Figurative Language Devices
Simile: comparing two unlike objects using the words “like” or “as.”
Examples: He grew like a tall, lanky weed. The midday sun is bright as gold.
Metaphor: a comparison between two unlike objects NOT using the words “like” or “as.”
Example: The sunbeams, shiny pieces of gold, gleamed on the sidewalk.
Extended Metaphor: A metaphor that continues over multiple sentences and sometimes extended throughout an entire work.
Examples:
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts.”
-Shakespeare’s As You Like It
or
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief…"—Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Personification: giving an IN-HUMAN thing HUMAN qualities
Examples: The iron gate stubbornly refused to open.
The rain kissed my cheeks as it fell.
Allusion (not illusion): a reference to history, literature, art, or religion.
Imagery: language that appeals to the five senses.
Taste: The familiar tang of his grandmother’s cranberry sauce reminded him of his youth.
Sound: The concert was so loud that her ears rang for days afterward.
Sight: The sunset was the most gorgeous they’d ever seen; the clouds were edged with pink and gold.
Smell: After eating the curry, his breath reeked of garlic.
Touch: The tree bark was rough against her skin.
Repetition: Repeating words, phrases, or sentences for an intended effect.
Symbolism: the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities.
Example: Water often symbolizes renewal, cleansing.
Alliteration: when the beginning of words starts with the same consonant sound.
Example: The summer sun slid down behind the ridge.
Onomatopoeia: sound words
Examples: Dave whooshed down the hill on his new sled.
The pitter-patter of the rain pinged on the windowpane.
Diction: Dialect or slang often regional to the characters in literature.
Irony: a literary device in which contradictory statements or situations reveal a reality that is different from what appears to be true.
Verbal Irony
Telling a quiet group, “Don’t everybody speak all at once.”
Stating during a thunderstorm, “Beautiful weather we’re having.”
Describing someone who says foolish things a “genius.”
Situational Irony
A fire station that burns down
Winner of a spelling bee failing a spelling test
A t-shirt with a “Buy American” logo that is made in China
A police station being burglarized
Dramatic Irony: the reader/audience is aware of pertinent information or circumstances of which the actual characters are not. Therefore, the reader is left in suspense or conflict until the situation or information is revealed to the characters involved. For example, a reader may be aware of a superhero’s true identity, whereas other characters may not know that information.
Hyperbole: an exaggeration that is created to emphasize a point. The exaggeration is so outrageous that no one would believe that it is true. It is used to add depth and color to a statement.
I have told you a million times to wash the dishes.
You are so slender that the wind can carry you away.
The afternoon is so bright that the sun would have to wear sunglasses.
You snore like a freight train.
Click this link for assistance in Utilizing Descriptive, Sensory Language.