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Figurative LanguageFiguring it Out
Take your own notes to keep
yourself focused throughout
the power point
1. What is figurative language?
2. Types of figurative language
3. Exercise identifying figurative language
Figurative and Literal Language
Literal: words function exactly as defined
The boy’s room was messy.
The left fielder dropped the baseball.
Figurative: You have to figure it out
The boy’s room was a pigsty.
The left fielder has butterfingers.
^These are figures of speech.
Simile
A comparison of two different things
using the word “like” or “as.”
Examples
Telephone wires hung like a musical score
Compares telephone wires to a musical score
Those faces, sour as vinegar;
Compares facial expressions to the taste of vinegar
Warning!
“Like” and “as” don’t always make similes.
A comparison must be made.
Not Simile: I washed the dishes as she dried them.
Simile: The dishes were as clean as the inside of a full bottle of soap.
In the first example, no comparison is made.
In the second, the cleanliness of the dishes is compared to the inside of a soap bottle.
A comparison of two different things
without using the word “like” or “as.”
Examples
Flowers of thought blossom while reading
Compares thinking to blossoming flowers
Drink of sweet courage until drunk of it
Compares courage to a liquid drink
She was my lute, by her I sang
Compares the girl to a lute - beautiful instrument
Metaphor
Personification
Giving human traits that can be physical
and/or emotional to objects or ideas.
Examples
The stars are hiding now
Gives stars the ability to hide and could feel afraid.
Or trees that whisper in some far, small town
Gives trees the ability to whisper.
A tree may wear a nest of robins in her hair
Gives the tree hair and the ability to wear things.
Hyperbole
Exaggerating to express a strong feeling
Examples
I will love you until the end of time.
It is unlikely that the speaker will live that long.
My dad would kill me if he knew about this.
Dad probably wouldn’t actually kill his own child.
My book bag weighs a million pounds.
The bag isn’t even close to a million pounds.
Understatement
Expression with less strength than expected.
The opposite of hyperbole.
Examples
The guillotine will give you a bad hair day.
The results will be much worse than bad hair.
Kidnapping your host is considered rude.
This is a serious crime much worse than rudeness.
Exercise
1. On your piece of paper record the type of
figurative language is present:
simile, metaphor, personification,
hyperbole, or understatement.
2. Analyze/explain what it means.
3. The answer slide follows each example
4. There are ten examples.
1
Let it be forgotten as a flower is forgotten.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer
This is a simile because it compares a thing
that should be forgotten to a flower.
Flowers don’t last long so they are easily
forgotten.
2
Your hand was honey-comb to heal,
Your voice a web to bind.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 2
This is a metaphor because the subject’s
hand was compared to honey-comb. This
makes the hand positive as it is healing.
The subject’s voice was compared to a web
which gives it a quality of bringing people
together.
3
After smashing through the garage door
Alex acknowledge that he may have parked
a little too close to the house.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 3
This is an understatement because Alex
parked more than a little too close.
Parking a little close would be more like
getting a dent in the bumper.
4
The brooks laugh louder when I come,
The breezes scream for me to go away.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 4
This is personification because
the brooks are given the ability to laugh so
that has physical and emotional positive
quality.
the breezes are also physical and emotional;
however they are negative as they scream
for him to go away.
5
There are some, like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 5
This is simile because some are compared
to stars using the word like.
Stars are fare apart and people can be far
apart.
6
And there will I keep you forever,
Yes, forever and a day,
Till the walls shall crumble to ruin,
And molder in dust away!
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 6
This is hyperbole because the speaker is
exaggerating how long he will keep the
person. You can’t add a day to forever
without exaggerating.
7
Freedom weeps, Wrong rules the land, and
waiting Justice sleeps.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 7
This is personification because
1. freedom is given the ability to
weep,(emotional)
2. wrong is given the ability to rule (a
leader)
3. justice is given the ability to sleep
(physical).
Also notice how the ideas are capitalized as
if they are a proper name.
8
The painted leaves are strewn
Along the winding way.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 8
This is a metaphor because the colours of
the leaves is compared to paint without
using the word like or as.
9
Jeff probably should have said “Thanks”
after Vic saved his life.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 9
This is an understatement because if
someone saves another’s life, more
gratitude is expected than the informal
“Thanks.”
10
The graveyard of my soul is filled with
flowers, so that I may stroll in meditation,
at my ease.
What figurative language is this?
Explain what it means.
Answer - 10
This is a metaphor because the speaker
compares his soul to a graveyard. The
speaker’s soul must feel very empty or
dead.
Reflection
• So how did you do?
• You don’t need to submit results to me.
• Review the types again if you still feel
unsure about these forms of figurative
language.
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