Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor & more

Figurative Language

• Non-literal language use creates imagery, effect, or meaning.

Simile

• Compares two unlike things using "like" or "as."
• Highlights a similarity and is explicit.
• Example: "The warrior fought like a lion, fearless and strong.”

Metaphor

• Directly compares two things by stating one "is" the other.
• Implies a resemblance without using "like" or "as," creating an implicit connection.
• Example: "The classroom was a zoo.”

Personification

• Attributes human qualities/actions to non-human entities like animals, objects, or ideas.
• Example: "The trees danced in the wind.”

Hyperbole

• A deliberate exaggeration is used for emphasis or dramatic effect.
• It is not meant to be taken literally.
• Example: “I've told you a million times!”

Understatement (Litotes)

• Deliberately downplays something significant, often for ironic or humorous effect.
• Creates a contrast between what's said and what's implied.
• Example: "It's a bit warm today,” said during a heatwave.

Oxymoron

• Combines contradictory terms to create a paradoxical effect.
• Example: "Jumbo shrimp,” “bittersweet,” “organized chaos.”

Paradox

• A statement/situation appears contradictory but contains a deeper truth/meaning.
• Example: “Less is more.”

Alliteration

• Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words or stressed syllables.
• It creates a musical effect.
• Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."

Assonance

• Repetition of vowel sounds within words.
• Creates a sense of rhythm and musicality.
• Example: "Go slow over the road.”

Consonance

• Repetition of consonant sounds within and at the end of words.
• Creates a sense of harmony.
• It differs from alliteration since the sounds aren't at the beginning.
• Example: “All mammals named Sam are clammy.”

Onomatopoeia

• Words imitate natural sounds.
• Example: "Buzz,” “hiss,” “bang,” “meow.”

Imagery

• Vivid descriptive language appeals to the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
• Creates a mental picture for the reader.
• Example: "The crimson sunset painted the sky, the air thick with the scent of pine and damp earth."

Symbolism

• The use of objects, characters, figures, or colors represents abstract ideas/concepts.
• Example: A dove symbolizes peace; a red rose symbolizes love.

Metonymy

• Uses a closely related word or phrase to stand in for something else.
• Example: "The White House announced..." (The White House represents the US government).

Synecdoche

• Uses a part to represent the whole, or vice versa.
• Example: "All hands on deck!” (“Hands” represents the sailors).

Apostrophe

• A figure of speech where a speaker directly addresses an absent person, an abstract quality, or a thing.
• Example: “O, Death, where is thy sting?"

Sound Devices

• Literary techniques that use sound to create effect.

Rhyme

• Repetition of similar sounds, usually at the end of lines in poetry/songs.
• Perfect rhyme has identical vowel and consonant sounds (e.g., “cat” and “hat").
• Slant rhyme (near/half rhyme) has similar, not identical, sounds (e.g., "cat" and "cot").
• Example: "The cat sat on the mat.” (Perfect rhyme)

Rhythm

• The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in poetry/prose.
• Creates a sense of movement and musicality.
• Example: The rhythmic beat of a drum.

Meter

• A structured pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry.
• Different meters have different names (e.g., iambic pentameter).
• Example: Iambic pentameter (five pairs of unstressed/stressed syllables) is common in Shakespeare.

Caesura

• A pause or break within a line of poetry.
• Often indicated by punctuation.
• Example: "Sing, Muse, the anger of Peleus' son, Achilles. || And its devastation.”

Enjambment

• The continuation of a sentence/phrase without a pause beyond the end of a line.
• Creates a sense of flow and momentum.

Structure and Organization

• Elements are arranged to create meaning and effect.

Stanza

• A group of lines forming a unit in a poem.

Verse

• A single line of poetry.

Repetition

• Repeating words, phrases, or sentences for emphasis or to create a sense of rhythm.
• Example: “Never give up, never give up, never give up.”

Parallelism

• Using similar grammatical structures to express related ideas.
• Creates balance and emphasis.
• Example: "I came, I saw, I conquered."

Antithesis

• Juxtaposes contrasting ideas/words within a parallel structure.
• Creates a strong contrast.
• Example: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Juxtaposition

• Placing contrasting elements side-by-side to highlight their differences.
• Creates a particular effect
• Example: Describing a luxurious mansion next to a dilapidated shack.

