Figurative Language and Literary Device Practice
Metaphor
Example: “He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dogdays; and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.”
What is being compared? Dickens is comparing Scrooge’s character to the temperature.
How is it effective?
It is effective because he says Scrooge has a low temperature which is cold, this tells the reader that Scrooge himself is a cold person in deed and nature. The fact that he carries it with him means he is like it always. It further goes on to say how he ices his office in the dogdays which is the warm days and that he did not thaw it at Christmas, tells the reader that he likes to be a cold person all of the time regardless of the season or weather, he is just a cold, emotionless man.
Example: “The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without, that although the court was of the narrowest, the houses opposite were mere phantoms.”
What is being compared? 1. The fog to liquid
2. The houses to phantoms
How is it effective?
It is effective because fog is some thing that is in the air, almost misty, but in order for it to pour like a liquid it would have to be very dense or heavy. This tells the reader that the fog must have been very thick and probably difficult to see through as well as allowing them to picture the fog coming through a keyhole in a steady stream which is what pouring liquid looks like. This aids in the effectiveness of the second metaphor as the fog is so dense, it makes it difficult to see. As a result, the houses across the street, look like phantoms. Phantoms are ghosts, so the reader can picture that these houses are faint or not clear, much like a ghost would be, not solid at all. This metaphor helps create a dark atmosphere.
Imagery
Example: “He had so heated himself with rapid walking in the fog and frost, this nephew of Scrooge’s that he was all in a glow; his face was ruddy and handsome; his eyes sparkled, and his breath smoked again.”
What is being described? Fred’s nephew is being described in total contrast to Scrooge
How is it effective? This image is effective because it appeals to the reader’s sense of sight. Dicken’s describes Fred as having a “glow” a result of walking rapidly in the cold. A glow is a soft warm light, so it would appear that Fred is a much warmer person than his uncle. The reader can see his cheeks are “ruddy” which means they are red or flushed and his eyes are “sparkling” which again is a pleasant image. The smoke coming from his breath, shows that it is cold in the office, yet Fred is physically warm. This image creates a very pleasing image of the Fred.
Example: “`every idiot who goes about with "Merry Christmas" on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!'”
What is being described? Scrooge is describing what he feels should happen to people who say Merry Christmas!
How is it effective? This is a very effective image as it appeals to the reader’s sense of sight. Here Scrooge paints a very alarming picture of people being boiled with their Christmas puddings. Obviously, the picture of people boiling in a big pot of water along with their Christmas pudding steaming away is both horrifying and almost funny at the same time, showing the ridiculous nature of Scrooge’s statement. He furthers that image by having the same people “buried with a stake of holly through his heart” which is similar to what they used to do with Vampires. Also, a terrible image of a dead person with a wooden stake drove through their heart laying in a casket, but again silly because of the fact it is holly. This imagery really helps show Scrooge’s character.
Personification
Example: “They were a gloomy suite of rooms, in a lowering pile of building up a yard, where it had so little business to be, that one could scarcely help fancying it must have run there when it was a young house, playing at hide-and-seek with other houses, and forgotten the way out again.”
What is being personified? Scrooge’s house to children playing hide and seek
How is it effective? This is effective because it gives the house the childlike quality of being able to play hide and seek. The fact that the child hid and was not found and never found its way out is sad especially in light of the fact Dicken’s is talking about house that is not mobile. This gives the reader the impression that perhaps when the house was built there may have be plans for others to go there, however, it would appear that none did. As a result, Scrooge’s house was very isolated much like Scrooge himself.