Understanding Figurative Language

Figurative Language

• Uses figures of speech to enhance effectiveness, persuasiveness and impact
• Figures of speech such as metaphors, similes, and personification go beyond literal meanings
• Gives readers new insights
• Appeals to the senses

Types of Figurative Language

Simile

• Compares two unlike things using "like" or "as" to highlight a similarity
• Example: "The warrior fought like a lion"
• Example: "The snow was as white as a ghost"

Metaphor

• Directly equates two unlike things without "like" or "as"
• Implies a resemblance
• Example: "The world is a stage"
• Example: "He is a shining star"

Personification

• Gives human qualities or actions to non-human entities such as objects, animals, or ideas
• Example: "The wind whispered secrets through the trees"
• Example: "The sun smiled down on the Earth"

Hyperbole

• Exaggeration for emphasis or effect, not meant to be taken literally
• Example: "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse"
• Example: "I've told you a million times"

Understatement

• The opposite of hyperbole, minimizes significance and is often used for irony or humor
• Example: "It's just a scratch," when there is a large wound
• Example: "It's a bit nippy out," when the temperature is -20 degrees

Idiom

• A phrase or expression with a meaning not understood from the literal definitions of the words
• The meaning is known through common use
• Example: "Break a leg" means "good luck"
• Example: "Piece of cake" means "easy"

Alliteration

• Repetition of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of words
• Enhances the musicality of the text
• Example: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"
• Example: "She sells seashells by the seashore"

Onomatopoeia

• A word imitates a natural sound
• Creates a vivid sensory experience
• Example: "The bee buzzed"
• Example: "The clock ticked"

Imagery

• Language creates vivid mental images and appeals to the reader's senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)
• Example: "The crimson sunset painted the sky with fiery hues"
• Example: "The salty air and the crashing waves filled their senses"

Conflict

• The central struggle or problem that drives the plot
• A character's internal or external struggle

Types of Conflict

Internal Conflict

• Struggle within a character's mind
• Involves conflicting feelings, desires, or values
• Character vs. Self: A character struggles with their own morals and choices

External Conflict

• Struggle between a character and an outside force such as another character, nature, or society.

Character vs. Character

• A character struggles against another character
• This can be a physical fight, an argument, or a competition

Character vs. Nature

• A character struggles against the forces of nature
• This could be a natural disaster, a harsh climate, or a wild animal

Character vs. Society

• A character struggles against the norms, laws, or expectations of society
• The character believes society is wrong

Character vs. Fate

• A character struggles against destiny or an unavoidable outcome
• This could involve supernatural forces or a predetermined path

Character vs. Technology

• A character struggles against technology
• The technology is often new

Impact of Conflict

• Drives the plot
• Reveals character
• Explores themes
• Engages the reader