Figurative Language Figurative Language refers to any language that uses images or language that makes different kinds of comparisons. Some examples of figurative language are:

Imagery Imagery is language that appeals to the senses of hearing, touch, taste, sight or smell.

Simile A simile is a description that compares two unlike things to one another using the words like or as.

Metaphor A metaphor compares unlike things without using the word like or as.

Hyperbole Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration, usually funny.

He loves the scent of blossoming flowers and the warbles of birds. imagery

I was so hungry that I even ate the plate! hyperbole

My father was the sun and the moon to me. metaphor

The rain seemed like an old friend who had finally found us. simile

Her head was so full of ideas that it was ready to burst wide open. hyperbole

Dessert was a dark chocolate covered with slurpy, pink ice cream. imagery

Your car sounded as if it were mad at us. simile

He was a library of information about baseball. metaphor

Other forms of figurative language are: Symbolism: a symbol is something that can stand for itself or for something else. ie: the maple leaf is a symbol of Canada.

Alliteration: the repeating of the beginning sounds in words Alliteration: the repeating of the beginning sounds in words. ie: She sells seashells by the seashore.

Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word by imitation of its sounds Onomatopoeia is the formation of a word by imitation of its sounds. ie: BANG! CRASH! BOOM! SMACK!

Personification is giving human qualities to something that is non-human. ie: Winter held Britain in an icy grip.

Foreshadowing This means suggesting beforehand what is going to happen later in the story. (ie: “The Hand”)

Flashback This occurs when the author tells about an event that happened before the time of the story.

Foreshadowing or Flashback??? All of a sudden, Rory remembered an incident from long ago. He had been walking in the woods with his older brother, who tried to scare him half to death with a story about a hooded monster. Rory had been so frightened then that he had cried uncontrollably. Flashback

Foreshadowing or Flashback??? Today, as he strolled along peacefully, Rory chuckled at that long-ago horror story. He had no way of guessing what was waiting now, just a few yards ahead. Right now, he was happy and relaxed. Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing or Flashback??? Gloria lined up ;with the other runners. They were all flushed with determination and excitement-all except Gloria. Suddenly, it was last year again, and she was telling the coach that she had to drop out of the team because of her illness. Now she was well again. “Still,” she said to herself, “what am I doing here? I’ll never win. I haven’t practiced enough!” But miracles do happen. The question is, what kind of miracle would be best for Gloria? Flashback and Foreshadowing.

Setting Setting is the time and place in which events occur. For example: my homeroom/thirty years ago, my kitchen/now, detention room/at noon, Halifax/three years ago.

Theme Theme is the major idea or lesson that a story conveys about life . Authors seldom state their intended theme directly. It’s usually up to the readers to discover the theme for themselves. Some stories have more than one theme. Different readers may find different themes in the same story.

What is the theme in “Just a Tyke”.

Treat others the way that you would like to be treated.