Figurative Language Notes
Figurative Language: language that cannot be taken literally since it was written to create a special effect or feeling.
Metaphor
Definition: The comparison of two unlike things in which no words of comparison (like or as) are used
Examples: "He is himself a mountain" - excerpt from "For Richard Chase" pg. 28 in our Ecology Reader.
Literal Meaning: The man is not actually a natural rock formation in nature.
Figurative Meaning: Think about how a mountain and a man may be similar. The poem goes on to state that "his face has the lay of coves and hollows." These details support that this old tale-teller from the mountains seems to be part of nature. He comes from the mountains and also seems to have taken on the qualities of the place where he lives. We begin to understand his character based on what we know about the comparison to the mountain.
Other examples:
She was fairly certain that life was a fashion show
The typical teenage boy’s room is a disaster area.
The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur.
The test was a walk in the park.
Metaphor review video with explanations of comparisons:http://viewpure.com/NS-2Tm3OzPQ
Examples: "He is himself a mountain" - excerpt from "For Richard Chase" pg. 28 in our Ecology Reader.
Literal Meaning: The man is not actually a natural rock formation in nature.
Figurative Meaning: Think about how a mountain and a man may be similar. The poem goes on to state that "his face has the lay of coves and hollows." These details support that this old tale-teller from the mountains seems to be part of nature. He comes from the mountains and also seems to have taken on the qualities of the place where he lives. We begin to understand his character based on what we know about the comparison to the mountain.
Other examples:
She was fairly certain that life was a fashion show
The typical teenage boy’s room is a disaster area.
The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur.
The test was a walk in the park.
Metaphor review video with explanations of comparisons:http://viewpure.com/NS-2Tm3OzPQ
Simile
Definition: A comparison of two unlike things in which a word of comparison (like or as) is used.
Example: If the party was like a solar system, Jenna was like the sun.
Literal Meaning: The party is not a whole solar system because the party is happening on Earth, which is part of the solar system. Also, one person cannot be the sun, which is a star.
Figurative Meaning: In the solar system, everything revolves around and depends on the sun, which is at the center. This comparison of Jenna being like the sun at the party would suggest that she was the center of attention and the main focus and force in the gathering.
Other examples:
His shoes felt like large stone slabs.
The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.
Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.
Her laughter was as warm as a blanket or a familiar song.
Example: If the party was like a solar system, Jenna was like the sun.
Literal Meaning: The party is not a whole solar system because the party is happening on Earth, which is part of the solar system. Also, one person cannot be the sun, which is a star.
Figurative Meaning: In the solar system, everything revolves around and depends on the sun, which is at the center. This comparison of Jenna being like the sun at the party would suggest that she was the center of attention and the main focus and force in the gathering.
Other examples:
His shoes felt like large stone slabs.
The ice sculptor’s hands fluttered like hummingbird wings.
Kyle looked at the test with a stare as blank as his notebook.
Her laughter was as warm as a blanket or a familiar song.
Hyperbole
Definition: An exaggeration or overstatement (e.g., I had to wait forever.)
Examples:
These shoes are killing me.
Yeah, I already beat that game 80,000 years ago.
Forget knocking it out of the park, Frank can knock a baseball off the continent
You could reach space by climbing that mountain.
The rabbit was as big as a horse.
Allusion
Figurative Language Review Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/111178708/figurative-language-flash-cards/
Figurative Language Video Resources:
Figurative Language + pop culture 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wYKVwsJ64
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Explanations for Metaphor and Simile in PopCulture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB0HrNdqJKQ
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