1. Figuring Out What an Author REALLY means…
Figurative Language
Figuring Out What an Author REALLY means…

2. Figurative and Literal Language
Literally: words function exactly as defined Her socks are purple. She caught the football. Figuratively: figure out what it means We are going to rock and roll tonight. He got nailed to the wall.

3. Simile
Comparison of two things using “like” or “as.” Examples The metal screamed like a banshee. Her personality is as sweet as a sour patch kid.

4. Important! Using “like” or “as” doesn’t make a simile.
A comparison must be made.
Not a Simile: I like pizza.
Simile: The moon hung in the sky like a giant alfredo pizza pie.

5. Personification
Giving human traits to objects or ideas. Examples The sunlight danced along the water. The dog grinned. The mountains are calling me.

6. Metaphor
Two things are compared without using “like” or “as.” Examples All the world is a stage. Men are dogs. She has a rose quartz heart.

7. Litotes: Understatement
Statement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary
His breath wasn’t the worst I’d ever smelled.
This won’t be the least painful thing you’ve ever felt.

8. Hyperbole Exaggerating to show strong feeling or effect. Examples:
It is hotter than the surface of the sun out there.
My house is a million miles from here.
My Mom is going to kill me when I get home.

9. Imagery
Imagery is language that appeals to the five senses. It can be combined with other literary devices such as simile or metaphor.
Examples:
They rolled out of the van like worms from a can.
The sky unrolled new penny bright and clean.
The kitchen smelled of love: apple pie and dark brown bread with honey.

10. Other types of Figurative Language
Onomatopoeia: words whose spelling and pronunciation imitate natural sounds
Alliteration: the repetition of sounds at the beginning of words, or in stressed syllables.
Oxymoron: a phrase or term that consists of juxtaposed words (usually only two) that appear to contradict one another.
Allusion: a reference to a widely known person, place, or event. 
And many, many more…Find the top 20 here: es.htm

11. Quiz On a separate sheet of paper…
I will put an example of figurative language on the board.
You will write whether it is an simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, or litotes (understatement).
You can use your notes.

12. He drew a line as straight as an arrow.1
He drew a line as straight as an arrow.

13. 2
Knowledge is a kingdom and all who learn are kings and queens.

14. She wasn’t the smartest person in class.3
She wasn’t the smartest person in class.

15. The sun was beating down on me.4
The sun was beating down on me.

16. A flag hung like a fishhook from the tall pole.5
A flag hung like a fishhook from the tall pole.

17. 6
I'd rather take baths with a man-eating shark, or wrestle a lion alone in the dark, eat spinach and liver, pet ten porcupines, than tackle the homework, my teacher assigns.

18. 7
Ravenous and savage from its long polar journey, the North Wind is searching for food—

19. 8
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.

20. Well, dying isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.9
Well, dying isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.

21. 10
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise

22. Answers
Simile
Metaphor
Litotes
Personification
Hyperbole