Figurative Language The Old Man and the Sea

Alliteration The repetition of words beginning with the same letter and sound. Hint: to remember alliteration, remember the double “L” in the word. The huge house haunted humans with its size.

Allusion Refers or alludes to an event in history, literature, or art. Abe Lincoln would have turned over in his grave if he had seen how my teacher denies us freedom in class. The house reminded me of Buckingham Palace, where the English Royal family lives.

Hyperbole Expresses an obvious and sometimes extreme exaggeration. My mind was a million miles away. Your mom lets you get away with murder. Dally handed me a shirt about sixty-million sizes too big.

Idiom An expression that doesn’t exactly mean what the words say. She spilled the beans.

Irony The expression of one’s meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite. Drawing trees on paper. This is ironic because in order to have paper you must kill a tree.

Metaphor Compares two things without using the word “like” or “as”. He has the tense, hungry look of an alley cat. He is sly and dangerous. He reminds me of a lost puppy that has been kicked too many times. He is shy and dependent.

Onomatopoeia A word that imitates the sound it represents. Splash Bang Pop

Oxymoron A phrase that seems to contradict itself because it expresses opposite concepts. It usually makes sense if you think about it. The teacher says, “Happy Monday!” Mondays are never happy… The chicken was freezer burnt. When you think of burn you think of something hot, not cold. The cat was pretty ugly. Something cannot be pretty and ugly.

Personification Gives human characteristics or abilities to something that is not human, such as animals, plants, or inanimate objects. The wind whispered your name. The guns were spitting fire as the robber ran away. The refrigerator is running.

Poetry Words that are organized into stanzas and lines. It uses rhythm, sound, rhyme, or structure to express something. Prose= words that are organized into sentences and paragraphs. Literature is NOT poetry. Literature= essays, short stories, novels, plays, etc.

Simile Compares on thing to another using the words “like” or “as”. My girlfriend’s parents treat me as if I were dirt. Her parents treat him as if he is low class. I told you he looks like a movie star. He is handsome and charismatic.

Symbol A thing that represents or stands for something else. I look to the big house on the hill to remind me of my dream to be rich and famous.

Synecdoche The part represents the whole. Your new car is a nice set of wheels. Are only the wheels nice? Or the car? All hands on deck. Not only the hands, but the whole body comes on deck.