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What is the figurative language in the phrase, 'Physically, he was as awkward as a clown'?
What is the figurative language in the phrase, 'Physically, he was as awkward as a clown'?
What metaphor is used in 'The race towards death had begun'?
What metaphor is used in 'The race towards death had begun'?
Comparing death to a race.
What kind of figurative language is illustrated by 'The barbed wire that encircled us like a wall'?
What kind of figurative language is illustrated by 'The barbed wire that encircled us like a wall'?
What is personified in 'The shadows around me roused themselves'?
What is personified in 'The shadows around me roused themselves'?
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What feeling is described in 'My throat was dry and the words were choking me'?
What feeling is described in 'My throat was dry and the words were choking me'?
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What simile is used in 'weariness had settled into our veins, our limbs, our brains, like molten lead'?
What simile is used in 'weariness had settled into our veins, our limbs, our brains, like molten lead'?
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What does the phrase 'the street resembled fairgrounds deserted in haste' illustrate?
What does the phrase 'the street resembled fairgrounds deserted in haste' illustrate?
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What metaphor is present in 'It was there for the taking. An open tomb. A summer sun.'?
What metaphor is present in 'It was there for the taking. An open tomb. A summer sun.'?
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What simile is used to describe Monday in 'Monday went by like a small summer cloud'?
What simile is used to describe Monday in 'Monday went by like a small summer cloud'?
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What characterization is provided in 'As for my mother, she was walking, her face a mask without word'?
What characterization is provided in 'As for my mother, she was walking, her face a mask without word'?
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What motif is identified in 'They were the first faces of hell and death'?
What motif is identified in 'They were the first faces of hell and death'?
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What connotation is suggested by the phrase 'A prolonged whistle pierced the air'?
What connotation is suggested by the phrase 'A prolonged whistle pierced the air'?
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What simile describes the woman in 'She looked like a withered tree in a field of wheat'?
What simile describes the woman in 'She looked like a withered tree in a field of wheat'?
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What does 'It was as though madness had infected us all' exemplify?
What does 'It was as though madness had infected us all' exemplify?
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What dramatic irony is revealed in 'We were to leave the train here. The conditions were good'?
What dramatic irony is revealed in 'We were to leave the train here. The conditions were good'?
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What hyperbole is found in 'This conversation lasted no more than a few seconds. It seemed like an eternity.'?
What hyperbole is found in 'This conversation lasted no more than a few seconds. It seemed like an eternity.'?
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What does 'My father's voice tore me from my daydreams...' illustrate?
What does 'My father's voice tore me from my daydreams...' illustrate?
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What pun is present in 'The word chimney here was not an abstraction: it floated in the air'?
What pun is present in 'The word chimney here was not an abstraction: it floated in the air'?
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What situational irony is exemplified in 'WARNING! DANGER OF DEATH.'?
What situational irony is exemplified in 'WARNING! DANGER OF DEATH.'?
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What repetition is noted in 'And he himself was so thin, so withered, so weak...'?
What repetition is noted in 'And he himself was so thin, so withered, so weak...'?
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What characterization is given in 'He was a stocky man with big shoulders...'?
What characterization is given in 'He was a stocky man with big shoulders...'?
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What oxymoron is illustrated in 'She was smiling her mournful smile as she slipped me a crust of bread.'?
What oxymoron is illustrated in 'She was smiling her mournful smile as she slipped me a crust of bread.'?
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What simile is used in 'he began beating him with an iron bar... break in two like an old tree struck by lightning.'?
What simile is used in 'he began beating him with an iron bar... break in two like an old tree struck by lightning.'?
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What hyperbole is found in 'I wanted to run away, but my feet were nailed to the floor.'?
What hyperbole is found in 'I wanted to run away, but my feet were nailed to the floor.'?
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What metaphor is suggested in 'Two cauldrons of soup! Smack in the middle of the road'?
What metaphor is suggested in 'Two cauldrons of soup! Smack in the middle of the road'?
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What personification is found in 'Jealousy devoured us, consumed us.'?
What personification is found in 'Jealousy devoured us, consumed us.'?
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What simile is noted in 'Like a sword, the order cut through the air.'?
What simile is noted in 'Like a sword, the order cut through the air.'?
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What hyperbole is illustrated with 'I felt as though I had been running for years.'?
What hyperbole is illustrated with 'I felt as though I had been running for years.'?
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What simile is used to describe Elie's movements in 'I was putting one foot in front of the other, like a machine.'?
What simile is used to describe Elie's movements in 'I was putting one foot in front of the other, like a machine.'?
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What simile is present in 'The snow seemed to me like a very soft, very warm carpet.'?
What simile is present in 'The snow seemed to me like a very soft, very warm carpet.'?
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What personification describes death in 'Death, which was settling in all around me, silently, gently.'?
What personification describes death in 'Death, which was settling in all around me, silently, gently.'?
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What simile is used in 'Then, two 'gravediggers' grabbed him by the head and feet and threw him from the wagon like a sack of flour.'?
What simile is used in 'Then, two 'gravediggers' grabbed him by the head and feet and threw him from the wagon like a sack of flour.'?
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What motif is evident in 'Beasts of prey unleashed, animal hate in their eyes.'?
What motif is evident in 'Beasts of prey unleashed, animal hate in their eyes.'?
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What characterization is shown in 'Every day, my father was getting weaker.'?
What characterization is shown in 'Every day, my father was getting weaker.'?
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What simile is used in 'On my return from the bread distribution, I found my father crying like a child.'?
What simile is used in 'On my return from the bread distribution, I found my father crying like a child.'?
