Figurative Language Metaphors Similes Personification Metaphors Similes Personification

Figurative Language Metaphors Similes Personification

Metaphors, Similes, & Personification § Belong to a class of language called figurative language Figurative language: § Is any language NOT used in a literal way § Is a way of saying one thing, but meaning another § Doesn’t make sense if taken literally

Examples of Figurative Language “The catcher at the baseball game was the bomb!” Figurative meaning: the catcher is skilled, practiced, and maybe cute? “That ball sat in the outfield. ” Figurative meaning: no one was quick enough to get the ball. “Jimmy ran like a cheetah to first base. ” Figurative meaning: Jimmy is a fast runner-the fastestlike a cheetah.

Metaphors, Similes, Personification Figurative Language -Saying one thing, but meaning another (Not literal) Literal Language -Means exactly what it says

Why use Figurative Language? § It is a rich, strong, and vivid way to express meaning § By using it, we are able to say more in fewer words For example: The poet Robert Burns says, “My love is like a red, red rose. ” He is saying many things: § His love is beautiful, soft and fragrant. § The rose is red - the color of passion. This adds another layer of meaning § A rose has thorns, which says that there is a potential danger in loving her (She may hurt him) § Thus, by comparing his love to a red rose, the poet is able to squeeze many ideas into a single line

Metaphors and Similes Metaphors and similes are used to compare things that are not usually seen as similar § Metaphors imply the comparison § Similes state the comparison directly

Examples Suppose that you have just taken an extremely hard test… § To turn this into a metaphor you could say, “That test was a bear!” You are not saying that the test was a literal bear, but that it was unpredictable and hard to deal with. § The comparison between the test and the bear is not directly stated - it is implied or suggested § This is what a metaphor does-it implies a comparison in a fresh, interesting way

Metaphors and Similes Continued § Now let’s take the same idea and turn it into a simile § To make the test into a simile, you make the comparison direct § For example: “Taking that test was like struggling with a bear!” Ø Ø It is still non-literal language Taking the test is not exactly like struggling with a bear, but with a simile you must come right out and state the comparison § Signal words give you a hint that similes are coming…hint/signal words include: as, like, than, similar to, and resembles. Be careful, though! § These words don’t always indicate similes § For example: The sentence “I look like my sister, ” does not contain a simileit is a literal statement § In using similes or metaphors, two unlike things must be compared

Metaphors and Similes Continued § Metaphors and similes have literal terms and figurative terms § The literal term is what we are comparing to something else. It’s what is real; it means what it is. § For example, the literal term in the metaphor, “That test was a bear!” is test; we are really talking about a test. § The figurative term is what is being compared to the literal term. The figurative terms means something other than itself, something non-literal. § The figurative term in the metaphor is bear § The test is not a bear, but it has some bear-like qualities that can help us understand how hard the test was.

Practice Figure of speech I got a flood of mail yesterday. Alice sang like a crow. Jeff was taller than the Empire State Building. The shoes cost a king’s ransom. Metaphor or simile? Literal term Mail Figurative term Flood

Personification § Special kind of metaphor that gives human-like qualities to something that is not human (such as an animal, an object, or an idea) § For example: “The tree sighed sadly in the cold. ” A tree can’t really sigh or be sad-it is an inhuman object that is being given human-like qualities