Poetry: Figurative Language Review

Figurative Language What is figurative language? Figurative language is writing or speech that is meant to be understood imaginatively rather than literally

Simile A simile is a comparison between two unlike things using the words like or as Ex: My brothers are as loud as cymbals clanging together

Metaphor A metaphor is a comparison of two unlike things that says one thing is another Ex: The new baby was a bundle of joy

Hyperbole A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration that is used to make a point Ex: It felt as if the class period dragged on for years

Personification Personification is giving human qualities or characteristics to nonhuman things Ex: The morning sub smiled down on me as I walked down the street

Alliteration Alliteration is the repetition of the same beginning consonant sounds in lines of poetry or prose Ex: He helped her hurt head to heal

Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia are words whose sounds suggest their meaning Ex: Crash, bang, boom, snap, whoosh, crackle

Idiom An idiom is a phrase whose meaning is not understood from its literal meaning Ex: I felt like I was on cloud nine

Oxymoron An oxymoron is a phrase whose words contradict each other with opposite meanings. Ex: From Romeo & Juliet, “O loving hate!”

Apostrophe An apostrophe is when a poem speaks to either an inanimate object as if it were alive or a dead person as if they were alive Ex: Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again

Assonance Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds Ex: Rain makes the pavement wavy

Cacophony Cacophony is the use of words with sharp, harsh, hissing, and uncomfortable sounds It is used to present uncomfortable situations in poetry Ex: With throats unslaked, with black lips baked/Agape they heard me call Harsh –c, -ck, -g, -ch, and –t sounds help create cacophony

Euphony Euphony is the use of words that sound pleasant and melodious The use of these soft sounds are used in poetry to present pleasant, soothing situations Ex: With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run/To bend with apples and the moss’d cottage-trees Soft –f, -v, -th, -ss, and –m sounds help to create euphony

Imagery Imagery is language that appeals to our five senses: touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight. It is language that allows us to create a vivid picture in our mind of the things that an author is describing.

Visual Imagery Language that is used to appeal to our sense of sight. Example: A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.  

Auditory Imagery Language that appeals to our sense of hearing. Example: And I keep hearing from the cellar bin The rumbling sound Of load on load of apples coming in.

Smell Imagery Language that appeals to our sense of smell. Example: But I am done with apple-picking now. Essence of winter sleep is on the night, The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.

Taste Imagery Language that appeals to our sense of taste. Example: A mouse found a beautiful piece of plum cake The richest and sweetest that mortal could make ‘Twas heavy with citron and fragrant with spice And covered with sugar all sparkling as ice

Touch Imagery Language that appeals to our sense of touch. Example: When stiff and sore and scarred I take away my hand From leaning on it hard In grass and sand