Not Taken”
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth. Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
~ Robert Frost

10. What have you learned?
1. Symbols are used to represent a concept or idea that may be different than the actual meaning.
a. true
b. false
2. A rocking horse could be considered a symbol for what event.
a. a football game c. a baby shower
b. a horse race d. a wedding

11. Imagery
A Feast for the Senses

12. What Is Imagery?
Imagery is language that appeals to the senses—sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
hearing
Digital Image copyright © 2003 PhotoDisc, Inc.
taste
Corbis Images/HRW
smell
touch
sight

13. Examples of Imagery
Sight For a brief second, a spike of lightning illuminated the dark purple clouds.
Hearing A faint buzz of voices came from behind the closed door.
Touch The wool jacket felt prickly against her fingers.
Taste The sweet yet tart taste of the apple juice flooded his mouth.
Smell The sharp aroma of pine needles filled the air.

14. Imagery and Description
Imagery allows a writer to create vivid descriptions of
settings
characters
gestures and actions
The earth appeared to tremble as the stampeding horses’ hooves pounded into the ground. The rumble gradually faded as the horses passed by, a slow moving blur of brown and white.

15. Imagery and Emotion
Writers often use imagery to inspire emotion in a reader.
The muted pat-pat of the rain was a gentle background to the murmuring voices in the kitchen. Though the windows were dark, the soft yellow glow of the lamp made the room cheery.

16. Can you find the imagery?
The Storm
In fury and terror
the tempest broke,
it tore up the pine
and shattered the oak,
yet the hummingbird hovered
within the hour
sipping clear rain
from a trumpet flower.
~ Elizabeth Coatsworth

17. What Have You Learned?
1. Imagery is language that appeals to the senses.
a. true
b. false
2. Which of these words would appeal to a person’s sense of taste?
a. fuzzy c. bitter
b. smooth d. loud
3. “The scarf was warm and scratchy” appeals to the sense of
a. smell c. sight
b. touch d. hearing

18. Figures of Speech
What Do You See?

19. In the water, Mark was a dolphin.
What Do You See?
In the water, Mark was a dolphin. OR
Corbis Images/HRW
© 2002 marinethemes.com/Mark Conlin

20. What Is a Figure of Speech?
A figure of speech is a word or phrase that describes one thing in terms of something else and is not literally true.

21. Understanding Figures of Speech
When you read a figure of speech, use what you know about one thing to help you understand more about the other.
In the water, Mark was a dolphin.
Dolphins are good swimmers.
Corbis Images/HRW
Mark was a good swimmer.

22. Kinds of Figures of Speech
Four kinds of figures of speech are
similes
metaphors
personification
hyperbole

23. What Are Similes?
Similes are comparisons between two unlike things, using a word such as like, as, than, or resembles.
Phoebe ran like a cheetah.
Corbis Images/HRW

24. Similes in Music “Just Like a Pill”
Run just as fast as I can  To the middle of nowhere  To the middle of my frustrated fears  And I swear you're just like a pill  Instead of makin' me better,
You keep makin' me ill  You keep makin' me ill  ~ Pink

25. What Are Metaphors?
Metaphors are comparisons between two unlike things in which one thing becomes another thing.
A metaphor says that one thing is something else.
A metaphor does not use the words like, as, than, or resembles.
The dog’s bark was thunder.
© Chris Collins/Corbis

26. What Is Personification?
Personification is a special kind of metaphor in which a nonhuman thing or quality is talked about as if it were human.
The couch called to me.
© clipart.com
Come, sit down.

27. What Is Hyperbole? Hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration.
I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.
He’s as big as a house.
The sun baked me.
He’s so tall he can touch the clouds.

28. Simile Personification Hyperbole Metaphor
What Have You Learned?
Identify the type of figure of speech used in each of the following items.
Simile Personification Hyperbole Metaphor
1. The headlights were glowing eyes.
2. The clouds rippled like the ocean.
3. The breeze kissed my cheek and sang softly.
4. I’m sweating to death.
5. The volcano crater was a dragon’s mouth.
6. The car was as red as a ripe tomato.
Metaphor
Simile
Personification
Hyperbole
Metaphor
Simile

29. Simile
Metaphor
Personification
Hyperbole