Figurative Language Creative Writing Learning Target: I can demonstrate my understanding of figurative language and word relationships.

Hyperbole an extravagant statement or figure of speech not intended to be taken literally obvious, intentional exaggeration often used for emphasis “I had to wait an eternity!” “I’m so hungry that I could eat a horse!” “Your lame jokes are killing me!” “Your mama” jokes

Litotes (Understatement) Understatement - the act or an instance of understating, or representing in a weak or restrained way that does not match up with the facts: Basically the opposite of hyperbole. Often, it is ironic. The journalist wrote that the earthquake had caused some damage. This turned out to be a massive understatement of the devastation. Calling a slow moving person “Speedy” Mount Everest is just a little foothill “You’re quite the genius,” said the boy to his dimwitted friend after he repeatedly tried to pull open the door that had PUSH written on it in big red letters. PUSH

Metaphor A direct comparison of two unlike things A comparison implying that one thing is another thing (not using ‘like’ or ‘as’) “My dad is a big teddy bear.” “And take my tears, which are love’s wine…” ~ John Donne “All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players…” ~ William Shakespeare

“Night is a purple pumpkin, Laced with a silver web, And the moon a golden spider, Wandering through the strands. At dawn the purple pumpkin, Rolling slowly around, Leans against the star-web, Moving the spider down…” (“Night”~ Patricia Hubbell) “You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine Just own the night like the 4th of July ’Cause baby you’re a firework Come on, show ’em what you’re worth Make ’em go oh, oh, oh As you shoot across the sky Baby you’re a firework Come on, let your colors burst You’re gonna leave ’em falling down…” (“Firework” ~ Katy Perry) Extended Metaphor A metaphor developed at great length, that occurs frequently in or throughout a work It sets up a main subject with several smaller subjects or comparisons.

Oxymoron Intentional combining of two normally contradictory terms Bitter sweet Jumbo shrimp Terribly beautiful “‘I see,’ said the blind man to the deaf-mute” “O miserable abundance, O beggarly riches!” ~ John Donne “Cowards die many times before their deaths!” ~ William Shakespeare (Julius Caesar)

Personification Attributing characteristics of people to inanimate objects or abstract notions Giving an animal human-like qualities or giving an object life-like qualities The representation of a thing or abstraction in the form of a person, as in art The sun smiled and hugged me with its glowing, yellow rays The trees whispered to me The cat danced throughout the streets of New York.

Simile A comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as” “She is as beautiful as a sunrise.” “My checking account is as empty as my stomach.” “There is an endless trail of people moving about the streets like a colony of ants.”

Imagery Language that appeals to the senses. Most images are visual, but they can also appeal to the senses of sound, touch, taste, or smell. then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather . . . from “Those Winter Sundays”

Allusion Allusion comes from the verb “allude” which means “to refer to” A reference to a well-known work of literature, famous person, or historical event with which the reader is assumed to be familiar A tunnel walled and overlaid With dazzling crystal: we had read Of rare Aladdin’s wondrous cave, And to our own his name we gave. From “Snowbound” John Greenleaf Whittier

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

Sound Devices

Rhyme Words sound alike because they share the same ending vowel and consonant sounds. LAMP STAMP Share the short “a” vowel sound Share the combined “mp” consonant sound

End Rhyme A word at the end of one line rhymes with a word at the end of another line (check for rhyme scheme) Hector the Collector Collected bits of string. Collected dolls with broken heads And rusty bells that would not ring.

Near/Slant Rhyme a.k.a imperfect rhyme, close rhyme The words share EITHER the same vowel or consonant sound BUT NOT BOTH ROSE LOSE Different vowel sounds (long “o” and “oo” sound) Share the same consonant sound

Eye Rhyme A rhyme which looks like a rhyme but does NOT actually sound alike. Ex. Seat, great Wind, kind Some are only eye rhymes today because we have changed the way we pronounce the word. Ex. Love, prove.

Rhyme Scheme Use the letters of the alphabet to represent sounds to be able to visually “see” the pattern. The Germ by Ogden Nash A mighty creature is the germ, Though smaller than the pachyderm. His customary dwelling place Is deep within the human race. His childish pride he often pleases By giving people strange diseases. Do you, my poppet, feel infirm? You probably contain a germ. a b c

Onomatopoeia Words that imitate the sound they are naming POP BUZZ SNAP CRUNCH SIZZLE

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?

Consonance Similar to alliteration EXCEPT . . . The repeated consonant sounds can be anywhere in the words She swims, walks, and sleeps seamlessly.

(All share the long “a” sound.) Assonance Repeated VOWEL sounds in a line or lines of poetry. (Often creates near rhyme.) Lake Fate Base Fade (All share the long “a” sound.)