FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

SIMILE A comparison of two things using “like, as than,” or “resembles.” “She is as beautiful as a sunrise.”

METAPHOR A direct comparison of two unlike things “All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players.” - William Shakespeare

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”

PERSONIFICATION An animal given human-like qualities or an object given life-like qualities. from “Ninki” by Shirley Jackson “Ninki was by this time irritated beyond belief by the general air of incompetence exhibited in the kitchen, and she went into the living room and got Shax, who is extraordinarily lazy and never catches his own chipmunks, but who is, at least, a cat, and preferable, Ninki saw clearly, to a man with a gun.

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

ONOMATOPOEIA Words that imitate the sound they are naming BUZZ OR sounds that imitate another sound Ex)buzz, hiss, bang, boom, meow, bark “The silken, sad, uncertain, rustling of each purple curtain . . .”

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? Activity: Alliteration group game 8

(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.)

ASSONANCE cont. Examples of ASSONANCE: “Slow the low gradual moan came in the snowing.” John Masefield “Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep.” - William Shakespeare

CONSONANCE Similar to alliteration EXCEPT . . . The repeated consonant sounds can be anywhere in the words “silken, sad, uncertain, rustling . . “

Hyperbole An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is true. Tall tales are hyperboles. Example: He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all. Example: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse. Example: I sprained my ankle. Its hurts so much its killing me.

Oxymoron a figure of speech containing an apparent contradiction. Example: “Jumbo shrimp” Example: “silent scream” Example: “bitter sweet” Example: “deafening silence”

Common oxymorons 'We won't say yes and we won't say no, but I'm giving you a definite maybe' 'You must try this new ice cream. It really is awfully good' 'Our next-door neighbor's dog is pretty ugly‘

Allusion Allusion comes from the verb “allude” which means “to refer to” An allusion is a reference to something famous. 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

Allusions continued a reference within a work to something famous outside it, such as a well-known person, place, event, story, or work of art, literature, music, pop culture. Type of metaphor Purpose-Lets reader/viewer understand new information, characters, plot, setting, etc. by connecting it to something already known.

Allusion Example Sally had a smile that rivaled that of the Mona Lisa. Since everyone is familiar with the painting, they can imagine what Sally’s smile looks like.

The makers of the Scream movie ALLUDED TO Munch’s work of art “The Scream” in order to instill fear.

Paradox a statement or situation containing apparently contradictory or incompatible elements but upon closer inspection might be true. Example :"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - Animal Farm by George Orwell

Paradox examples "I must be cruel to be kind." - Hamlet by William Shakespeare "The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears ." - The Last Man by Mary Shelley