Climax

• The highest point of tension or interest in a narrative.

Resolution

• The outcome of the conflict in a narrative.

Foreshadowing

• Hints or clues about future events in a narrative.

Flashback

• A scene interrupts the chronological order of a narrative.
• Shows an earlier event.

Irony

• A contrast between expectation and reality, with three main types.

Verbal Irony

• Saying the opposite of what is meant (sarcasm).

Situational Irony

• The outcome is the opposite of what is expected.

Dramatic Irony

• The audience knows something the characters don't.

Satire

• Uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose/criticize folly or vice.

Parody

• Imitates a work of art/literature in a humorous or satirical way.

Character Development

• Techniques create believable and engaging characters.

Protagonist

• The main character of a story.

Antagonist

• The character who opposes the protagonist.

Round Character

• A complex character with multiple traits and dimensions.

Flat Character

• A simple character with few defining traits.

Static Character

• A character who does not undergo significant change throughout the story.

Dynamic Character

• A character who undergoes significant change throughout the story.

Archetype

• A recurring character type/symbol representing universal patterns of human nature.

Foil

• A character contrasts with another character to highlight their traits.

Other Devices

• A range of techniques that enhance writing.

Allusion

• A reference to something outside the text (history, literature, mythology, etc.).
• Example: "He was a real Romeo.” (Refers to Shakespeare's Romeo).

Euphemism

• A polite/indirect expression used in place of a harsh/blunt one.
• Example: "Passed away” instead of “died.”

Idiom

• A phrase/expression whose meaning cannot be understood from the individual words.
• Example: "Kick the bucket” (to die).

Cliché

• An overused phrase or expression.
• Example: "Happily ever after.”

Aphorism

• A concise statement expressing a general truth or principle.
• Example: "A penny saved is a penny earned."

Anecdote

• A short, often amusing/interesting story about a real incident/person.

Dialogue

• Conversation between characters.

Setting

• The time and place of a story.

Theme

• The central idea/message of a story.

Tone

• The author's attitude toward the subject matter.

Mood

• The overall feeling/atmosphere created by a story.

Style

• The author's distinctive way of writing.

Voice

• The author's unique perspective and personality conveyed through their writing.

Point of View

• The perspective from which a story is told (first person, third person limited, third person omniscient).

Suspense

• A feeling of tension or anticipation created by the author.

Catharsis

• The emotional release/purification experienced by the audience/reader.

Epiphany

• A sudden realization or insight.

Deus ex machina

• An unexpected intervention that resolves a seemingly unsolvable problem in a narrative.

Pathetic Fallacy

• Attributes human emotions/characteristics to inanimate objects/nature.
• Example: "The angry storm raged."

Anaphora

• Repetition of a word/phrase at the beginning of successive clauses/sentences.
• Example: "I have a dream... I have a dream...”

Epigraph

• A quotation at the beginning of a work that sets the tone/theme.

Aside

• A remark made by a character to the audience, unheard by other characters.

Soliloquy

• A speech delivered by a character alone on stage.
• Reveals their thoughts and feelings.

Monologue

• A long speech by one character, often to other characters.

Chorus

• A group of characters in a play who comment on the action.

Dramatic Irony

• The audience knows something that the characters do not.

Situational Irony

• The outcome of a situation is the opposite of what is expected.

Verbal Irony

• A speaker says something that is the opposite of what they mean (sarcasm).

Slapstick

• A type of comedy that relies on physical humor and exaggerated actions.

Farce

• A type of comedy characterized by absurd situations, improbable events, and slapstick humor.

Tragedy

• A play/story that ends in disaster/death for the protagonist.

Comedy

• A play/story intended to be humorous.

Romance

• A genre focusing on love and relationships.

Science Fiction

• A genre exploring futuristic technology, space travel, and other scientific concepts.

Fantasy

• A genre involving magical elements, imaginary creatures, and otherworldly settings.

Horror

• A genre aiming to frighten or scare the reader.

Mystery

• A genre involving a crime or puzzle to be solved.

Historical Fiction

• A genre set in the past, often incorporating real historical events/figures.