An Eagle and a Fox formed an intimate friendship and decided to live near each other. The Eagle built her nest in the branches of a tall tree, while the Fox crept into the underwood and there produced her young. Not long after they had agreed upon this plan, the Eagle, being in want of provision for her young ones, swooped down while the Fox was out, seized upon one of the little cubs, and feasted herself and her brood. The Fox on her return, discovered what had happened, but was less grieved for the death of her young than for her inability to avenge them. A just retribution, however, quickly fell upon the Eagle. While hovering near an altar, on which some villagers were sacrificing a goat, she suddenly seized a piece of the flesh, and carried it, along with a burning cinder, to her nest. A strong breeze soon fanned the spark into a flame, and the eaglets, as yet unfledged and helpless, were roasted in their nest and dropped down dead at the bottom of the tree. There, in the sight of the Eagle, the Fox gobbled them up.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Fictional Elements

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Any language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject is also consider figurative. The most common (and therefore the ones you should really know) are simile, metaphor, and alliteration.

IMAGERY  Language that appeals to the senses.  Descriptions of people or objects stated in terms of our senses.  It often paints a picture in your mind when you read those words.  Basically describing something in so much detail that it forms an image in your head  For example, “Though I was on the sheer face of a mountain, the feeling of swinging through the air was euphoric, almost like flying without wings.”

SIMILE  A figure of speech which involves a direct comparison between two unlike things, usually with the words like or as.  For example, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”

METAPHOR  A figure of speech which involves an implied comparison between two relatively unlike things using a form of be.  The comparison is not announced by like or as.  For example, “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

ALLITERATION  Repeated consonant sounds occurring at the beginning of words or within words.  Alliteration is used to create melody, establish mood, call attention to important words, and point out similarities and contrasts.  For example, “Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers”

PERSONIFICATION  A figure of speech which gives the qualities of a person to an animal, an object, or an idea.  For example, “Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.”

ONOMATOPOEIA  The use of words that mimic sounds.  They appeal to our sense of hearing and they help bring a description to life.  A string of syllables the author has made up to represent the way a sound really sounds.  For Example, “Knock-knock” OR “ Baa Baa Black Sheep”

HYPERBOLE  An exaggerated statement used to heighten effect.  It is not used to mislead the read, but to emphasize a point.  For Example, “She is so dumb, she thinks Taco Bell is a Mexican phone company”