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What personification is described with 'Suddenly, the sirens began to scream.'?
What personification is described with 'Suddenly, the sirens began to scream.'?
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What is a simile?
What is a simile?
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What is a metaphor?
What is a metaphor?
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What is a flashback?
What is a flashback?
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What is an allusion?
What is an allusion?
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What is mood in literature?
What is mood in literature?
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What is hyperbole?
What is hyperbole?
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What is situational irony?
What is situational irony?
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What is imagery?
What is imagery?
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What is a motif?
What is a motif?
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What is symbolism?
What is symbolism?
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What is a cliché?
What is a cliché?
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What is repetition?
What is repetition?
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What is personification?
What is personification?
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What is alliteration?
What is alliteration?
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What is characterization?
What is characterization?
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What is a pun?
What is a pun?
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What is dramatic irony?
What is dramatic irony?
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What is foreshadowing?
What is foreshadowing?
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What is connotation?
What is connotation?
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What is verbal irony?
What is verbal irony?
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What is a rhetorical question?
What is a rhetorical question?
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What is man vs. man conflict?
What is man vs. man conflict?
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What is man vs. nature conflict?
What is man vs. nature conflict?
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What is man vs. society/world conflict?
What is man vs. society/world conflict?
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What is man vs. self conflict?
What is man vs. self conflict?
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What is the theme of faith in literature?
What is the theme of faith in literature?
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What is the theme of cruelty?
What is the theme of cruelty?
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What is the theme of silence?
What is the theme of silence?
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What is genocide?
What is genocide?
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What does intolerance refer to?
What does intolerance refer to?
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What is dignity?
What is dignity?
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What is contempt?
What is contempt?
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What is propaganda?
What is propaganda?
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What is discrimination?
What is discrimination?
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What is apathy?
What is apathy?
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What does inert mean?
What does inert mean?
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What does derision refer to?
What does derision refer to?
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What does interminable mean?
What does interminable mean?
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What is reprieve?
What is reprieve?
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What is morale?
What is morale?
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What are constraints?
What are constraints?
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What is melancholy?
What is melancholy?
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What does notorious mean?
What does notorious mean?
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What is an anecdote?
What is an anecdote?
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What does scarcely mean?
What does scarcely mean?
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What does afflict mean?
What does afflict mean?
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What does conscientious mean?
What does conscientious mean?
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What does vitality mean?
What does vitality mean?
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What is an advocate?
What is an advocate?
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What is a refugee?
What is a refugee?
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What are inalienable rights?
What are inalienable rights?
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Study Notes
Figurative Language in Night
- Uses varied figurative language techniques to convey themes and emotions throughout the narrative.
- Similes, metaphors, personification, and irony create vivid imagery and deepen understanding of character experiences.
Key Figurative Language Examples
- Simile compares Moishe’s awkwardness to a clown, establishing character traits early on.
- Metaphoric language associates death with a race, illustrating urgency and inevitability.
- Simile depicting barbed wire as a wall emphasizes feelings of entrapment.
- Personification of shadows gives life to the darkness surrounding the characters, enhancing the mood.
- Personification of words choking the narrator reflects the weight of silence and despair in critical moments.
Themes Illustrated Through Figurative Language
- The motif of cruelty underscores the inhumane actions of oppressors, connecting faces to concepts of hell and death.
- The description of the street invokes imagery of abandoned possessions, symbolizing loss and the abandonment of identity.
- Repetition of "so" enhances the portrayal of Elie's father's decline, emphasizing emotional weight and despair.
Emotional Resonance and Irony
- Dramatic irony at the arrival of the labor camp highlights the misperceived hopefulness among Jews contrasted with the audience's knowledge of impending horror.
- Hyperbolic expressions convey Elie's psychological state, amplifying the surreal quality of experiences within the camps.
Symbolism and Motifs
- Symbols like the chimney and the barbed wire represent death and oppression.
- Motif of silence illustrates the complicity and powerlessness against growing evil.
- Personification of emotions, such as jealousy consuming characters, highlights the destructive nature of despair under dire circumstances.
Characterization Through Language
- Key character traits are revealed through descriptive passages; Elie's father described with physical attributes evokes strength and vulnerability.
- Oxymoronic language demonstrates the complexity of emotions, such as a smiling face infused with sorrow.
Language Techniques Summary
- Simile: Direct comparisons using "like" or "as" to convey feelings and ideas (e.g. father crying like a child).
- Metaphor: Implicit comparisons that convey deeper meanings without using "like" or "as" (e.g. describing the streets akin to a fairground's desolation).
- Personification: Attributing human qualities to non-human elements (e.g. madness infecting people).
- Irony: Situational disparities that highlight contrasts between expectations and reality.
Additional Literary Terms and Their Importance
- Imagery: Appeals to the senses, illustrating the stark realities faced by characters.
- Motif: Recurring themes and ideas reinforce the narrative’s emotional depth and context.
- Hyperbole: Exaggerated statements communicate the extremity of the characters’ experiences during the Holocaust.
Themes of Faith and Humanity
- Faith is challenged through Elie's struggles, revealing the impact of trauma on beliefs.
- Humanity is examined through characters' interactions, reflecting how oppression affects moral values and actions.
Societal Commentary
- The text serves as a critique of discrimination, intolerance, and the consequences of apathy in the face of evil.
- Highlights the importance of recognizing inalienable rights and the ramifications of moral failures within society.
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Description
Test your understanding of figurative language used in the book 'Night' by Elie Wiesel. This quiz covers examples of similes, metaphors, and characterizations that enhance the emotional impact of the narrative. Engage with key phrases and definitions to deepen your comprehension of the text.