Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor & Personification

• Figurative language enhances writing by creating vivid imagery and deeper meaning.

Simile

• Similes compare two unlike things using "like" or "as."
• Example: "worn out, more dead than alive"
• Another Example: "They passed me by like beaten dogs."
• Similes illustrate the dehumanization and exhaustion experienced by the prisoners.
• Similes provide a clearer understanding of the emotional and physical states of characters.

Metaphor

• Metaphors directly equate two unlike things without using "like" or "as."
• Example: "The world had become a hermetically sealed cattle car."
• Another Example: "We were withered trees in the heart of the desert."
• Metaphors convey the sense of entrapment and desolation.
• Metaphors create a deeper connection between the reader and the themes of suffering and loss.

Personification

• Personification gives human qualities to non-human things.
• Example: "The stars were but sparks of the immense conflagration that was consuming us."
• This implies the destruction is all-consuming like a fire.
• Personification intensifies the emotional impact of the narrative, making abstract concepts relatable.
• It emphasizes the overwhelming nature of the characters' experiences.

Irony

• Irony involves a contrast between what is said and what is actually meant (verbal), what is expected and what occurs (situational), or what the audience knows versus what the characters know (dramatic).
• Example of situational irony: The prisoners reciting Kaddish, the prayer for the dead, for the living, symbolizes their spiritual demise
• Irony highlights the absurdity and contradictions of the Holocaust.
• It challenges the reader to question the values and beliefs of the characters and society.

Symbolism

• Symbolism is the use of objects, people, or ideas to represent something else.
• Example: Night symbolizes the darkness, both literal and figurative, that pervades the experiences.
• Night also suggests the absence of God and the loss of faith.
• Example: Fire symbolizes the Nazi's cruelty and the destruction of faith.
• Symbols add layers of meaning.

Hyperbole

• Hyperbole involves the exaggeration of a statement.
• Example: "Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever."
• Hyperbole emphasizes the speaker's intense emotions.
• It conveys the magnitude of the events and their lasting impact on the characters.

Imagery

• Imagery employs descriptive language to create sensory experiences for the reader.
• Example: Descriptions of the flames, the stench of burning flesh, and the skeletal appearance of the prisoners.
• Imagery evokes a vivid and visceral understanding of the Holocaust.
• It helps the reader connect emotionally with the suffering of the characters.

Allusion

• Allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art.
• Example: References to biblical figures and stories.
• Allusions enrich the text by drawing upon a shared cultural and historical context.
• They can add layers of meaning and complexity to the narrative.

Motifs

• Recurring elements or ideas in a literary work.
• Examples: Night, fire, silence, eyes.
• Motifs reinforce central themes and ideas.
• They create a sense of unity and coherence within the text.

Use in 'Night'

• Elie Wiesel uses figurative language to convey the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust.
• It communicates experiences beyond literal description.
• These devices help to create a powerful and lasting impact on the reader.
• Figurative language enhances the narrative and reveals the deeper meaning of the events.